EPA’s National EPA’s National ApproachApproachTo ResponseTo Response

RRT Co-Chairs MeetingRRT Co-Chairs Meeting

March 2003March 2003

22

OverviewOverview

• Key IssuesKey Issues• Nationally Significant Incident Nationally Significant Incident

DefinitionDefinition• Proposed EPA Model for National Proposed EPA Model for National

Incident CoordinationIncident Coordination– Organization and Roles and Organization and Roles and

ResponsibilitiesResponsibilities– SupportSupport

33

Key IssuesKey Issues

• EPA’s experiences in responding to the acts of EPA’s experiences in responding to the acts of 9/11, the anthrax incidents, and most recently 9/11, the anthrax incidents, and most recently the Columbia recovery efforts, reinforce the the Columbia recovery efforts, reinforce the importance of coordination. In particular:importance of coordination. In particular:

– What is the role of senior managers during What is the role of senior managers during an incident of national significance?an incident of national significance?

– How should the on-site team relate to senior How should the on-site team relate to senior Headquarters and Regional managers? Headquarters and Regional managers?

44

Key Issues (cont.)Key Issues (cont.)

– How do we ensure national consistency How do we ensure national consistency and appropriate allocation of resources and appropriate allocation of resources across Regions during an incident of across Regions during an incident of national significance?national significance?

– How can non-emergency response How can non-emergency response programs most effectively provide support programs most effectively provide support and expertise during an incident of and expertise during an incident of national significance?national significance?

– Coordination with new EPA Homeland Coordination with new EPA Homeland Security OfficeSecurity Office

55

Nationally Significant Nationally Significant Incident (NSI)Incident (NSI)Characteristics:Characteristics:

• Response exceeds regional resources Response exceeds regional resources • Simultaneous similar events in one Simultaneous similar events in one

region or nationallyregion or nationally• Major impact on operation of other EPA Major impact on operation of other EPA

programsprograms• Unique technical or policy issues Unique technical or policy issues

requiring HQ involvementrequiring HQ involvement

66

Response AuthoritiesResponse Authorities

• STATUTORYSTATUTORY– Comprehensive Environmental Response, Comprehensive Environmental Response,

Compensation, and Liability Act Compensation, and Liability Act – Emergency Planning and Community Right-Emergency Planning and Community Right-

To-Know ActTo-Know Act– Clean Water Act Clean Water Act – Resource Conservation and Recovery ActResource Conservation and Recovery Act

• REGULATORYREGULATORY– National Contingency Plan (NCP)National Contingency Plan (NCP)– Federal Response Plan (FRP)Federal Response Plan (FRP)– Federal Radiation Emergency Response PlanFederal Radiation Emergency Response Plan

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Response Authorities Response Authorities (cont.)(cont.)• EXECUTIVE/PRESIDENTIAL ORDERSEXECUTIVE/PRESIDENTIAL ORDERS– Executive Order 12580Executive Order 12580– Presidential Decision Directive 39: “United Presidential Decision Directive 39: “United

States Policy on Counterterrorism”States Policy on Counterterrorism”– Presidential Decision Directive 62: Presidential Decision Directive 62:

“Protection Against Unconventional “Protection Against Unconventional Threats to the Homeland and Americans Threats to the Homeland and Americans Overseas”Overseas”

– Homeland Security Presidential Directive - Homeland Security Presidential Directive - 55

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EPA Role in Responding to EPA Role in Responding to Chemical and Hazmat Chemical and Hazmat EmergenciesEmergencies• More than 250 On-Scene Coordinators (OSCs) More than 250 On-Scene Coordinators (OSCs)

nationwide, respond to over 600 emergencies per nationwide, respond to over 600 emergencies per yearyear

• The National Contingency Plan provides EPA with The National Contingency Plan provides EPA with broad authority to respond to releases of broad authority to respond to releases of hazardous substances, pollutants and hazardous substances, pollutants and contaminantscontaminants

• A Presidential Declaration may activate the A Presidential Declaration may activate the Federal Response Plan, Emergency Support Federal Response Plan, Emergency Support Function (ESF) #10 (Hazardous Materials Function (ESF) #10 (Hazardous Materials Response), which identifies EPA as the lead agencyResponse), which identifies EPA as the lead agency

99

National Oil and Hazardous National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP)Contingency Plan (NCP)

• The Federal blueprint to prepare for The Federal blueprint to prepare for and respond to environmental and respond to environmental emergenciesemergencies

• Incorporates the National Response Incorporates the National Response System, in existence for over 30 yearsSystem, in existence for over 30 years

• Promotes overall coordination among Promotes overall coordination among the hierarchy of responders and the hierarchy of responders and contingency planscontingency plans

1010

Federal Response PlanFederal Response PlanEmergency Support Function Emergency Support Function #10#10EPA leads hazmat response, even those caused EPA leads hazmat response, even those caused by a natural disasters or terrorist incident:by a natural disasters or terrorist incident:– Threat assessmentThreat assessment– Site evaluation and removal actionsSite evaluation and removal actions– Agent verification/extent of contaminationAgent verification/extent of contamination– Hazard detection and reductionHazard detection and reduction– Environmental monitoringEnvironmental monitoring– DecontaminationDecontamination– Remediation/effectivenessRemediation/effectiveness

1111

EPA Model for National EPA Model for National Incident CoordinationIncident CoordinationOrganizational StructureOrganizational Structure PositionPosition

Executive CommitteeExecutive CommitteeAdministrator/DA,RA,AAAdministrator/DA,RA,AA

NICTNICT HQ Sr ManagementHQ Sr Management

RICTRICT Regional Sr Regional Sr ManagemntManagemnt

Regional Operations CenterRegional Operations Center Removal ManagerRemoval Manager

Incident Command SystemIncident Command System On-Scene Coordinator On-Scene Coordinator

1212

EPA Model for National EPA Model for National Incident CoordinationIncident Coordination

• Executive Committee:Executive Committee:– Convened by Administrator to Convened by Administrator to

include AAs and RAsinclude AAs and RAs– Defines and supports strategic vision Defines and supports strategic vision

of responseof response– Addresses significant Agency and Addresses significant Agency and

inter-Agency policy issuesinter-Agency policy issues

1313

EPA Model for National EPA Model for National Incident CoordinationIncident Coordination

• Executive Committee (con’t):Executive Committee (con’t):– Provides for exchange of information Provides for exchange of information

among Agency Senior officialsamong Agency Senior officials– Coordinates with White HouseCoordinates with White House

• AA OSWERAA OSWER– Key Advisor to Administrator and Key Advisor to Administrator and

designee for political and designee for political and interagency communicationinteragency communication

1414

National Incident National Incident Coordination Team Coordination Team (NICT)(NICT)• Chaired by Agency Emergency CoordinatorChaired by Agency Emergency Coordinator• Standing Team of Senior Representatives from Standing Team of Senior Representatives from

each Headquarters Office as well as a each Headquarters Office as well as a Representative from the Superfund Lead Representative from the Superfund Lead RegionRegion

• Functions both in preparedness and Functions both in preparedness and emergency response rolesemergency response roles

• Focal point for coordination among Agency Focal point for coordination among Agency Offices, between Headquarters and Offices, between Headquarters and appropriate Regional offices, and with other appropriate Regional offices, and with other government agencies.government agencies.

1515

National Incident National Incident CoordinationCoordinationTeam (NICT) (con’t.)Team (NICT) (con’t.)• Specific preparedness initiatives include: Specific preparedness initiatives include:

EPA’s threat warning system, EPA’s threat warning system, coordination/prioritization of security coordination/prioritization of security clearances, response reserve corpsclearances, response reserve corps

• During response, NICT representatives During response, NICT representatives coordinate resources, resolve issues and coordinate resources, resolve issues and keep the Executive Committee fully keep the Executive Committee fully informedinformed

1616

EPA Model for National EPA Model for National Incident CoordinationIncident Coordination• Regional Incident Coordination Team (RICT)Regional Incident Coordination Team (RICT)– Provides cross-program resource Provides cross-program resource

recommendations and solutions for recommendations and solutions for response supportresponse support

– Provides a regional forum for issue Provides a regional forum for issue resolutionresolution

– Coordinates information in response to Coordinates information in response to requests from Headquarters, elected requests from Headquarters, elected officials, the publicofficials, the public

– Provides a representative to the NICTProvides a representative to the NICT

1717

EPA Model for National EPA Model for National Incident CoordinationIncident Coordination• Regional AdministratorRegional Administrator– Acts as a firewall between political process Acts as a firewall between political process

and Area Coordination and Tactical Levelsand Area Coordination and Tactical Levels– Provides strategic vision for the responseProvides strategic vision for the response– Resolves regional resource, cross-program Resolves regional resource, cross-program

and policy issues with RICTand policy issues with RICT– Acts as Agency regional spokesperson with Acts as Agency regional spokesperson with

public and elected officialspublic and elected officials– Coordinates with other Coordinates with other

Department/Agency senior officials, as Department/Agency senior officials, as necessarynecessary

1818

EPA Model for National EPA Model for National Incident CoordinationIncident Coordination• Area Command/Regional Response Area Command/Regional Response

Center:Center:– Oversees and supports overall Oversees and supports overall

management of incidentmanagement of incident– Provides immediate “reach back” supportProvides immediate “reach back” support– Coordinates Regional Response Team Coordinates Regional Response Team

(RRT) support (RRT) support – Coordinates FEMA FRP ESF#10 activities Coordinates FEMA FRP ESF#10 activities – Emergency Coordination (COG/PDD 67)Emergency Coordination (COG/PDD 67)

1919

EPA Model for National EPA Model for National Incident CoordinationIncident Coordination• On-Scene Incident Command:On-Scene Incident Command:– Responsible for tactical emergency Responsible for tactical emergency

response decision makingresponse decision making– Utilizes National Response System Utilizes National Response System

assets and resources, as neededassets and resources, as needed– Coordinates with Local/State/Private Coordinates with Local/State/Private

PartyParty– Becomes Unified Command where Becomes Unified Command where

there is multi-jurisdictional involvementthere is multi-jurisdictional involvement

2020

EPA Model for National EPA Model for National Incident CoordinationIncident Coordination• Support

- Backup Regions- Special Teams- Other Agencies

- Crisis Response Support Group**- EPA Reserve Corps**- National Building Decontamination Team**

** under development

2121

EPA’s Model for National Incident EPA’s Model for National Incident CoordinationCoordination

Level of Level of CoordinationCoordination

National National CommandCommand

Area Area CommandCommand

Tactical Tactical OperationsOperations

OrganizationalOrganizational

PositionPosition

Administrator.DAAdministrator.DA, AA, AA

HQ Senior Mgt.HQ Senior Mgt.

Regional Sr. Mgt.Regional Sr. Mgt.

Removal Mgr.Removal Mgr.

On Scene On Scene CoordinatorCoordinator

Roles &Roles &

ResponsibilitieResponsibilitiess

National National Coordination & Coordination & ConsistencyConsistency

Regional Regional Coordination & Coordination & Information Mgt.Information Mgt.

Operational Operational Decision MakingDecision Making

Organizational Structure

Executive Committee

NICT

RICT

Regional Response Center

IncidentCommand

System

2222

RemovalMgr/

RegionalEOC

RemovalMgr/

RegionalEOC

RICTRICT

RegionalAdministrator

RegionalAdministrator

HQ EOCHQ EOC

OHSOHS

AdministratorAdministrator

Nationally Significant Nationally Significant Incident ManagementIncident Management

WhiteHouse

WhiteHouse

OSC/ICS/

UnifiedCommand

OSC/ICS/

UnifiedCommand

NICTNICT

2323

Area Command(RegionalResponse

Center)

RRT

Regional backups

City/stateEOC

OSC staff

Administrator

NICT

HQ EOC

NRT

HQOffices

OHS

Cabinet-level& Congressional

Relations

Other Agencies

Nationally Significant Incident Nationally Significant Incident

UnifiedCommand

Operations Planning Logistics Finance

PIO JIC

RegionalIncident

CoordinationTeam(RICT)

MayorGov

RA

CongressionalOffices

Press /Public

2424

RESPONSE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMSRESPONSE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMSTactical Level Management: Incident Tactical Level Management: Incident Command SystemCommand System

OperationsSection

OperationsSection

PlanningSection

PlanningSection

LogisticsSection

LogisticsSection

FinanceSection

FinanceSection

PIOPIO JICJIC

Liaison Officer

Liaison Officer

SafetyOfficer

SafetyOfficer

Command StaffCommand Staff

Unified Command

-Federal OSC-State/Local IC

-Responsible Party

Unified Command

-Federal OSC-State/Local IC

-Responsible Party

Other AgenciesOther Agencies

2525

Communicating with Communicating with the Publicthe Public

Info Info FlowFlow

Level of Level of OperationOperation

National National PolicyPolicy

National National CoordinationCoordination

Area Area CoordinationCoordination

TacticalTactical

Responsible Responsible OrganizatioOrganizationn

Agency Agency AdministratorsAdministrators

NRT/NICTNRT/NICT

RRT/RICTRRT/RICT

ICS/UCICS/UCJICJIC

InformatioInformation Contentn Content

Policy and Policy and PoliticsPolitics

National National PicturePicture

Regional Regional PicturePicture

Local StoryLocal Story

Pu

blic

Pu

blic

Incid

ent

Info

rmatio

n

Policy

and

Guid

ance