EPA’s National Approach To Response

1. EPA’s National ApproachTo Response RRT Co-Chairs Meeting March 2003

2. Overview • Key Issues • Nationally Significant Incident Definition • Proposed EPA Model for National Incident Coordination • Organization and Roles and Responsibilities • Support

3. Key Issues • EPA’s experiences in responding to the acts of 9/11, the anthrax incidents, and most recently the Columbia recovery efforts, reinforce the importance of coordination. In particular: • What is the role of senior managers during an incident of national significance? • How should the on-site team relate to senior Headquarters and Regional managers?

4. Key Issues (cont.) • How do we ensure national consistency and appropriate allocation of resources across Regions during an incident of national significance? • How can non-emergency response programs most effectively provide support and expertise during an incident of national significance? • Coordination with new EPA Homeland Security Office

5. Nationally Significant Incident (NSI) Characteristics: • Response exceeds regional resources • Simultaneous similar events in one region or nationally • Major impact on operation of other EPA programs • Unique technical or policy issues requiring HQ involvement

6. Response Authorities • STATUTORY • Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act • Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act • Clean Water Act • Resource Conservation and Recovery Act • REGULATORY • National Contingency Plan (NCP) • Federal Response Plan (FRP) • Federal Radiation Emergency Response Plan

7. Response Authorities (cont.) • EXECUTIVE/PRESIDENTIAL ORDERS • Executive Order 12580 • Presidential Decision Directive 39: “United States Policy on Counterterrorism” • Presidential Decision Directive 62: “Protection Against Unconventional Threats to the Homeland and Americans Overseas” • Homeland Security Presidential Directive - 5

8. EPA Role in Responding to Chemical and Hazmat Emergencies • More than 250 On-Scene Coordinators (OSCs) nationwide, respond to over 600 emergencies per year • The National Contingency Plan provides EPA with broad authority to respond to releases of hazardous substances, pollutants and contaminants • A Presidential Declaration may activate the Federal Response Plan, Emergency Support Function (ESF) #10 (Hazardous Materials Response), which identifies EPA as the lead agency

9. National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP) • The Federal blueprint to prepare for and respond to environmental emergencies • Incorporates the National Response System, in existence for over 30 years • Promotes overall coordination among the hierarchy of responders and contingency plans

10. Federal Response PlanEmergency Support Function #10 EPA leads hazmat response, even those caused by a natural disasters or terrorist incident: • Threat assessment • Site evaluation and removal actions • Agent verification/extent of contamination • Hazard detection and reduction • Environmental monitoring • Decontamination • Remediation/effectiveness

11. EPA Model for National Incident Coordination Organizational Structure Position Executive Committee Administrator/DA,RA,AA NICT HQ Sr Management RICT Regional Sr Managemnt Regional Operations Center Removal Manager Incident Command System On-Scene Coordinator

12. EPA Model for National Incident Coordination • Executive Committee: • Convened by Administrator to include AAs and RAs • Defines and supports strategic vision of response • Addresses significant Agency and inter-Agency policy issues

13. EPA Model for National Incident Coordination • Executive Committee (con’t): • Provides for exchange of information among Agency Senior officials • Coordinates with White House • AA OSWER • Key Advisor to Administrator and designee for political and interagency communication

14. National Incident Coordination Team (NICT) • Chaired by Agency Emergency Coordinator • Standing Team of Senior Representatives from each Headquarters Office as well as a Representative from the Superfund Lead Region • Functions both in preparedness and emergency response roles • Focal point for coordination among Agency Offices, between Headquarters and appropriate Regional offices, and with other government agencies.

15. National Incident CoordinationTeam (NICT) (con’t.) • Specific preparedness initiatives include: EPA’s threat warning system, coordination/prioritization of security clearances, response reserve corps • During response, NICT representatives coordinate resources, resolve issues and keep the Executive Committee fully informed

16. EPA Model for National Incident Coordination • Regional Incident Coordination Team (RICT) • Provides cross-program resource recommendations and solutions for response support • Provides a regional forum for issue resolution • Coordinates information in response to requests from Headquarters, elected officials, the public • Provides a representative to the NICT

17. EPA Model for National Incident Coordination • Regional Administrator • Acts as a firewall between political process and Area Coordination and Tactical Levels • Provides strategic vision for the response • Resolves regional resource, cross-program and policy issues with RICT • Acts as Agency regional spokesperson with public and elected officials • Coordinates with other Department/Agency senior officials, as necessary

18. EPA Model for National Incident Coordination • Area Command/Regional Response Center: • Oversees and supports overall management of incident • Provides immediate “reach back” support • Coordinates Regional Response Team (RRT) support • Coordinates FEMA FRP ESF#10 activities • Emergency Coordination (COG/PDD 67)

19. EPA Model for National Incident Coordination • On-Scene Incident Command: • Responsible for tactical emergency response decision making • Utilizes National Response System assets and resources, as needed • Coordinates with Local/State/Private Party • Becomes Unified Command where there is multi-jurisdictional involvement

20. EPA Model for National Incident Coordination • Support • Backup Regions • Special Teams • Other Agencies • Crisis Response Support Group** • EPA Reserve Corps** • National Building Decontamination Team** ** under development

21. EPA’s Model for National Incident Coordination Roles & Responsibilities National Coordination & Consistency Regional Coordination & Information Mgt. Operational Decision Making Level of Coordination National Command Area Command Tactical Operations Organizational Position Administrator.DA, AA HQ Senior Mgt. Regional Sr. Mgt. Removal Mgr. On Scene Coordinator Organizational Structure Executive Committee NICT RICT Regional Response Center Incident Command System

22. Nationally Significant Incident Management Regional Administrator Administrator White House OSC/ ICS/ Unified Command RICT NICT OHS Removal Mgr/ Regional EOC HQ EOC

23. Other Agencies Gov Mayor NRT RRT Congressional Offices OSC staff HQ Offices RA Area Command (Regional Response Center) Regional backups Regional Incident Coordination Team (RICT) NICT OHS City/state EOC Administrator Press / Public HQ EOC Unified Command Cabinet-level & Congressional Relations JIC PIO Operations Planning Logistics Finance Nationally Significant Incident

24. RESPONSE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMSTactical Level Management: Incident Command System Unified Command -Federal OSC -State/Local IC -Responsible Party Command Staff PIO JIC Liaison Officer Other Agencies Safety Officer Operations Section Planning Section Logistics Section Finance Section

25. Communicating with the Public Info Flow Level of Operation National Policy National Coordination Area Coordination Tactical Responsible Organization Agency Administrators NRT/NICT RRT/RICT ICS/UCJIC Information Content Policy and Politics National Picture Regional Picture Local Story Incident Information Policy and Guidance Public