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Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
For more information call: (202) 219-8151
Faster and better coordinated emergency response to oil
and hazardous substance leaks will now be possible under a plan coordinated by
several federal agencies.
Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and
Health Joseph A. Dear today announced an agreement to implement one-plan
guidance for oil and hazardous substance release. The agreement was signed by
the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Research and
Special Programs Administration, the Minerals Management Service in the
Department of the Interior and the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration.
"President Clinton directed agencies to remove
duplication. Emergency response plans were identified as a problem area. This
plan should make it easier for businesses to do what's necessary to deal with
an emergency. And what is more important, complying with one plan will
ultimately save lives," Dear said.
The Integrated Contingency Plan was developed under the
auspices of the National Response Team. It includes a core response plan for
reacting to releases of oil and hazardous substances under existing federal
laws and regulations. The core plan tells responders what they should do to
begin the initial stages of the response. Information needed to meet specific
federal regulatory requirements, such as a description of the facility's
incident command system and data on specific facility hazards, will be attached
to the core plan. Facility plans prepared in accordance with the guidance will
satisfy facility emergency response planning requirements of the five federal
agencies and will be the federally preferred method of such planning.
Industry, labor, environmental groups and state agencies
participated in developing the plan. The one-plan approach is designed to
minimize duplication of effort and unnecessary paperwork burdens. It provides
flexibility to accommodate state and local requirements.
The guidance is scheduled to be published in the June 5
Federal Register. Additionally it is available on the Internet at
http://www.osha.gov/ under "What's New" and will be available on an upcoming
issue of the OSHA CD-ROM.
The text is on the Internet World Wide Web at
http://www.osha.gov/.
OSHA news releases, fact sheets, and other short documents
are also available by fax for a nominal charge of $1.50 per minute. Callers
should dial (900) 555-3400 to access this service.
Information on this news release will be made available to
sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: 202-219-8151.
Archived News Release--Caution:
information may be out of date.
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