Draft final

BOX 1 IS DISPERSANT USE BEING CONSIDERED?

Dispersant use should be considered if one or more of the situations listed below exist:

• 
  Oil is likely to significantly impact birds, marine mammals, or other flora and fauna at the water surface
  

• 
  Natural dispersion is limited
  

• 
  Other response techniques are unlikely to be adequate, effective, or economical
  
• 
  The oil could emulsify and form mousse or tar balls
  

• 
  Oil is likely to significantly impact shorelines, structures and facilities (e.g., marinas, wharves)
  

• 
  Oil is likely to significantly impact economically important resources (e.g., shellfish beds, tourist
  

beaches)

• 
  Other ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
  

Decision: Consider dispersant use?

• 
  Yes Make notifications in Box 1a
  

Make notifications in Box 1b

• 
  No Go to Box 1c
  

Make a note of the decision in the Dispersant Decision Summary box on the Dispersant Use Flowchart.

From Cawthron, 2000

Discussion Note 1.1 KEY BENEFITS OF DISPERSANT USE

• 
  Dispersant use minimizes the effects of an oil spill principally by dispersing oil before it reaches shorelines or
  

sensitive areas (e.g., wetlands, estuaries).

• 
  Removing oil from the surface of the water reduces the potential for impacts to birds and marine mammals, and
  

limits the action of wind on spill movement.

• 
  Dispersants can prevent oil from sticking to solid surfaces, and enhance natural degradation.
  
• 
  Dispersants can effectively treat large spills more quickly and inexpensively than most other response methods.
  
• 
  Dispersants can be effective in rough water and strong currents where mechanical responses are limited.
  
• 
  Effective dispersant responses can greatly reduce the quantity of oil requiring recovery and disposal.
  
• 
  Dispersant use is often the only feasible response to spills that exceed mechanical response capabilities.
  
• 
  Dispersant use does not generally limit other options, except oleophilic mechanical responses.
  
• 
  Dispersed oil that cannot be mechanically recovered generally poses few significant environmental problems.
  

From Cawthron, 2000

BOX 1a REQUEST SMART

Immediately deploy USCG Strike Team to the spill site if dispersant use is likely. Every attempt should be made by the FOSC and the Strike Team to implement the on-water component of the SMART (Special Monitoring of Advance Response Technologies) monitoring protocols in every dispersant application. Dispersant application should not be delayed should sea conditions, equipment failure, or other unavoidable circumstances preclude the positioning of SMART monitoring equipment and personnel. However, at a minimum, Tier 1 (visual) monitoring should occur by trained observers during any dispersant operation approved in accordance with this California Dispersant Plan. Tier 2 (on-site water column monitoring) and Tier 3 (fate and transport of the dispersed oil) SMART monitoring will be deployed as appropriate. Other information on monitoring dispersant effectiveness, including additional SMART background information, tools and report forms, is presented in Attachments III.d-III.h

Decision: Deploy SMART?

• 
  Yes Use contact information in Attachment XI. Estimated arrival time: ……………..………..
  

Go to Box 1b.

 No Note reason why not deployed:

Make a note of the decision in the Dispersant Decision Summary box on the Dispersant Use Flowchart.

Go to Box 1b or Box 1c as appropriate.

BOX 1b PUT AERIAL WILDLIFE OBSERVERS ON STANDBY OR DEPLOY TO

IMPLEMENT THE WILDLIFE SPOTTING PROTOCOLS

Consider deploying trained wildlife spotters in initial spill overflight aircraft so that they can determine if the presence of marine animals in the spill or dispersant application zones could influence spray pattern decisions by the FOSC. The goal is to minimize over-spray onto unaffected animals. Wildlife spotters should use the forms and procedures given in the Wildlife Spotting Protocols (Attachment IV). The FOSC will decide how subsequent and systematic wildlife spotting efforts can be safely conducted with the aerial resources available.

Decision: Notify/deploy aerial wildlife spotters?

• 
  Yes Use wildlife spotter contact advice in Attachment IV.a. Go to Box 2.
  
• 
  No Note reason why wildlife spotters not deployed
  

Make a note of the decision in the Dispersant Decision Summary box on the Dispersant Use Flowchart.
Reconsider under Box 7.

BOX 1c IMPLEMENT OTHER RESPONSE OPTIONS

Consider all response options to identify which option, or combination of options, is most appropriate.

 No action other than monitoring  Clean-up of oil from shorelines

 Mechanical containment and recovery of oil at sea  In-situ burning

From Cawthron, 2000



BOX 2 CAN SPILLED OIL BE CHEMICALLY DISPERSED WITH AN APPROVED AND

AVAILABLE AGENT ON BOTH THE NCP PRODUCT LIST AND THE STATE OSCA

LICENSING LIST?

A NCP Product List may be found in Attachment VII. Updated NCP Product Lists can be accessed via the EPA representative on the RRT (Attachment XI), by calling the Emergency Response Division of the U.S. EPA (202-260-2342) or accessing the Internet at http://www2.epa.gov/emergency-response/national-contingency-plan-subpart-j

The State OSCA licensed dispersants may also be found in Attachment VII, or by contacting the State OSPR licensing representative, or the State OSPR representative on the RRT (Attachment XI).

Decision: Can this oil be dispersed with an approved and available agent?

• 
  Yes Go to Box 3.
  
• 
  No Go to Box 1c
  

Make a note of the decision in the Dispersant Decision Summary box on the Dispersant Use Flowchart.

Taken in part from Cawthron, 2000