ABANDONED VESSEL AUTHORITIES AND BEST PRACTICES GUIDANCE 2020 UPDATE VERSION 10 This page intentionally left blank ii ABANDONED VESSEL AUTHORITIES AND BEST PRACTICES GUIDANCE Table of Contents Executive Summary .................................................................................................................................... v Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................................... vi How to Use This Guidance ....................................................................................................................... vii Section 1.0 Definition of Terms .................................................................................................................. 1 Section 2.0 Background and Purpose ........................................................................................................ 5 2.1 Purpose ............................................................................................................................................. 5 2.2 Background ...................................................................................................................................... 5 2.3 Considerations and Assumptions ..................................................................................................... 6 Section 3.0 Initial Assessment .................................................................................................................... 7 3.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 7 3.2 Initial Field Assessment ................................................................................................................... 7 3.3 Government Collaboration ............................................................................................................. 12 Section 4.0 Response Authorities ............................................................................................................. 13 4.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 13 4.2 Federal Statutes and Regulations ................................................................................................... 13 4.3 Post-disaster Response Authorities ................................................................................................ 21 4.4 Additional Statutes Applicable to Abandoned Vessel Disposition ................................................ 23 4.5 Determination of Response Authorities ......................................................................................... 23 Section 5.0 Funding Authorities .............................................................................................................. 24 5.1 Federal Funding ............................................................................................................................. 24 5.2 State Funding ................................................................................................................................. 26 5.3 Determination of Funding Sources for Submerged Wrecks .......................................................... 26 5.4 Navy Assets and SUPSALV Standing Contracts .......................................................................... 28 Section 6.0 Vessel Removal and Options for Ultimate Disposition ...................................................... 29 6.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 29 6.2 Discharge/Release or Substantial Threat of Discharge Release of Oil and/or Hazardous Substances ...................................................................................................................................... 29 6.3 No Discharge/Release or Threat of Discharge/Release of Oil and/or Hazardous Substances ....... 30 6.4 Post Disaster Response Operations ................................................................................................ 30 6.5 General Process for Abandoned Vessels Management .................................................................. 31 6.6 Considerations and Unique Challenges when Dealing with Multiple, Simultaneously Displaced Vessels .......................................................................................................................... 33 6.7 Options for Ultimate Disposition of Abandoned Vessels .............................................................. 36 6.8 Cost Recovery and Documentation................................................................................................ 38 Appendix A: Abandoned Vessel Response Case Studies ....................................................................... 39 Appendix B: Technical Specialists and Special Teams .......................................................................... 50 SUPSALV ............................................................................................................................................ 50 EPA ERT .............................................................................................................................................. 51 NOAA SSC .......................................................................................................................................... 52 iii ABANDONED VESSEL AUTHORITIES AND BEST PRACTICES GUIDANCE NOAA Marine Debris Program............................................................................................................ 52 USCG MSC SERT ............................................................................................................................... 52 USCG NSF ........................................................................................................................................... 53 NSFCC ................................................................................................................................................. 53 NSF Strike Teams ................................................................................................................................ 53 American Salvage Association ............................................................................................................. 53 Area Committee Members ................................................................................................................... 54 Regional Response Teams .................................................................................................................... 54 Appendix C: State Abandoned Vessel Programs ................................................................................... 55 Appendix D: Pollution Mitigation from Legacy Wrecks ....................................................................... 59 Authorities and Funding ....................................................................................................................... 60 Priorities ............................................................................................................................................... 60 Contract Management .......................................................................................................................... 61 Action Plan Development ..................................................................................................................... 61 Site Safety Issues .................................................................................................................................. 64 Fuel and Pollution Mitigation ............................................................................................................... 66 Product Removal Process ..................................................................................................................... 66 Product Removal Case Examples ......................................................................................................... 67 Appendix E: Abandoned Vessel Program Development ....................................................................... 69 Appendix F: EPA Ocean Disposal Permitting Program ....................................................................... 71 Appendix G: References and Additional Reading Materials ................................................................ 73 Appendix H: Acronyms ............................................................................................................................ 75 iv ABANDONED VESSEL AUTHORITIES AND BEST PRACTICES GUIDANCE Executive Summary This National Response Team (NRT) document provides guidance for the federal response community in developing solutions for the abatement of pollution from abandoned vessels. This document also examines options applicable to the removal and disposition of abandoned vessels, including existing state programs. Developed in response to growing concerns over abandoned vessels throughout United States (U.S.) waters, the Abandoned Vessel Authorities and Best Practices Guidance is designed to provide the federal response community with information about the regulatory and policy authority of each agency having a major nexus to abandoned vessels; roles and responsibilities of each agency pursuant to those authorities; best practices used for responding to