Western Canada Marine Response Corporation

Information Handbook August 2012

WCMRC INFORMATION HANDBOOK

Western Canada Marine Response Corporation Our Mission Western Canada Marine Response Corporation delivers safe and effective oil spill response services within the province of British Columbia.

Our Vision To be regarded as the industry model in the marine oil spill response community.

Corporate Goals 1. Health & Safety is #1 in all we do. 2. Certification requirements are met and we are always in a ready state. 3. Ensure that effective cost controls and transparent financial practices are in place. 4. Create excellence in all areas of our business. 5. Provide a supportive work environment that engages employees and encourages continuous improvement. 6. Collaborate with the response community to strengthen our preparedness and capacity.

Our Values We believe that putting our Values into practice creates long term benefits for our employees, shareholders, stakeholders, suppliers, and the communities we serve. We value: 1. Open and honest communication that fosters a climate of trust. 2. Integrity in all our business practices. 3. Being a steward of the environment. 4. Success through competency, creativity and teamwork. 5. Celebrating individual and team successes.

Western Canada Marine Response Corporation www.wcmrc.com 201 Kensington Avenue Burnaby, BC 604.294.6001

TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS

1

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

2

PREFACE

3

1.0 CANADA’S APPROACH TO MARINE OIL SPILLS 1.1 Background 1.2 Roles and Responsibilities Transport Canada Canadian Coast Guard Province of British Columbia Regional Environmental Emergencies Team Polluter or Responsible Party Response Organization 1.3 Regulations, Standards and Oil Spill Response Plans 1.4 Other Emergency Response Plans

4 4 5 5 5 6 6 7 7 7 8

2.0 WESTERN CANADA MARINE RESPONSE CORPORATION 2.1 Background 2.2 WCMRC Structure and Organization 2.3 External Support Fishers Oil Spill Emergency Team (FOSET) Contractors and Advisors Mutual Aid 2.4 Training, Exercises and Equipment Inspections 2.5 Funding through Membership and Contracts

10 10 10 10 10 11 11 12 12

3.0 GEOGRAPHIC AREA OF RESPONSE (GAR) 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Designated Port, Primary Area of Response and Enhanced Area of Response 3.3 Standards for Response Times 3.4 Area Plans 3.5 Geographic Response Plans

14 14 15 16 17 17

4.0 SPILL MANAGEMENT 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Unified Command Structure (UCS) 4.3 Spill Response Common Objectives 4.4 WCMRC Spill Response Management and Incident Command System

18 18 19 20 20

5.0 RESPONSE CAPABILITY AND RESOURCES 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Personnel Resources 5.3 Equipment Resources 5.4 Booming & Skimming Resources 5.5 Temporary Storage 5.6 24 Hour Operations 5.7 Shoreline Cleanup

22 22 22 23 24 25 25 25

6.0 GOING FORWARD

26

GLOSSARY

27

APPENDIX 1: AT AT A GLANCE

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WCMRC INFORMATION HANDBOOK

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Canada Shipping Act was amended in 1995 to improve marine oil spill response capability in Canada. These changes were designed to require industry to maintain a dedicated marine oil spill preparedness capability and for government to provide oversight of the regime by setting standards that form the basis for certification of response organizations. Western Canada Response Corporation (WCMRC) is the Response Organization certified to respond to marine oil spills along British Columbia’s 27,000 km of coastline. First established in 1976 as an industry co-op, it became Canada’s first certified response organization in 1995. The shipping industry and oil handling companies operating along the coast support WCMRC by fully funding the costs to maintain its state of preparedness. In addition, industry is required to pay for all response costs associated with spill events. WCMRC works closely with the Canadian Coast Guard (i.e. the federal monitoring officer), with Environment Canada and with the provincial Ministry of Environment. WCMRC has its main office in Burnaby, and regional offices located in Duncan and Prince Rupert. WCMRCs full and part-time staff are available 24/7 for spills response and can access vessels and equipment caches located strategically along the west coast. The WCMRC response team can be supplemented by accessing an extensive network of trained contractors and advisors as well as through mutual aid agreements with other response organizations. WCMRC has developed coastal Area Plans to prepare responders for the unique aspects of the BC coastline. These plans include for example, description of sensitive areas, logistical information, location of equipment and staging areas and response strategies and geographic response plans. WCMRC uses the Incident Command System as its response management system. WCMRCs Oil Spill Response Plan is regularly tested through tabletop and deployment exercises which are monitored and evaluated by Transport Canada. Participants in these exercises include representatives from government agencies and industry, First Nations, contractors, advisors, mutual aid partners and community stakeholders. These exercises provide tremendous learning opportunities for participants and also serve to ensure continuous improvement of WCMRCs Oil Spill Response Plan. WCMRC maintains a dedicated fleet of specialized spill response vessels. The vessels range in size from small skiffs to large storage and sweeping barges. WCMRCs flagship, the Burrard Cleaner No. 9, is the largest purpose-built skimming vessel in Canada. In addition to this fleet, WCMRC has an extensive inventory of response equipment. This includes for example, boom, portable skimmers, Incident Command Post kits, and a communications network. This equipment is cached strategically in various locations along the west coast. The pipeline industry has proposed a number of projects recently that, if approved, will result in a substantial increase in infrastructure of oil handling facilities as well as in the density of ship traffic and convergence along the west coast of British Columbia. WCMRC has completed preliminary analysis to determine the equipment and resources needed to meet a range of increased capacities to meet these changing conditions. This preliminary analysis reveals that WCMRC is well positioned to meet increases in capacity requirements. WCMRC will continue to work closely with federal and provincial agencies and industry to find the most appropriate capacity for marine oil spill response to protect BC’s valuable coastal resource. The WCMRC corporate video profiles the response organization’s mandate and operations. The video can also be found on the website at www.wcmrc.com. Version 2.0 (current as of August 2012)

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PREFACE The intent of this publication is to describe the current state of preparedness to respond to marine oil spills along the coastal water of British Columbia. It does so by first providing the historic background that has led to the development of the spill response regime in Canada. In addition, the roles and responsibilities of the various stakeholders involved in implementing this regime are outlined. Western Canada Marine Response Corporation (WCMRC) is then described in detail in terms of the organization’s structure, the regulatory environment it operates under and how it is prepared to meet and exceed current response planning standards. Finally, the paper concludes with a discussion about how WCMRC is prepared to continuously enhance its spill response capability to meet the changing needs brought about by industry’s expanding infrastructure. WCMRC endeavours to keep this handbook current and correct, but because spill response techniques and equipment inventories do change, the information contained herein is current only to the date noted. Anyone requiring detailed information concerning the Canada Shipping Act, 2001, Canada’s Response Organization Standards, or any other Canadian regulatory requirement, is encouraged to contact Transport Canada directly.

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1.0 CANADA’S APPROACH TO MARINE OIL SPILLS 1.1

Background

The need for appropriate preparedness and response was brought into sharp focus following spills from the oil tankers Nestucca and Exxon Valdez, in 1988 and 1989 respectively. The Canadian federal government established the Public Review Panel on Tanker Safety and Marine Spills Response Capability following these significant environmental disasters. The Panel’s 1990 report recommended across-theboard improvement of preparedness and response measures, outlining a total of 107 recommendations. Subsequently, in 1995, the Canada Shipping Act was amended to require improvements to marine oil spill response capability in Canada. The changes were designed to require industry to maintain a dedicated marine oil spill preparedness capability and for government to set standards, provide oversight of the regime and display leadership toward Canada’s stated goals. Twenty years later, Canada’s management of marine emergencies is achieved through organization, teamwork and shared responsibility. The shipping and oil handling industries plan and pay for an enhanced level of preparedness through a network of four certified Response Organizations (RO) across Canada.

Canada’s Spill Response Regime follows the “Polluter Pays Principle”

In the event of a marine oil spill the polluter or “Responsible Party” (RP) manages and pays for the spill response. The Response Organization provides the equipment and resources for the response. For their part, the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) provides oversight as the Federal Monitoring Officer, and the other Federal and Provincial government agencies provide consolidated environmental advice and priorities through the Regional Environmental Emergencies Team or REET as it is commonly known. Figure 1 illustrates the critical elements that form Canada’s approach to implementing an effective marine oil spill response regime.

Figure 1: Critical Elements of Canada’s Oil Spill Response Regime Response Organization and Oil Handling Facilities Regulations Regional Environmental Emergencies Team (REET)

Canada Shipping Act Regulations and Standards

Lead Agency / RO Integration

Oil Pollution Prevention Regulations (Ships)

Response Organization Plans

Stakeholders

Communities, First Nations, Ports

Prevention and Preparedness

Fishers Contractors Advisors

Response Organization Support Personnel

Canada's Approach to Oil Spill Management

Mutual Aid Response Organizations

Incident Command System Job Aids Advisors

Ship and OHF Plans

Spill M anagement System

Western Canada Marine Response Corporation

Eastern Canada Response Corporation Point Tupper Alert

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1.2

Roles and Responsibilities

The preparation for a successful response to marine oil spills involves a mix of federal, provincial and local governments, stakeholders and industry participants. The roles and responsibilities of some key players are outlined below. Transport Canada The following is taken from the Transport Canada web site - www.tc.gc.ca/eng/marinesafety/oep-ers-menu1118.htm

Transport Canada’s Environmental Response Systems is responsible for developing and administering policies, regulations and programs to protect the marine environment, to mitigate the impact on the environment of marine pollution incidents in Canadian waters, and to ensure the safety of the general public. It works with other federal agencies and departments, such as Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the Canadian Coast Guard and Environment Canada, to establish guidelines, the regulatory framework and mechanisms for the preparedness and response to oil spills. It also manages the National Aerial Surveillance Program, which serves to detect pollution violations in Canadian waters and to collect evidence for use in the prosecution of offenders, as well as the department's response to spills of hazardous and noxious substances. One of the most important programs that fall under the mandate of Environmental Response Systems is Canada's Marine Oil Spill Preparedness and Response Regime. Transport Canada is the lead federal regulatory agency responsible for regime, which was established in 1995 and is built on a partnership between government and industry. Within the framework of the regime, Transport Canada sets the guidelines and regulatory structure for the preparedness and response to marine oil spills. The guiding principles for the regime are:  Effective and responsive legislation,  Potential polluters pay for preparedness,  Polluter pays for reasonable response costs,  Based on partnership with industry,  Comprehensive contingency plans,  Mutual agreements with neighbours.

Transport Canada is the regulator for Response Organizations in Canada and is responsible for issuing their certifications.

Transport Canada ensures that the appropriate level of preparedness is available to respond to marine oil pollution incidents in Canada of up to 10,000 tonnes within prescribed planning time standards and operating environments. The Regime is built on the principle of cascading resources, which means that in the event of a spill, the resources of a specific area can be supplemented with those from other regions (geographic areas) or from our international partners, as needed Canadian Coast Guard The following is taken from the Coast Guard web site - http://www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca/eng/CCG/Home . The objectives of the Environmental Response program of the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) are to minimize the environmental, economic and public safety impacts of marine pollution incidents, and to provide humanitarian aid to natural or manmade disasters.

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The CCG maintains a level of its own preparedness capacity, monitors and investigates all reports of marine pollution incidents and ensures an appropriate response to all marine pollution incidents in waters under Canadian jurisdiction. The CCG acts as the Federal Monitoring Officer (FMO) and Lead Agency for all ship source marine spills. If the polluter is unknown, unwilling or unable to respond to a marine spill, the CCG has the responsibility and authority on behalf of the Government of Canada to take over and direct the response. Province of British Columbia The following is taken from the Ministry of the Environment web site http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/eemp. The Ministry of Environment's Environmental Emergency Management Program leads the Province's ongoing commitment to prevent, prepare for, mitigate, and respond to spills that effect the environment. The program plays an essential role in protecting both human health and the environmental quality of the province’s water, land, and air resources along with the flora and fauna they contain. The Environmental Emergency Management Program fulfills its function through shared stewardship of our environment with other provincial agencies, industry, local government, federal government, and other stakeholders. The BC Ministry of Environment is responsible for provincial preparedness and response management for spills of oil and hazardous materials. This responsibility is designated under the Emergency Program Act and its Emergency Program Management Regulation (Schedule 1). The Ministry of Environment Act and authorities are provided under the Environmental Management Act. The primary focus of these spill response plans and operational guidelines are at the site (Incident Command Post) and field (tactical) levels of emergency response. The Province acts as Lead Agency for spills from or on land and takes a direct role with spills that threaten or impact shorelines. Regional Environmental Emergencies Team The following is taken from the Environment Canada web site http://www.on.ec.gc.ca/emergency/reet/reete.html .

The Regional Environmental Emergencies Team (REET) is a multi-agency, multi-disciplinary group specializing in environmental emergencies. A REET is designed to provide consolidated and coordinated environmental advice, information and assistance in the event of an environmental emergency. REET members represent several federal, provincial and municipal government departments, aboriginal communities, private sector agencies, and local individuals. Environment Canada and the BC Ministry of the Environment Co-Chair the REET program in British Columbia. During emergency response situations a REET operates as a flexible and expandable multidisciplinary and multi-agency team brought together to obtain and provide comprehensive and coordinated environmental advice, information and assistance to the Responsible Party, Incident Commander or Lead Agency. A REET is typically only activated in its response mode in the event of a significant incident with associated environmental impacts. Version 2.0 (current as of August 2012)

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REET’s role includes:  Providing consolidated and coordinated environmental advice  Prioritizing for the RP and/or Lead Agency the environmental, cultural, economic, property and human issues  Eliminating agency overlap and duplication  Providing a forum for local stakeholders to have their concerns met  Providing assistance with mapping, permits, trajectory modeling, and shoreline assessments. Polluter or Responsible Party Most Responsible Parties (RP) will take responsibility for a marine spill If the Responsible Party is and will identify one person to step forward as the Incident unknown, unwilling or Commander to lead the response to the incident. The Incident unable to respond, the CCG Commander is responsible for: will take over and, working  Implementing the ship or oil handling facility (OHF) with the Response contingency plan and conducting the initial response Organization, will direct  Calling on the Response Organization to provide oil spill the response. response services  Overall management of the incident  Approval of all plans and financial expenditures  Working with REET and stakeholder groups to identify sensitivities and response priorities  Dealing with the casualty i.e. the ship in trouble (fire-fighting, salvage, etc.)  Working with advisors on media, insurance and legal issues. Response Organization The role of Canada’s four certified Response Organizations is to provide marine oil spill response services when requested by a member, the Coast Guard or a lead government agency. The services provided include:  Hands on operational spill response  Spill management capability  Government agency and stakeholder liaison  Access to technical advisors on a range of spill issues

1.3

Regulations, Standards and Oil Spill Response Plans

Regulations and standards provide the framework for protecting Canada’s navigable waters by placing preparedness requirements on ships, oil handling facilities and certified Response Organizations operating in Canadian waters. Transport Canada, in its role as lead regulator, ensures that requirements are being met and appropriate plans, procedures and resources are in place to deal with marine oil spills. By law, under the Canada Shipping Act, 2001, the following parties must have an arrangement in place with a certified Response Organization in order to operate in Canadian waters:  Ships and barges greater than 150 gross tonnage carrying oil as a cargo;  All other ships greater than 400 gross tonnage that carry oil as fuel for their own use, and;  Oil handling facilities (i.e. terminals) that transfer oil to or from the ships. Version 2.0 (current as of August 2012)

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In order to demonstrate to Transport Canada that they are in compliance with the law and prepared to respond, the following must be in place:  For vessels: a Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan (SOPEP); for oil handling facilities;  For oil handling facilities: an Oil Pollution Emergency Plan (OPEP) and an on-site Oil Pollution Prevention Plan (OPPP);  A certificate outlining the arrangement with a Response Organization;  Proof of financial responsibility; and,  The name of the person(s) authorized to implement the plan. In turn, Response Organizations are required to submit an Oil Spill Response Plan (OSRP) to Transport Canada every three years that incorporates:  Declaration and submission process  Response Organization details  Relationship to other plans and management systems  Geographical Area of Response  Callout procedures  Personnel and equipment resources  Oil spill exercise program  Training plan  Health and safety program  Response countermeasures  Wildlife protection and rehabilitation Response Organizations undergo a 3 year certification in their region. The National Review Board (NRB) determines if the RO has met the certification requirements. If all requirements are met, the NRB will then recommend that the Minister of Transport provide a certificate of designation to the RO.

1.4

Other Emergency Response Plans

The Response Organizations’ OSRP, along with those of their members, fall within a framework of federal, provincial, and local emergency response plans. Figure 2 illustrates this framework for British Columbia. The OSRP is designed for use and implementation in coordination with other relevant plans at the time of a spill.

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Figure 2: Framework of Emergency Response Plans in BC

Canadian Coast Guard Plans CCG National Plan

CAN/US Joint Plans CANUSPAC CANUSDIX

WCMRC Response Plan CCG Regional Plan

Other Local Emergency Plans

B.C. Marine Oil Spill Contingency Plan

Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plans

Member Plans

Province of British Columbia Plan

Other Agency Contingency and Emergency Plans

Oil Handling Facility Emergency Plans

Environment Canada

Department of Fisheries and Oceans

Port Authorities Transport Canada

Other Federal Agencies Plans

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2.0 WESTERN CANADA MARINE RESPONSE CORPORATION 2.1

Background

Western Canada Marine Response Corporation originated as an oil industry cooperative in 1976. Then known as Burrard Clean, it was established by four major oil companies and a pipeline company with a mandate to provide spill response resources to handle spills within the Port of Vancouver. In 1995 the Canada Shipping Act was amended, introducing more rigorous standards for ships and oil handling facilities operating in Canada’s navigable waters. Following this change, the organization sought certification under the new Spill Response Regime. Subsequently, Western Canada Marine Response Corporation came into being as Canada’s first certified Response Organization to provide marine oil spill response services to ships and oil handling facilities on the West Coast and internal navigable waters. Since 1976, WCMRC has provided response to more than 650 spills along the 27,000 km of coastal waters of British Columbia. The founding members of Burrard Clean continue as shareholders of WCMRC and include oil refining companies and an oil pipeline company. The total membership of WCMRC is made up of our shareholders and those organizations regulated by the Canada Shipping Act, 2001. WCMRCs resources are primarily intended for the use of its ship and oil handling facility members, however, the equipment and personnel are available to respond to oil spills at the request of subscriber members including the Province of BC, Environment Canada, Port of Prince Rupert and other environmentally responsible agencies with which WCMRC has agreements. The WCMRC corporate video profiles the response organization’s mandate and operations. The video can also be found on the website at www.wcmrc.com.

2.2

WCMRC Structure and Organization

WCMRC has a head office and main warehouse in Burnaby, British Columbia as well as regional facilities located in Duncan and Prince Rupert. As of June 2012, there are a total of 25 full time employees and 6 part-time employees based out of these locations. Field operations are broken into three operating areas, each with an Area Manager responsible for dayto-day operations, as follows: 1. South Coast – From the US border, Metro Vancouver, marine activities in the BC Interior, and the Sunshine Coast 2. Vancouver Island – From the US border in Juan de Fuca Strait including all of Vancouver Island. 3. North Coast – Shearwater, Queen Charlotte Islands and the mainland coast north to the US border.

2.3

External Support

Fishers Oil Spill Emergency Team (FOSET) Members of the FOSET program provide on-water operations support including boom deployment, recovery, surveillance and assessment. FOSET members are typically commercial fishers who have

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agreed to provide support, if available, during a spill response. The response can be from both the vessel and crew, or just the crew. Contractors and Advisors WCMRC has contractual arrangements with a number of marine contractors and subject matter experts. These groups can support WCMRC during a spill response with additional operational and logistical support teams. Mutual Aid Mutual Aid is a formal agreement among responders to lend assistance across jurisdictional boundaries when required. Mutual Aid Agreements have been formed between WCMRC and three other organizations: 1. Southeast Alaska Petroleum Response Organization (SEAPRO) 2. Eastern Canada Response Corporation (ECRC) 3. Marine Spill Response Corporation (MSRC) As a result of these agreements, organizations train and exercise together, ensure equipment is compatible, share communication frequencies and as well as best management practices. In addition, there are Joint Marine Contingency plans that exist between Canada and the US, France and Denmark. The organization chart for WCMRC and our external support is provided in Figure 3.

Figure 3: WCMRC Organization and External Support

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2.4

Training, Exercises and Equipment Inspections

Training Each year WCMRC undertakes a rigorous program of training for its own personnel, FOSET members and contractors to ensure they are ready for their spill response tasks. Training plans and outcomes are monitored by Transport Canada to ensure certification standards are met and the state of readiness required along our coast. Exercises In addition to the formal training courses and programs, the various exercises conducted by WCMRC serve as valuable learning opportunities for WCMRC personnel, contractors, mutual aid partners and government agencies. As a certified Response Organization, WCMRC is required to plan and undertake a program of equipment deployment and tabletop exercises over the three year certification period. Transport Canada personnel attend and participate as evaluators while other agency personnel participate in actual response roles. This program of exercises includes: Annually:  150 tonne dedicated equipment deployment within the Port  1,000 tonne tabletop based on a scenario Every 2 years:  2,500 tonne equipment deployment Every 3 years:  10,000 tonne tabletop based on a scenario In addition, WCMRC also participates in:  Member exercises  Annual joint exercises to exercise the Canada/US Joint Contingency Plan  Cross border mutual aid exercises with mutual aid partners in Washington and Alaska Equipment Inspections Transport Canada conducts inspections of the entire WCMRC equipment inventory over a continuous three year cycle. This is to confirm the accuracy of the lists, verify location of the equipment caches and ensure all equipment is kept in a ready state.

2.5

Funding through Membership and Contracts

The fee structure for Response Organizations in Canada was established with industry and government during the initial development of the response regime. Any revisions to fees must be filed with Transport Canada and published in the Canada Gazette. Funding for WCMRC comes from four main sources:    

membership fees, the Bulk Oil Cargo fees which is paid by members that receive or ship product across their dock), capital asset/loan fee (CALF) which is a variable fee used for capital purchases and/or asset loans; and, response fees.

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There are three categories that form the customer base for WCMRC: Members (mandatory): are owners or operators of oil handling facilities (OHF), tankers larger than 150 tons gross tonnage, or ships larger than 400 tons gross tonnage that require an agreement with a Response Organization to meet Canada Shipping Act, 2001 (CSA, 2001) requirements (see Section 1.3 for more detail). Members include oil companies, tankers, barges, freighters, ferries, cruise ships and oil handling facilities that are engaged in transferring product to or from ships.

In 2012, WCMRC customer base included approximately 2200 members and subscribers.

Subscribers (non-mandatory): environmentally-conscious companies that, although not required under the Canada Shipping Act, 2001, want to be proactive in their management of potential oil spills. The Province of British Columbia (the Province), Environment Canada, as well as certain ports and industrial operations are Subscriber members of WCMRC. Third-party agreement (non-mandatory): offered at the time of a spill when the polluter requires both equipment and personnel to assist in the cleanup. 
Any company can request assistance, but if they are not already a member they must sign a third party agreement and accept the financial responsibility to cover the cost of the response. It is important to note that the equipment and resources for the designated 10,000 tonne response as required for certification is only to be used for Member companies who are regulated under CSA, 2001. WCMRC equipment inventory exceeds this capacity and in fact has the capability to respond to spills of approximately 26,000 tonnes. It is able therefore to extend response services to organizations not regulated under CSA 2001 (e.g. subscribers and through third-party agreements). Should the incident require deployment of equipment dedicated to the certified 10,000 package, permission must first be obtained from Transport Canada.

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3.0

GEOGRAPHIC AREA OF RESPONSE (GAR)

3.1

Introduction

WCMRCs area of operations for oil spill recovery and cleanup covers Canada’s west coast and all internal navigable waters. The Geographic Area of Response (GAR) covered by the WCMRC Plan includes the coastal portions of the Province of British Columbia, and extends throughout the “Exclusive Economic Zone” (200 nautical miles offshore) as provided in the CSA, 2001, and including, but not limited to, the inland navigable waters of the Province.

Figure 4: Geographic Area of Response for WCMRC

Within the GAR, special areas have been identified that provide for more rigorous planning standards given the increased risks associated with greater traffic density, convergence and volume of oil transported. These requirements are identified in the Response Organization Standards (TP 12401) and in the Response Organization and Oil Handling Facility Regulations. These areas include Designated Ports, Primary Area of Response (PAR) and Enhanced Response Areas (ERA and are described in greater detail in the following sections.

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3.2

Designated Port, Primary Area of Response and Enhanced Area of Response

Designated Port The Port of Vancouver, within the boundaries of Port Metro Vancouver, is defined in the Response Organization Standards (TP 12401) and Response Organization and Oil Handling Facility Regulations, as a Designated Port. Port Metro Vancouver is recognized as a Designated Port as it consistently exceeds the minimum handling requirement of 500,000 tonnes of oil annually, measured over three consecutive years. It also meets the assessment criteria involving the risk associated with traffic volume for the Port and the presence of traffic convergence, either in the Port and/or the approaches to the Port. As of 2012, the Port of Vancouver is the only BC port currently designated under the Act.

If expansion continues in the Port of Kitimat, it will likely attain the status as a “Designated Port”.

Through this designation there are specific planning standards, including response times and dedication of equipment packages. Specifically, in Port Metro Vancouver it is required that WCMRC maintain a dedicated package of equipment that is capable of responding to a 150 tonne spill within 6 hours. This equipment cannot be moved away from the Port boundaries without consultation with and final permission from Transport Canada. In Figure 5, the Designated Port of Vancouver is highlighted in green. Primary Area of Response (PAR) As a majority of large spills (>1,000 tonnes) occur outside port boundaries where shipping lanes converge, the Coast Guard identified Primary Areas of Response as areas associated with Designated Ports that require a specific level of response capability and mobilization within designated times. The PAR for the Port of Vancouver extends from the Port boundaries to a distance of 50 nautical miles in all directions. The PAR is shown in red in Figure 5. Enhanced Response Area (ERA) Marine areas not covered under the above designation, but hold a higher risk of oil spills due to traffic convergence and volume of shipping were identified as Enhanced Response Areas. The Strait of Juan de Fuca comprises the ERA for WCMRCs GAR. The ERA encompasses all Canadian waters between the western boundary consisting of a line running between Carmanah Point on Vancouver Island, to Cape Flattery, Washington State and the eastern boundary consisting of a line running from Victoria due east to the Canada-U.S. border. The ERA is shown in purple in Figure 5.

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3.3

Standards for Response Times

Under the Canada Shipping Act, 2001, WCMRC is required to demonstrate to Transport Canada that logistical arrangements are in place which should permit it to meet Response Time Planning Standards within its Geographic Area of Response. The Planning Standards are most rigorous in the areas of special designation in anticipation of the greater risk of an incident occurring. These are described below: Tier 1: 150 tonne

Tier 2: 1,000 tonne

Tier 3: 2,500 tonne

Tier 4: 10,000 tonne

Deployed on-scene in Designated Port Boundary (dedicated resident equipment) 6 hours

Deployed on-scene In Designated Port Boundary





Inside PAR/ERA





Outside PAR/ERA





Delivered on-scene in PAR/ERA Boundary 18 hours Delivered on-scene outside PAR/ERA 18 hours 1 +travel time

Delivered on-scene in PAR/ERA Boundary 72 hours Delivered on-scene outside PAR/ERA 72 hours +travel time

Inside Port Boundary

12 hours

Figure 5: Response Time Standards for Designated Port, PAR and ERA

* Refer to previous table for description of Tier criteria 1

Travel time: 6 kts by sea, 65 kph by road, 100 knots by air

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3.4

Area Plans

WCMRC, in collaboration with government agencies and other stakeholders, has developed coastal Area Plans to prepare responders for the unique aspects of the BC coastline. Each Area Plan includes:  Logistical information unique to the defined area (e.g., ICP location, accommodations, ground transportation, local contacts, etc.)  The notification process for personnel (local and cascaded)  Equipment within the area and mobilization of additional equipment  General description of area sensitivities and/or the process to identify them  Links to the ICS key command staff positions and associated activities  Response strategies and geographic response plans (see following section for more detail)

3.5

Geographic Response Plans

Geographic Response Plans (GRPs) are a collection of site-specific strategies in a specific geographic area used for the initial response to an oil spill on water. They are created to significantly reduce the time needed to make decisions during the initial response. A GRP provides responders with essential information about the site and strategies needed to ensure that the response to a spill is fast and effective, and that sensitive resources are protected.

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4.0

SPILL MANAGEMENT

4.1

Introduction

WCMRC is prepared to provide, under the direction of its members, as well as appropriate government lead agencies and third parties, the expertise necessary to organize and manage marine oil spill response services. This is accomplished through the provision of equipment, personnel and operational management for the containment, recovery and cleanup of oil spilled on water. The Responsible Party is in charge of the overall response, and appoints an Incident Commander (IC). The IC is responsible for the deployment of required resources, and for providing the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) with an acceptable plan of action. The CCG is the Lead Agency for ship source spills and, as such, has the authority within the federal government, as designated by statute, inter-agency agreement, cabinet decision, and/or custom and precedent, to lead the response to a marine spill on behalf of the government. The CCG monitors response operations undertaken by the Responsible Party. If a Responsible Party is unidentified, or unable, or unwilling to conduct an effective response operation, the CCG will exercise its authority, and take over the management of the response. On Canada’s west coast, the Incident Command System (ICS) is used to facilitate the integration and coordination of various teams from responding agencies. This is described in more detail in Section 4.4. The overall response to a spill could include, as appropriate, the participation of the CCG, Regional Environmental Emergency Team (REET), the Province, harbour authorities, local emergency response teams, the Responsible Party, and the Response Organization (WCMRC). Representatives from the federal government, the Province of BC, the U.S. Coast Guard, and Responsible Party integrate their plans and strategies through a coordinated command system (e.g., Unified Command and ICS). The REET is a group of experts from federal, provincial and other agencies, co-chaired by Environment Canada and the Province of British Columbia, responsible for providing environmental priorities and advice to the federal IC. This advice may cover a broad range of environmental matters, including:        

weather conditions spill fate and effects sensitivity maps environmental protection and cleanup priorities spill monitoring and countermeasures Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Team (SCAT) process wildlife protection and rehabilitation waste storage and disposal

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Figure 6 illustrates the key roles and relationships that exist during the management of a spill incident.

Figure 6: Key Roles and Relationships during Spill Incident Advisors

Responsible Party: Incident Commander

Federal & Provincial Governments: Oversight and Support (including REET)

Casualty

Fire Fighting Salvage Injuries

Community

Drinking Water Air Pollution Evacuation

Corporate

Directors Shareholders Solvency

Publicity/Media Claims

Clean-up

Wildlife Recovery Waste Disposal Response Organization On Water Recovery Shoreline Protection Shoreline Treatment Wildlife Hazing Waste Segregation

4.2

Unified Command Structure (UCS)

A recognized concept of operations for marine oil spill response operations is that the incident is considered to be a single problem, requiring a single, highly focused response effort that ties together the resources available to the Responsible Party's OSC, the appropriate Lead Agency and the Response Organization. To achieve such an effort, the concept of Unified Command has been widely endorsed as the preferred way to manage marine oil spill response operations. Unified Command is viewed as a structure created at the time of an incident to bring together the key representatives of each major organization involved in response operations. Membership in the UCS will depend upon the situation and/or circumstances surrounding response operations. The role of the government agency representatives is to monitor and oversee response operations, while allowing the Responsible Party to fulfill its responsibility to provide overall incident management. The primary responsibilities of Unified Command are to:   

establish objectives and priorities review and approve plans of action to deal with the response ensure the full integration of response resources

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4.3

Spill Response Common Objectives

WCMRC has developed 10 common spill response objectives to help guide responders and to aid planning efforts during a spill response. 1. Ensure the safety of the public and response personnel 2. Control the source of the spill 3. Manage a coordinated response effort 4. Maximize the protection of environmentally sensitive areas 5. Contain and recover the spilled oil 6. Recover and rehabilitate injured wildlife 7. Remove oil from impacted shoreline areas 8. Minimize economic impacts 9. Keep stakeholders informed of response activities 10. Keep the public informed of response activities For each of these objectives, there are numerous strategies and tactics that have been developed. The objectives are continuously reviewed and updated throughout the spill response.

4.4

WCMRC Spill Response Management and Incident Command System

WCMRC uses the Incident Command System (ICS) as its response management system. In accordance with the Response Organization Standards, WCMRC will provide the response resources required to contain, control, and recover the spilled oil. WCMRC personnel will be able to assist with, and advise regarding operations and technical issues, and will participate in all planning and briefing meetings as necessary, and interface with provincial and/or federal authorities, as needed. The ICS structure adopted by WCMRC provides a flexible response capability that can be adjusted to the magnitude of the incident. The determination of the appropriate level of response is dependent upon incident-specific circumstances. The WCMRC Spill Response Manager is in charge of the spill operational activities of the Response Organization. This individual will be available to communicate directly with the Incident Commander (IC) of the Responsible Party or the CCG On-Scene Commander, should the CCG assume control of the incident response. The day-to-day WCMRC organization provides a management structure that immediately fills the roles of the Incident Command System for each of the major functions listed below. Spill Response Manager The Spill Response Management function has three major responsibilities: 1) ensures an emphasis is placed on the health and safety of Incident Command, response personnel and the surrounding population with regard to the provision of marine oil spill response services; 2) acts as the primary interface between the Response Organization and the IC; 3) oversees the provision of marine oil spill response services carried out by the balance of the Incident Command. Operations The Operations Section organizes and manages all field assignments directed at containing and recovering spilled oil, protecting sensitive resource areas, and cleaning impacted areas. The function also encompasses critical field operations assignments such as air operations (i.e., tracking and Version 2.0 (current as of August 2012)

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characterizing slicks and positioning assets), staging, and the temporary handling and storage of waste materials. Logistics The Logistics Section sources the equipment and trained personnel needed to carry out marine oil spill response services, and to keep WCMRC equipment and the response personnel operational in the field. Its assignments in regard to the provision of marine oil spill response services include: acquiring and/or constructing and managing response facilities; securing and arranging for the housing, clothing (personal protective equipment), and feeding of response personnel; obtaining, inspecting, and maintaining equipment; providing strategic and tactical air, land, and water transportation resources; obtaining communications equipment and setting up and maintaining communications networks; and ensuring the security of personnel and equipment. Finance/Administration The Finance/Administration Section ensures all expenditures made during the provision of marine oil spill response services are subject to strict controls to ensure they are necessary and reasonable. The Finance function processes purchase orders and invoices, monitors costs, and provides the Spill Response Manager with regular, accurate, and up-to-date reports on the response expenditures and commitments. Planning The Planning Section is responsible for facilitating status reporting, tactical (i.e. short term) planning and strategic (i.e., long term) planning as they relate to the provision of marine oil spill response services. The function also coordinates a wide variety of environmental functions, such as: advising the member on storage and disposal of liquid and solid oily and non-oily wastes; wildlife issues; conduct of shoreline cleanup assessment operations; generation of maps depicting the location of spilled oil and projected slick movements; and organization and management of demobilization operations.

Queen of the North Incident Command Post

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5.0

RESPONSE CAPABILITY and RESOURCES

5.1

Introduction

As the certified Response Organization for coastal waters of British Columbia, WCMRC is required to be able to respond to a 10,000 tonne2 oil spill. A team of trained professionals and a wide array of equipment are prerequisites to meeting this challenge. The amount and type of equipment used in any spill response operation is governed by the environmental conditions prevalent in the area of the incident. Most areas of response can be divided into a number of distinct operating environments, based on factors such as wind, sea state, tides, currents, and bathymetric features. These operating environments are defined as follows:  Unsheltered waters — waters where on-water oil recovery operations are normally affected by environmental conditions. Larger vessels or ships are normally needed to operate safely in these waters.  Sheltered waters — waters where on-water oil recovery operations can be carried out effectively with minimal disruption from environmental conditions. As an example, this environment is one in which small barges (18m - 30m) and small boats (6m–12m) can operate safely.  Shoreline — the intertidal zone between the maximum low tide and maximum high tide, including the back shore area affected by storm conditions. (Note: Includes some on-water oil recovery capability for near shore treatment operations, due to the rise and fall of the tide and the resultant immersion of the intertidal zone). Transport Canada has provided guidance on the appropriate level of response capability as prescribed in the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 (CSA, 2001) and subtending regulations, Standards and Guidance documents. The CSA, 2001 provides for a tiered response, as described in Section 3, with a mix of resources appropriate to the operating environments in the area of concern. As an oil spill Response Organization, WCMRC maintains a cache of equipment and personnel capable of providing adequate response to the spills that may be expected in its GAR. The following sections describe these resources in terms of personnel and equipment. Appendix 1 provides summary sheets representing equipment caches in key locations.

5.2

Personnel Resources

A key component of the Response Organization’s resource base is trained, professional staff and contractor network. In addition to the team of full time and part-time employees at WCMRC, there are more than 20 contractor and more than 30 advisory agreements in place at any one time. Contractors are located throughout the Province. Their training, knowledge and experience ensure a rapid, safe and effective response to spills 24 hours a day. More than 100 contractor personnel are trained every year by WCMRC.

2

1 tonne = approximately 1000 litres or 7 barrels

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Another key component of WCMRCs marine coastal response capability is the Fishers Oil Spill Emergency Team (FOSET). More than 100 vessels and their crews from along the BC coast are registered with FOSET. WCMRC provides spill response training for this team.

5.3

Equipment Resources

The latest available technologies from around the world are employed by WCMRC to meet the equipment requirements of the CSA, 2001 standards for Response Organizations. WCMRC maintains a dedicated fleet of specialized spill response vessels. The vessels range in size from small skiffs to large storage and sweeping barges. WCMRCs flagship, the Burrard Cleaner No. 9, is the largest purpose-built skimming vessel in Canada. In addition, WCMRCs equipment includes:  More than 30,000 meters of containment boom  A full range of portable skimmers (disc, drum, brush, weir, rope)  Incident Command Post kits that contain all of the materials and equipment required to establish and operate a complete Incident Command Post; there are a total of three of these kits, stored in trailers ready to be mobilized and located in Burnaby, Duncan and Prince Rupert  A communications network that includes fixed and portable repeaters and a mobile communications vehicle for supporting remote operations. This equipment is cached strategically in various locations along the west coast as shown in Figure 7.

Figure 7: Equipment Locations

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In addition to WCMRCs equipment caches, the Canadian Coast Guard operates 3 large equipment depots in Victoria, Richmond and Prince Rupert and maintains equipment caches in an additional 10 locations along the BC coast. WCMRC maintains mutual aid agreements with U.S. Oil Spill Response Organizations (OSRO) in Washington and Alaska, as discussed in Section 2.3. This provides WCMRC access to trained personnel, vessels and equipment in the event of a major spill. In addition, WCMRC participates in the NW Response Equipment List program coordinated by the USCG, which shares equipment information and availability among oil spill response organizations on the west coast of North America. The NW Response Equipment List may be viewed at http://www.wrrl.us/index.html.

5.4

Booming & Skimming Resources

Containment boom and skimmers represent the fundamental equipment for on-water spill countermeasures. Booms are used to:  limit the spread of oil away from the source;  deflect oil away from sensitive shorelines, or from marine locations such as marinas, water intakes, fish farms;  deflect oil towards shore for recovery; and/or,  contain the oil for recovery.

WCMRC has 10 times the skimming capacity that is currently required under CSA standards.

WCMRC has twice the length of boom that is currently required under CSA standards.

Once contained, slicks can be herded into thicker layers for removal as skimmers work better in thick slicks. Skimmers remove oil from the surface of water, using different principles. They can be either stand alone or be an integral part of a vessel.

Very large, dedicated skimming vessels are obviously intended for use in open water, while small handheld units are intended for calm water. There are a great many devices between these two extremes that can be used in more than one environment.

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WCMRC maintains an inventory of boom resources and skimmers that meets and exceeds the planning standards for on-water recovery of a 10,000 tonne spill. Non-mechanical methods, such as dispersants and in-situ burning, because they can be deleterious to surrounding populations and wildlife, are not pre-approved for use in Canada, and will only be considered on a case-by-case basis through REET consultation.

5.5

Temporary Storage

The planning standards for equipment and personnel require that there be sufficient primary temporary storage capacity to maintain oil/oily water waste recovery operations 24 hours per day. Primary temporary storage capacity is defined as the storage required for each oil recovery unit. The required secondary storage capacity is essentially double the primary storage capacity. WCMRC has standing arrangements for additional contract oil barges that may be used to supplement any stage of the storage process or for tertiary storage should shore side facilities not be available.

5.6

WCMRC has approximately four times the level of primary storage capacity that is currently required under CSA standards.

24 Hour Operations

The WCMRC on-water recovery plan is based on a twenty-four hour per day operational period. While WCMRC recognizes that 24 hour operations may not always be possible due to a variety of factors, it is prudent nevertheless, to plan for continuous operations. Utilizing 12 hour shifts with corresponding assignments over 24 hour daily operations have proven effective in many previous oil spill incidents in which WCMRC has been the responder.

5.7

Shoreline Cleanup

Transport Canada requires that WCMRC demonstrate that it has sufficient equipment and personnel available to treat a minimum WCMRC is capable of of 500 m of shoreline each day. Shoreline treatment operations conducting three times the will largely depend on the characteristics of the affected shoreline, amount of shoreline cleanup the area sensitivities, degree of oiling, and character of stranded that is currently required under CSA standards. oil. The Exxon Field Guide provides logistical guidelines for the equipment and personnel required to perform various shoreline treatments. These logistical guidelines, as applied to the general shoreline types of British Columbia, provide an indication of manpower and equipment resources for shoreline cleanup operations.

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6.0

GOING FORWARD

The pipeline industry has proposed a number of projects recently that, if approved, will result in a substantial increase in infrastructure of oil handling facilities as well as in the density of ship traffic and convergence. It is critical that a response organization like WCMRC be prepared to expand and enhance oil spill response for the coastline of Western Canada to meet these changing conditions. Discussions are underway to examine the current capacity and planning standards that are the basis for the spill response regime. Currently, under the Canada Shipping Act, 2001, WCMRC is certified by Transport Canada to respond to a spill of 10,000 tonnes. WCMRC has completed preliminary analysis to determine the equipment and resources needed to meet a range of increased capacities, including 25,000 tonnes, 32,000 tonnes and 50,000 tonnes. The results are shown in the following table. The equipment requirements indicated for each of the increased capacities have been calculated by multiplying that factor over the 10,000 tonne base. For instance, the 50,000 tonne capacity of boom is 5x the 10,000 tonne requirement. Note, also that the 32,000 tonne level is approximately equivalent to the volume of product held in two full containment units in a VLCC tanker. All of WCMRCs current storage is considered primary and is largely made up of tankage in the 3 existing barges, and to a lesser extent, sea slugs and collar tanks. Secondary storage is contracted out with other barge operators, and certain environmental and vac-truck companies.

Boom (in meters) Skimming (tonnes/hr) Shoreline clean-up (m/day) Storage primary

Current WCMRC Inventory (as of 2012) 30,147 280 1,500 11,738

10,000 Tonne Requirement (as per CSA, 2001) 15,000 27 500 3,040

25,000 Tonne 37,500 67 1,250 7,600

32,000 Tonne 48,000 85 1,600 9,728

50,000 Tonne 75,000 133 2,500 15,200

This preliminary analysis reveals that WCMRC is well positioned to meet increases in capacity requirements. In addition to equipment inventories and vessel fleet, consideration would need to be given to expanding existing offices and personnel, establishing a North Coast Incident Command Post, and meeting the requirements of a new “Designated Port” (for example, Kitimat or Prince Rupert). The contractor network would also have to be expanded and focused in areas of increased risk. Leaders in the marine community believe industry will need to fund increased capacity to keep pace with the expansion brought about if these projects are approved. The key will be to ensure that bridging funds be available to WCMRC to increase capital assets and personnel requirements for the future. Going forward, WCMRC will continue to work closely with federal and provincial agencies and industry to find the most appropriate capacity for marine oil spill response to protect BC’s valuable coastal resource.

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GLOSSARY CCG CSA, 2001 ECRC ERA FMO FOSET GAR GRP IC ICP ICS NRB OHF OPEP OPPP OSC OSRP PAR PPE REET RO RP SCAT SOPEP TC TONNE UCS VLCC WCMRC

Canadian Coast Guard Canada Shipping Act, 2001 Eastern Canada Response Corporation Enhanced Area of Response Federal Monitoring Officer Fishers Oil Spill Emergency Team Geographic Area of Response Geographic Response Plan Incident Commander Incident Command Post Incident Command System National Review Board Oil Handling Facility Oil Pollution Emergency Plan Oil Pollution Prevention Plan On-Scene Commander Oil Spill Response Plan Primary Area of Response Personal Protective Equipment Regional Environmental Emergency Team Response Organization Responsible Party Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Team Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan Transport Canada Metric tonne – equivalent to 1000 litres of oil having a density of 1 Unified Command Structure Very-Large Crude Carrier Western Canada Marine Response Corporation

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APPENDIX 1: At at a Glance The following documents have been developed to provide a quick summary of the vessel fleet and equipment inventory located and managed in each of the three WCMRC regions i.e. South Coast, North Coast and Vancouver Island. In addition, equipment and vessels dedicated to the Port of Vancouver, in the South Coast Area, is also provided.

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