TP 12401 - Response Organizations Standards
(PDF, 42 KB)
Marine Safety Directorate
Transport Canada
Ottawa
1995
Introduction
The Canada Shipping Act (CSA), as amended by Chapter 36, Statutes of Canada 1993, outlines Canada’s new marine oil spill preparedness and response regime. The private sector regime seeks to ensure that Canada is better prepared to respond to ship-source oil pollution incidents. An important component is ensuring the appropriate level of response infrastructure is in place in the event of an incident. The establishment of private-sector response organizations, providing a response capability to a maximum of 10,000 tonnes, is introduced for the first time in legislation through Chapter 36.
The standards for response organizations were developed following extensive consultations with interested parties representing the spill response sector, petroleum and shipping industries, environmental groups, provincial governments, and Canadian Coast Guard and Environment Canada. The forum for considering the complex issues involved in spill response was the “work group,” which held five meetings to achieve the consensus contained in these standards.
The Canada Shipping Act defines standards as including “specifications and technical and operational requirements.” Pursuant to section 660.6 (CSA), the Minister may issue standards for response organizations. These standards provide details for response organizations in developing their response plans, to enable them to comply with the requirements for procedures, equipment and resources as set out in both the legislation (s.s. 660.4(1)), and in the regulations for Response Organizations and Oil Handling Facilities (made pursuant to s.s. 660.9(1)(b)).
The standards are intended to be used in the planning process in preparation for a response to an oil spill incident. Each response plan will be unique, taking into account the geographic features specific to that region. Since the response to an incident will be influenced by environmental and other factors, the standards should not be used as a yardstick against which to measure the appropriateness of the response. Rather, they seek to ensure that a suitable response infrastructure is in place and ready to be deployed in the event of any spill, regardless of size and conditions.
Response Organizations Standards
Definitions
-
In these Standards,
“average travel speed” means a speed of 6 knots by sea, 65 km/h by land and 100 knots by air; (vitesse moyenne de déplacement)
“enhanced response area” means a marine region that is listed in section 2 of Schedule I; (secteur d’intervention intensive)
“primary area of response” means a marine region that is listed in section 3 of Schedule I; (secteur primaire d’intervention)
“primary temporary storage capacity” means the storage capacity required for the oil recovery units that are used during a response by a response organization; (capacité de stockage principal temporaire)
“secondary temporary storage capacity” means the storage capacity required to consolidate and store all of the recovered oil and oily-water waste during a response by a response organization before it is transported for final disposal. (capacité de stockage secondaire temporaire)
Tiered Response Capabilities
-
For the purposes of section 3, response organizations are categorized according to their capability to respond to oil spills of a maximum specified quantity as follows:
Tier Maximum Quantity of Oil Spilled Tier 1 response capability 150 tonnes Tier 2 response capability 1 000 tonnes Tier 3 response capability 2 500 tonnes Tier 4 response capability 10 000 tonnes
Response Times
-
-
(1) The equipment and resources relating to a tier 1 response capability are deployed, in respect of an oil spill at a designated port, in the affected operating environments within 6 hours after notification of the spill.
-
(2) The equipment and resources relating to a tier 2 response capability are deployed, in respect of an oil spill at a designated port, in the affected operating environments within 12 hours after notification of the spill.
-
(3) The equipment and resources relating to a tier 3 response capability are delivered to the affected operating environments within 18 hours after notification of an oil spill in a primary area of response or an enhanced response area.
-
(4) The equipment and resources relating to a tier 4 response capability are delivered to the affected operating environments within 72 hours after notification of an oil spill in a primary area of response or an enhanced response area.
-
(5) In respect of an oil spill occurring in any other marine region within the geographical area of response of the response organization, the equipment and resources relating to a tier 3 and tier 4 response capability are delivered to the affected operating environments within the response time set out in subsection (3) or (4) added to the time necessary to travel at an average travel speed to the oil spill from the nearest primary area of response or enhanced response area.
-
Number of Metres of Shoreline
-
A minimum of 500 m of shoreline is to be treated each day.
On-Water Recovery Operations
-
On-water recovery operations for oil spills in sheltered waters and unsheltered waters are to be completed within 10 operational days after the day on which the equipment is first deployed in the affected operating environments.
Equipment
-
The equipment for use with respect to an oil spill in a geographical area includes oil recovery units necessary for the operational requirements in that geographical area in addition to:
-
(a) a sufficient primary temporary storage capacity to maintain recovery operations of oil or oily-water waste continuously during a 24-hour period and a sufficient secondary temporary storage capacity to store at least twice the total quantity of oil or oily-water waste collected by the response organization’s oil recovery units that are used in a 24-hour period; or
-
(b) a primary temporary storage capacity and a secondary temporary storage capacity that are less than those referred to in paragraph (a), where the efficiency of the oil recovery devices or the capability to decant water reduces the volume of storage required, or alternative temporary storage or disposal locations are available within the geographical area.
-
Schedule I: Designated ports, enhanced response areas and primary areas of response
Designated Ports
-
The following ports are designated ports for the purpose of these Standards:
Holyrood, Newfoundland
All the waters of Holyrood Bay south of a line drawn from the high-water mark at the northern extremity of Harbour Main Point, 47°26'58"N, 53°08'26"W in a 070°00' direction (true) to the high-water mark on the opposite shore.Come by Chance, Newfoundland
All the waters of Placentia Bay north of a line drawn from a point on the high-water mark in approximate position 47°41'14"N, 53°58'12"W in a 276°00' direction (true) to Long Island Point Light; thence in a 273° direction (true) to James Point, thence along the foreshore at the average high-water mark to Tobins Point all around Bar Haven Bay; thence to Carol Point, thence in a 320° direction (true) to the mainland, 47°45'00"N, 54°14'42"W.Port Hawkesbury, Nova Soctia
All the waters of the Strait of Canso eastward of the centre line of the channel, from a point 45°38'41"N, 61°25'07"W (approx.) southward to a point 45°32'31"N, 61°17'42"W (approx.), midway between Bear Head and Melford Point.Halifax, Nova Scotia
All the waters bound by a line between points 44°36.5'N, 63°33.8'W and 44°37.8'N, 63°31.6'W.Saint John, New Brunswick
All the waters bound by a line from Cape Spencer Light running south to 45°08.1'N, then west to Little Musgush Cove at 66°17.4'W.Sept-Îles, Québec
All the waters bound by a line drawn from 50°12.8'N, 66°13.5'W to 50°08.1'N, 66°16.1'W to 50°04.4'N, 66°23.1'W to 50°08.5'N, 66°36.6'W.Québec City, Québec
All the waters between the eastern boundary consisting of a line drawn from 46°53'09"N, 71°08'36"W through Île d’Orléans to a point 46°49'42"N, 71°07'50"W, and the western boundary of a line drawn from 46°44'51"N, 71°20'36"W to a point 46°33'39"N, 71°20'08"W.Montréal, Québec
All the waters between the eastern (downstream) boundary consisting of a line drawn from a point on the shore 46°01'N, 73°11.1'W to a point 46°00.8'N, 73°09.85'W on the opposite shore, and the western (upstream) boundary of a line drawn from 45°28.5'N, 73°32.6'W to a point 45°20.1'N, 73°30.9'W on the opposite shore.Nanticoke, Ontario
All the waters of Lake Erie within the jurisdiction of Canada bounded by a line drawn due south from Peacock Point 42°47'27"N, 79°58'58.5"W along a distance of 3.3 nautical miles; thence due west to 80°10'00"W, and then to shore.Sarnia, Ontario
All the Canadian waters of the Saint Clair River with the northern boundary line coinciding with the south face of the Blue Water Bridge connecting Point Edward, Ontario with Port Huron, Michigan and the southern boundary line drawn so as to include all of its several outlets into Lake Saint Clair, including any dredged channels.Vancouver, British Columbia
All the Canadian waters of Boundary Bay; the waters bounded by a line drawn from a point on shore originating at the Canada-United States border on Point Roberts due west along the international border to a point 123°19.3'W, then north to a point 49°14'N, 123°19.3'W, then to a point 49°15.5'N, 123°17'W; the waters of Burrard Inlet east of a line drawn between Point Atkinson Light and Point Grey.
Enhanced Response Areas
-
The following marine regions that have no designated ports as reference points are enhanced response areas for the purpose of these Standards:
Cabot Strait
All the waters within a circle having a 50 nautical mile radius, about a point midway between Cape North, Nova Scotia, and Cape Ray, Newfoundland.Northumberland Strait
All the waters between the western boundary of a line drawn from West Point, Prince Edward Island, to Buctouche, New Brunswick, and the eastern boundary of a line running from Cape Bear, Prince Edward Island. to Trenton, Nova Scotia.Juan de Fuca Strait
All the Canadian waters between the western boundary of a line drawn from Carmanah Point on Vancouver Island to Cape Flattery, Washington State, and the eastern boundary consisting of a line running along the 48°25'N parallel from Victoria, eastward, to the Canada-United States border.
Primary Areas of Response
-
The following marine regions are primary areas of response for the purpose of these Standards:
Holyrood, Newfoundland
All the waters between an easterly arc having a 50 nautical mile radius about the point 47°26'58"N, 53°08'26"W and the contiguous land mass.Come by Chance, Newfoundland
All the waters of Placentia Bay north of a line drawn from Tides Cove Point Light to Cape Saint Mary’s Light, all the waters of Fortune Bay north of a line drawn from Saint Jacques Island Light to Garnish Light, and all the waters of Saint Mary’s Bay north of a line drawn from La Haye Point Light to Branch West Breakwater Light.Point Tupper, Nova Scotia
All the waters between an arc having a 50 nautical mile radius about Bear Head Light, 45°33'N, 61°17'W but not extending north of the Canso Causeway into the Saint Georges Bay and the contiguous land mass.Halifax, Nova Scotia
All the waters of the south coast of Nova Scotia within an arc having a 50 nautical mile radius about the point 44°37.2'N, 63°32.75'W.Saint John, New Brunswick
All the Canadian Waters between the western boundary consisting of an arc having a 50 nautical mile radius about the point 45°08'03"N, 66°17'12"W, and the eastern boundary consisting of an arc having a 50 nautical mile radius about a point, centred on Cape Spencer Light.Sept-Îles, Québec
All the waters bounded by a line drawn from the point on shore 49°24.8'N, 67°17.5'W to the point 49°14'N, 66°23.1'W, to the point 49°22'N, 65°40'W, to the point 49°40'N, 65°12'W to the point 50°16.3'N, 64°55.7'W on the shore.Québec City, Québec
All the waters between the upstream boundary consisting of an arc having a 50 nautical mile radius about the point 46°44.8'N, 71°20.56'W, and the downstream boundary consisting of an arc having a 50 nautical mile radius about the point 46°53.12'N, 71°08.1'W.Montréal, Québec
All the waters between the upstream boundary consisting of an arc having a 50 nautical mile radius about the point 45°28.5'N, 73°32.62'W and the downstream boundary consisting of an arc having a 50 nautical mile radius about the point 46°00.98'N, 73°11.08'W.Nanticoke, Ontario
All the Canadian waters between the western boundary, in Lake Erie, of a line drawn from the point 42°14.1'N, 81°6'W on the Canada-United States border to the point 42°39.25'N, 81°17.6'W on the shore and the eastern boundary, in Lake Ontario, of a line drawn from the point 43°19.5'N, 79°06.9'W on the Canada-United States border to the point 43°33.8'N, 79°34'W on the shore.Sarnia, Ontario
All the Canadian Waters between a line, in Lake Huron, drawn from the point 43°48.7'N, 82°10.3'W on the Canada-United States border to the point 43°39.4'N, 81°43.25'W on the shore and a line in Lake Erie drawn from the point 41°53.8'N, 81°55.7'W on the Canada-United States border to the point 42°34.4'N, 81°31'W on the shore.Vancouver, British Columbia
All the Canadian waters between the northern boundary of a line drawn from the point 49°46.5'N, 124°20.5'W on the mainland, through Texada Island, to the point 49°22.5'N, 124°32.4'W on the shore of Vancouver Island and the southern boundary consisting of a line running along the 48°25'N parallel from Victoria, eastward, to the Canada-United States border.
Schedule II: Percentage of tiered response capability
| Primary areas of response | On shore (%) | Sheltered (%) | Unsheltered (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holyrood | 40 | 40 | 20 |
| Come by Chance | 40 | 40 | 20 |
| Point Tupper | 40 | 40 | 20 |
| Halifax | 40 | 30 | 30 |
| Saint John | 40 | 40 | 20 |
| Sept-Îles | 45 | 30 | 25 |
| Québec City | 60 | 30 | 10 |
| Montréal | 70 | 30 | 0 |
| Nanticoke | 50 | 30 | 20 |
| Sarnia | 50 | 40 | 10 |
| Vancouver | 40 | 40 | 20 |
| Enhanced response areas | On shore (%) | Sheltered (%) | Unsheltered (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cabot Strait | 40 | 30 | 30 |
| Northumberland Strait | 40 | 0 | 60 |
| Juan de Fuca Strait | 40 | 20 | 40 |
Additional copies of this publication may be obtained by contacting:
Canadian Coast Guard
Rescue and Environmental Response
9th Floor
344 Slater Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0N7
Telephone: (613) 998-5236
Facsimile: (613) 996-8902