The Dispersant Plan Concerning the Preauthorized Use of Dispersants in the Hawaiian Islands (‘the Plan’) documents the agreement among the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); the United States Coast Guard (USCG); the United States Department of the Interior (DOI); the United States Department of Commerce (DOC) - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); and the State of Hawai’i for preauthorization of dispersant use in response to oil discharges in the waters around the State of Hawaii by the federally pre-designated USCG federal On-Scene Coordinator (FOSC).
When, in the judgment of the FOSC, the use of the dispersant is necessary to prevent or substantially reduce a hazard to human life, the FOSC may authorize its use without further approval.
The Endangered Species Act (ESA) requires Federal agencies to ensure the actions they take, including those they fund or authorize, do not jeopardize the existence of any listed species. An important step in this process is interagency consultation, (Section 7 consultation), with the Services (USFWS and NMFS).
