[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 40, Volume 27]
[Revised as of July 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 40CFR300.317]

[Page 52]
 
                   TITLE 40--PROTECTION OF ENVIRONMENT
 
         CHAPTER I--ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED)
 
PART 300_NATIONAL OIL AND HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES POLLUTION CONTINGENCY PLAN--
 
          Subpart D_Operational Response Phases for Oil Removal
 
Sec.  300.317  National response priorities.

    (a) Safety of human life must be given the top priority during every 
response action. This includes any search and rescue efforts in the 
general proximity of the discharge and the insurance of safety of 
response personnel.
    (b) Stabilizing the situation to preclude the event from worsening 
is the next priority. All efforts must be focused on saving a vessel 
that has been involved in a grounding, collision, fire, or explosion, so 
that it does not compound the problem. Comparable measures should be 
taken to stabilize a situation involving a facility, pipeline, or other 
source of pollution. Stabilizing the situation includes securing the 
source of the spill and/or removing the remaining oil from the container 
(vessel, tank, or pipeline) to prevent additional oil spillage, to 
reduce the need for follow-up response action, and to minimize adverse 
impact to the environment.
    (c) The response must use all necessary containment and removal 
tactics in a coordinated manner to ensure a timely, effective response 
that minimizes adverse impact to the environment.
    (d) All parts of this national response strategy should be addressed 
concurrently, but safety and stabilization are the highest priorities. 
The OSC should not delay containment and removal decisions unnecessarily 
and should take actions to minimize adverse impact to the environment 
that begins as soon as a discharge occurs, as well as actions to 
minimize further adverse environmental impact from additional 
discharges.
    (e) The priorities set forth in this section are broad in nature, 
and should not be interpreted to preclude the consideration of other 
priorities that may arise on a site-specific basis.