Florida oil spill handbook

[From the U.S. Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov]

R1 FLORIDA OIL SPILL
HANDBOOK

Florida Department of
TD Community Af f airs
427
T56
1996
Tom Lewis, Jr.,AIA,Architect
Secretary

COASTAL ZONE INFORMATION CENTER

-,J0 FLORIDA OIL SPILL HANDBOOK
d)@
0@ TO REPORT A SPILL CALL ANYTIME:

National Response Center 1-800-424-8802 (TOLL FREE)
Florida Marine Patrol 1-800-342-1829 (TOLL FREE)
Florida Department of Community Affairs
Division of Emergency Management 1-904-488-1320
Li

Florida Department of Community Affairs
Tom Lewis, Jr., AIA, Secretary
December, 1986

Financial assistance for this publication was provided by the
Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended, administered by
the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This publication was prepared by Terry Jernigan and Jeff

Reidenauer. Special thanks are extended to Ms. Carol Ann Bowen,

Department of Natural Resources, the United States Coast Guard,

the Division of Emergency Management (DCA), and the Governor's

office of Planning and Budgeting for their assistance during the

preparation of this document.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

SPILLED OIL IN THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT . . . . . . . . . 3

Types and Properties of Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Sensitivity of Plants and Animals to Oil . . . . . . 6

OIL SPILL CONTINGENCY PLANNING . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Federal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
State . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Coastal Sensitivity Mapping . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Spill Cleanup Cooperatives . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

RESPONSE PROCEDURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

What To Do If You Cause,' Or See, an Oil Spill . . . . 15
Estimating Oil Spill Movement and Volume . . . . . . 15
Spill Report Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Operational Response . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Three Basic Steps in Responding to an Oil Spill . . . 21
Use of Chemical Dispersants . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Suggested oil Spill Containment and Removal
Guidelines . . . . . . . 24
State-Funded Cleanup E@p;n;e; . . . 26

Appendix A - Emergency Response Agencies . . . . . . . . 28

Appendix B - Coastal County Contacts . . . . . . . . . . 29

Appendix C - Discharge Cleanup Organizations . . . . . . 33

REFERENCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

INTRODUCTION

Due to its geographic location, Florida is becoming
increasingly vulnerable to potential oil spills. More tanker
traffic, a rapidly increasing population, and most recently,
offshore oil and gas drilling contribute to the risk of a spill.

Tankers transporting petroleum products to, from, and around
the state pose the greatest potential threat for spills.
Operational discharges from normal ship operations such as
ballasting, tank cleaning, and bilge water pumping as well as the
threat of collisions grow proportionately to vessel traffic.
Estimates indicate that over one-third of the oil in the marine
environment comes from these sources.

Increasing population-levels generate a greater demand for
.fuels and other petroleum products. Transfers of these products
between vessels and onshore terminals increase the potential for
spills. In many cases the terminals, ports, and waterways which
accommodate these transfers are in or near areas of recreational,
ecological, or aesthetic significance. A major spill could have
serious economic and environmental consequences for those
interests deriving their livelihood from marine-related sources.

During recent years several major oil companies have either
begun, or have applied for permits, to drill in offshore waters
adjacent to Florida. Although the oil industry's record of
spills from drilling activities on the average is low, the
potential for a spill exists.

Since the 19701s, two notable oil spills have occurred
within Florida's coastal waters. In August 1975, approximately
50,384 gallons of crude escaped from the Garvis into the Florida
Keys; three years later, in October 1978, nearly 33,589 gallons
of crude and distillate petroleum spilled from the cargo ship
Howard Star into Tampa Bay.

According to the Florida Department of Natural Resources
(DNR) from January 1981 to March 1985, 799 incidents affecting
coastal areas were reported. A majority of those incidents (89%)

were rated as minor or medium spills (less than 10,000 gallons in
coastal waters) with no major spills (more than 100,000 gallons)
being reported. However, the frequency of such incidents since
1981 (on average 1 incident has been reported every 2 days)
should prompt concerns about a heightened vulnerability of
Florida's coastal ecosystem to potential spills.

The purpose of this handbook is to provide general
information on the nature of coastal oil spills and the
procedures to be followed in the event of a spill incident.
Inland spill responsibilities are mentioned in the text, however.
coastal spills are the primary focus of this publication.

The information contained herein in designed to provide a
generalized version of the Florida Coastal Pollutant Spill
Contingency Plan for broader circulit-11-o-n to the public. It is
not intended to replace or supplant the Florida Coastal Pollutant
Spill Contingency Plan, the National Oil and Hazardous Materials
Pollution Contingency Plan or the Hazardous Materials Annex
to the Florida Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan.

SPILLED OIL IN THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT

Types and Properties of oil

The term oil is used to describe a wide range of petroleum
hydrocarbons, from crude oil to various types of refined products
such as gasoline and asphalt. These petroleum hydrocarbons differ
greatly in both their physical and chemical properties which
affect the behavior of slicks, weathering processes, persistence,
ecological impact, and effectiveness of control and recovery
within the marine environment. Table 1 lists oil types grouped
into three categories with similar characteristics in terms of
their physical, chemical, and toxicological properties.

Under warm summer conditions, all oil types weather rapidly,
primarily by evaporation and solution into the water column, but
also by emulsification, microbial degradation, and photooxidation.
Evaporation from an oil slick is responsible for the loss of
about one-fourth of most crude oil spills within 24 hours,
representing those components that volatilize most readily. The
evaporative losses from light crude oils and distillate fuels are
greater than from heavier oils. The most volatile portions of
crude and light distillate oils are also the most soluble,
although evaporation is the dominant mechanism of loss in the
early stages of spillage. Ecological damage from the water-
soluble fractions is greatest for nearshore spills where fresh
oil quickly enters shallow coastal habitats.

Oil can form either oil-in-water (o/w) or water-in-oil (w/o)
emulsions. The o/w emulsions are readily distributed through the
water column and increase the surface area of oil exposed to
degradation processes. The w/o emulsions, known as "mousse",
float and agglomerate into large masses which are viscous enough
to substantially retard evaporation. They are very stable and
inhibit the natural degradation of oil. Mousse has over twice the
volume of the original oil and interferes with cleanup operations
because of its vicosity. Mousse forms under high-energy
conditions and can develop from all types of oil, from gasoline to
asphalt.

The toxicity of spilled oil depends upon both the types and
concentrations of hydrocarbons and related compounds present.
However, certain trends in toxicity have emerged from studies of
past spills and detailed laboratory experiments. Two types of
toxicity must be considered for spilled oil: acute and chronic.

Table 1. Classification and properties of oil types with respect to their behavior during spills.

OIL TYPE EXAMPLES PHYSICAL/CHEMICAL PROPERTIES TOXICOLOGICAL PROPERTIES

(1) Distillate fuels Spread rapidly - Acute toxicity is related to the content and
Light, such as gasoline, High evaporation and solubility rates concentration of the aromatic fractions
volatile dieset. No. 2 Tend to form unstable emulsions - Aromatic fractions are very toxic due to the
oils fuel oil Very toxic to biota when fresh presence primarily of napthatene compounds and,
May penetrate substrate to a lesser extent, benzene compounds
Can be removed from surfaces by simple - Heavy molecular weight compounds are acutely less
agitation and low pressure flushing toxic, but may be chronically toxic since many are
are either known or potential carcinogens
wilt vary among species due to differences In the
rates of uptake and release of these compounds
Mangroves and marsh plants may be chronically
affected due to penetration and persistence of
aromatic compounds in sediments

(2) Medium-to-heavy Moderate-to-high viscosity Acute and chronic toxicity in marine organisms is
Moderate- paraffin-based toxicity variable depei ing on tight likely to result from:
to-heavy refined oils and fraction composition 1) Mechanical or physical coverage - oil com-
oils crude oils In tropical climates, rapid evaporation ptetety smothering organisms, often causing
and solution form less toxic weathered death
residue with toxicity due more to 2) Chemical toxicity - results from the exposure
smothering of very toxic aromatic fractions of the oil to
Light fractions my contaminate Inter- 3) A combination of mechanical or physical cover-
stitiat water age and chemical toxicity
Tend to form stable emulsions under high Mechanical or physical smothering causes acute physical
toxicity in many marine organism and chronic
Variable penetration, a function of toxicity in many marine plants (especially man-
substrate grain size groves)
High potential for sinking after weath-
ering and uptake of sediment
Generally removable from water surface
when fresh
Weather to ter batts and tarry residue

(3) Asphalt, Bunker C, Form tarry tuips at ambient temperatures Acute and chronic toxicity occurs more from
Residual No. 6 fuel oil, Nonspreading smothering effects than form chemical toxicity,
oils waste oil Relatively nontoxic due to the small proportion of toxic aromatic
May soften and flow when stranded in sun fractions found in heavy, residual oils
Cannot be recovered from water surface Toxicity is more common in marine plants (espec-
using most clean up equipment ciatty mangroves) and sedentary organisms than in
Easily removed manually form beaches mobile organisms
Acute and chronic toxicity also results from
thermat stress, due to the elevation of tempera-
tur lbw itelM tats. m M M

Acute toxicity refers to short-term lethal effects (i.e., lasting
less than 96 hours). Chronic toxicity refers to lethal effects
which occur over longer periods of time.

In general, light volatile oils are more toxic (acutely and
chronically) than moderate-to-heavy oils and residual oils. These
differences in toxicity are related primarily to the different
types and concentrations of toxic aromatic fractions within each
type of oil. Light, volatile oils contain the highest proportion
of highly toxic, low-molecular-weight aromatic fractions which are
readily soluble in seawater and are rapidly accumulated by marine
organisms. Moderate-to-heavy and residual oils usually contain
considerably lower proportions of these low-molecular-weight
aromatic compounds and are less toxic.than light volatile oils.

The aromatic fractions of all three types of oil contain
certain similar compounds, such as benzene or napthalene.
Differences in acute toxicity among the three types of oil are
related to differences in concentration of soluble aromatic
derivatives. Acute toxicity varies among different species of
marine organisms and is related to differences in both the rate of
uptake and rate of release of these aromatic compounds. Aromatic
compounds such as phenanthrene, which are rapidly accumulated and
slowly released, are generally the most toxic. In general,
benthic, estuarine species are more oil tolerant than pelagic,
oceanic species. Additionally, adult forms of a species are
generally more oil tolerant than juvenile or larval forms.

Chronic toxicity can result not only from the presence of
aromatic compounds but also from mechanical or physical coverage
which may smother many marine animals and plants. In general, oil
coverage cuts off the oxygen supply to most species affected
and usually results in death unless species have alternate
metabolic pathways for dealing with conditions without oxygen.
Moderate-to-heavy and residual oils have a higher potential to
cause smothering than lighter volatile oils. In general,
sedentary organisms and plants have a higher potential for
being smothered than mobile organisms.

In addition to effects from aromatic fractions, chronic
toxicity can also result from: (1) the accumulation and
biological transformation of heavier-molecular-weight, less toxic
compounds (many of which are known or suspected carcinogens), and;
(2) thermal stress associated with the elevation of temperatures
in oiled habitats. Examples of chronic toxicity have been
observed in both red and black mangroves, mangrove tree crabs,
and mangrove epiphytic prop root communities.

Sensitivity of Plants and Animals to Oil 1

In addition to the differences in toxic effects of various
oil types, plants and animals themselves possess different
behavioral, physiological, and life-history characteristics which
give each a relative sensitivity to spilled oil. One of the most
significant factors is the ability of mobile animals to avoid
spilled oil. Animals capable of avoiding spilled oil include
whales and dolphins, terrestrial mammals which utilize coastal
areas, certain coastal birds, adult marine fishes, and certain
invertebrates.

During the Ixtoc 1 oil spill in Texas in 1979, dolphins and
mullet avoided ol-led n-earshore waters. Coastal birds either
avoided these oiled beaches entirely or used back-beach areas
which were less oiled. Ghost crabs moved further up the beach
face to avoid the oiled foreshore. During the Peck Slip oil
spill in Puerto Rico in 1978, mangrove periwinkles moved out of
oiled mangroves. By avoiding oiled areas, these animals avoided
toxic exposure to oil.

Other animals which are less mobile are prone to be impacted.
These include small burrowing worms, clams, beach hoppers, and
mole crabs. At oiled sand beaches during the Ixtoc 1
spill, a significant decrease in the numbers of infaunal organisms
was noted. Oil from the Peck Slip caused significant damage to
communities of animals inhabiting algal growths on mangrove roots.
These animals were small and had a limited habitat; thus, they were
forced to remain in oiled habitats.

Sessile animals and rooted plants have no means of avoiding
oil. This is true of oysters, marshes, seagrasses, and red algae,
which form biogenic substrates over large areas along the Florida
coast. Should oil lead to the death of these organisms,
substrate formation and retention could be interrupted and
habitats could disappear entirely, especially if substrates
sustain heavy oiling. This could lead to a direct loss of
habitat for residents of oiled areas, a loss of food and forage
value to animals which visit these environments, and failure of
seagrasses or marshes to be recolonized.

In almost all known cases, oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico
and the Caribbean Sea have failed to impact subtidal
environments, except for those immediately adjacent to oiled
shorelines. During these spills, physical or chemical impacts to
seagrasses were not observed. For this reason, subtidal areas
were considered as less oil-sensitive environments than others.

oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea have,
however, often resulted in heavy physical impact to intertidal
communities. During the Peck Slip spill, oil floated over
seagrass beds and red algae, and physically impacted intertidal
communities. In all of the spills where mangrove forests were
impacted, the toxic effects were greater than in other habitats.
Long-term damages to fringing red mangroves are known to follow
major oil spills.

Animals and plants may have protective body coverings which.
prevent oil from contacting tissues. For example, the impervious
shell and plates of barnacles and periwinkles allow these animals
to avoid tissue contact with oil. The relatively impervious seed
coat of the red mangrove may allow the propagule to survive short-
term exposures without toxic effects. Other plants and animals
such as algae, anemones, beach hoppers, worms, and larval fishes
have no effective covering to prevent direct oil-tissue contact.
Animals and plants also exhibit physiological differences when
exposed to oil. Beach hoppers and larval fishes are extremely
sensitive to low concentrations of light volatile oils which some
species of polychaete worms are tolerant, often increasing in
numbers following an oil spill.

Susceptibility of organisms to spilled oil may vary seasonally
according to their life stage and/or natural history. Some
.animals which are usually highly mobile and capable of avoiding
oil such as wading birds, shorebirds, and sea turtles, are obligated
to return to or remain at certain nesting and staging sites in
order to breed and feed and therefore may be more susceptible to
oil at these times. This may expose the breeding adults, eggs,
and young of a mobile species during an oil spill. The young of
some species may be the most sensitive to the toxic effect of
spilled oil. Avoidance of oil by young birds, reptiles, and
fishes may be less than that of adults; protective coverings may
not be as well developed; and even a temporary or low-level
interruption of physiological balance may lead to death of a
younger or larval animal.

OIL SPILL CONTINGENCY PLANNING

In Florida, response planning for oil spills is predicated
upon federal-state procedures and predesignated responsibilities,
a series of atlases depicting sensitive areas along the shoreline,
and a network of cooperative cleanup contractors. Working in
concert, each of these facilitate preparation for a spill incident.

Federal

The Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1972 and the
Clean Water Act of 1977 place the primary resonsibility for spill
containment and cleanup on the spiller. only when the spiller
refuses to take action or is not taking proper removal action
does the federal government assume responsibility for removal.
The Clean Water Act established the National Oil and Hazardous
Materials Pollution Contingency Plan as the basis for federal
response to spill incidents.

The National Plan has been supplemented on a regional basis.
As part of the regionalized concept, the Coastal Region IV
Contingency Plan has been developed for application in Florida.
This plan only applies to coastal areas. Other coastal states
under the Region IV Plan include: North Carolina, South
Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi (note: Tennessee and
Kentucky are the noncoastal states in region IV). Within the
framework of Region IV, there are separate response plans for
coastal, as well as inland discharges (published by EPA). The
coastal plan has been developed and is being maintained in an
operational status by the U. S. Coast Guard. The Marine Safety
Offices of the U.S. Coast Guard in Florida are given on page 9.
The inland plan has been developed and is being maintained in an
operational status by the Environmental Protection Agency.

For both the coastal and inland plans a federal Regional
Response Team (RRT) has been established. Figure 1 shows federal
agency representation on the RRT. In the event of a major spill,
the RRT may be activated for containment, cleanup, and damage
assessment upon recommendation by the On-Scene Coordinator or any
member of the Regional Response Team (RRT).

State

Primary state authority for coastal spill containment and
cleanup is found in Chapter 376, Florida Statutes, "Pollutant
Discharge Prevention and Removal". This statute charges the

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O.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Offices

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Figure 1: Regional Response Team INLAND WATERS COASTAL WATERS EAST OF WATERS WEST 0 F
LONGITUDE 830 50' LONGITUDE 83'(AUCILLA
CHAIRMAN Environmental Protection RIVER WESTWARD)
Agency U.S. Coast Guard
District VII U.S. Coast Guard
District VIII

INLAND WATERS-
ON-SCENE COORDINATOR Environmental Protection
(OSC) Agency

COASTAL WATERS
U.S. Coast Guard

DEPT. OF D
DEPT. OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTI@fl [__5EPT. OF C DEPT. OF
F_TFjANSPORTATION I AGENCY - Atlanta INTERIOR

U.S. Goast Guard Pre-designated Federal lst US Army National Marine US Fish
On-scene coordinators USAFR Fisheries and Wildlife
South Atlantic Services
Pre-designated Federal Division NOAA
On-scene coordinators
Captain of the Port US Geological
Officers Surve.v
Jacksonville-(904)791-2648
MISSISSIPPI Miami -(305)536-5691
Tampa -(813)228-2192/2189 DEPT. OF-L
Mobile -(205)690-2201/2286

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DEPT. OF
LABOR

Department of Natural Resources (DNR) with state responsibility
for oil spill control in coastal waters.

As part of this responsibility, DNR has developed the
Florida Coastal Pollutant Spill Contingency Plan. This plan is
designed to complement the national and regional plans by
providing a coordinated state response to major coastal spills.

Similar to the federal approach, Florida has established a
state response team known as the State Hazardous Materials Task
Force. The task force is comprised of numerous representatives
from state agencies that have legal jurisdiction to respond to
hazardous material incidents. It would be activated to support
the actions of a single state agency with additional state
resources when an incident is beyond the capabilities or scope of
one agency to respond to an incident. In response to a major
coastal oil spill, the DNR would act as chairman and the DCA
would be vice chairman. Other agencies would be responsible for
the coordination of their resources, thereby assuring a
comprehensive response to the emergency.

Figure 2 shows state agency representation on the task
force. Within the DNR Division of Law Enforcement, the Florida
Marine Patrol has primary responsibility for responding to oil
spills. The district offices of the Florida Marine Patrol are
shown on page 13.

In most cases, DNR and the U.S. Coast Guard will coordinate
on spill response. The U.S. Coast Guard usually takes the lead
role with the federal on-Scene Coordinator assuming primary
responsibility. The State may expend funds from the Florida
Coastal Protection Trust Fund in response to a pollutant
discharge.

Coastal Sensitivity Mapping 1

As part of the State's overall spill planning effort the
Department of Community Affairs (DCA), through the federal Coastal
Energy Impact Program, contracted for Environmental Sensitivity
Index (ESI) mapping of the Florida coastline. This type of -
mapping, conducted by the Research Planning Institute, Inc., was
based upon an environmental sensitivity index which integrated
geomorphic, biologic, and living resource information into a
composite indication of coastline sensitivity to spilled oil.

This was accomplished by indicating areas critical to fish,
reptiles, birds, and marine mammals for feeding and reproduction
with color-coded wildlife symbols. These symbols include the
seasons in which these species use certain areas. Access points

Figure 2: STATE HAZARDOUS MATERIALS TASK FORCE CHAIRMAN

Executive Director
Dept. of Natural Resources
*(904)488-5757

Federal On-Scene
Coordinator STATE AGENCY COORDINATOR Duty Officer-Alternate
Florida Marine Patrol
Oil Spill Coordinator *(904)488-5757
Regional Response Dept. of Natural Resources *1-800-342-1829
Team *(904)488-5757

VICE CHAIRMAN

Dept. of Community Affairs
(904)488-1320

DEPT. OF NATURAL DEPT. OF COMMUNITY DEPT. OF LAW DEPT. OF HIGHWAY SAFETY DEPT. OF MILITARY DEPT. OF HEALTH AND
RESOURCES AFFAIRS (Div. of ENFORCEMENT AND MOTOR VEHICLES AFFAIRS REHABILITATIVE SVCS.
(Marine Patrol) Emergency Mgt.)

*(904)488-5757 *(904)488-1900 *(904)488-1040 *(904)488-8686 *(904)824-8461 *(904)487-1161
(904)488-1120 *(904)488-1320 (904)488-2738 (904)488-5370
(904)488-2064

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DEPT. OF DEPT. OF LEGAL DEPT. OF GOVERNOR'S GAME AND FRESHWATER OTHER
ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS TRANSPORTATION OFFICE FISH COMMISSION Audubon-Society
REGULATION

*(904)488-1321 (904)488-9935 *(904)4883546 (904)488-7810 (904)488-6251 (305)647-2615
(904)488-0190 (904)488-3547

*24-hour number

Florida Marine Patrol Dstrict Offices
Deparbrnent of Natural Resources

PHONE TOLL FREE 1-800-342-1829

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(904) 488-6559 POLK OSCEOLA
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(904) 697-3741 4 MANATEE - RIVER
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6 Miami LEE PftALM BEACH
(305) 325-3346

7 Titusville
(305) 267-4021 COLLJER BROWARD
Jacksonville Beach
(904) 241-7107
9 Marathon 6
(305) 743-6542 wo"Ro, DADE

10 Jupiter
(305) 747-2033 9

11 Pensacola
(904) 438-4903

to the shore and facilities such as marinas and boat ramps are
also indicated on the maps along with potential locations for the
placement of containment and removal equipment.

ESI maps were first tested during a major oil spill
following the Ixtoc 1 blowout in the Gulf of Mexico. The ESI maps
became an integral p-art of the overall federal response plan to
protect the Texas coast, providing the scientific basis for
setting protection priorities and cleanup strategies. Since then,
ESI mapping has been carried out in Massachusetts, South Carolina,
the remainder of Texas, Southern California, Washington (Puget
Sound), and Alaska (Shelikof Strait, Pribilof Islands, Norton
Sound, and Bristol Bay).

A series of these color maps, or Coastal Sensitivity Atlases,
has been provided to all appropriate spill response agencies
within the State. Additionally, black and white versions of the
atlases have been distributed by coastal Regional Planning
Councils to other interested parties.

Spill Cleanup Cooperatives 2

Florida is the only state in the country which has a
statewide spill control association. The Florida Spillage Control
Association, Inc., is comprised of regional pollution control
cooperatives whose representative interests are governmental
agencies, ports, waterfront industries, oil companies, and other
similar members.

The purpose of this organization is to maintain information
on the availability of pollution control equipment, keep members
apprised of technological advances, provide educational programs
and demonstrations, and act as a clearinghouse between industry,
government, and the general public.

of special significance is the association's current
knowledge of the availability of spill prevention and cleanup
organizations, both public and private, operational within the
State. This information is readily available to other
association members as well as DNR, Florida Marine Patrol, and U.S.
Coast Guard, for a more expeditious spill response (see
Appendix C).

RESPONSE PROCEDURES

WHAT TO DO IF YOU CAUSE OR SEE AN OIL SPILL

1. Use the Spill Report Checklist on Page 17 to note Spill
characteristics and weather conditions.

2. Notify priority contactsl DON'T DELAY, even if you are unable
to provide all checklist information.

DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
24 Hour Toll Free 1-800-342-1829 or
see page 13 for Florida Marine Patrol Districts

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS
DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
24 Hour Emergency Number 1-904-488-1320

NATIONAL RESPONSE CENTER
24 Hour Toll Free 1-800-424-8802 or
see page 9 for U.S. Coast Guard Offices

3. State law maintains the right of any person to render
assistance in containing or removing a pollutant. However, TO
QUALIFY FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES and to coordinate with
federal and state authorities:

GET APPROVAL FROM DNR OR THE U.S. COAST GUARD BEFORE
ATTEMPTING ANY CLEANUP ACTION.

In most cases, unless you are a qualified contractor or marine
operator, containment and cleanup should be left to trained
personnel.

4. Be available to answer questions from authorities.

Estimating Oil Spill Movement and Volume 3

Oil slicks move under the influence of wind and current.
wind is a prominent factor on open water. A slick usually moves
at a speed of 2 - 4 percent of the wind velocity and, in the
northern hemisphere, slightly to the right of the direction in
which the wind is blowing. In the absence of wind, and in places
such as rivers, currents will control the slick's movement.

A rough estimate of the volume of oil on the water can be made
from the appearance of the slick.

(1) A barely discernible slick indicates 25 gallons per square mile.

(2) A silvery sheen indicates about 50 gallons per square mile.

(3) Faint colors in the slick indicate 100 gallons per square mile.

(4) Bright bands of color indicate 200 gallons per square mile.

(5) Dull brown indicates 600 gallons per square mile.

(6) Dark brown indicates 1300 gallons per square mile.

SPILL REPORT CHECKLIST

To assure that responsible agencies can take immediate, effective
action the following information should be provided as completely
as possible. DO NOT DELAY, however, in notifying priority
contacts even if you are unable to provide all information.

Date and Time

Type of Oil (see page 3 for description):

Light, volatile oils

Moderate to heavy oils

Asphalt, Bunker C, No. 6
fuel oil, waste fuel

Other (not oil, specify)
Location Latitude and Longitude if possible; also landmarks.

Source of Spill (if known)

If a vessel is the source:

Name

Approximate Size

Port of Registry

Spill due to (if known):

Collision Fire

Grounding

Other (i.e., leak, spilled container)

Injuries

SPILL REPORT CHECKLIST (cont'd.)

Volume of Spill (Check One)

Gallons oil/
Standard Term Square Mile Appearance

barley visible 0-25 barely visible under
favorable light

silvery 50 silvery sheen on
surface water

brightly colored 200 bright color bands
visible

dull 600 colors turn dull brown

dark 1,300 much darker brown

Note: A one-inch thickness of oil equals 5.61 gallons per square
yard or 17,378,709 gallons per square mile.

Water Depth

Tide

Weather Conditions

Current Speed and Direction

Wave Height and Direction

Action Taken to Clean up Oil Spill

Operational Response

Florida's policy concerning oil spill response is to withhold
state funds unless the federal government declines responsibility
or no federal resources are available. This places primary
responsibility for containment and clean-up on the U.S. Coast
Guard. The Coast Guard provides the OCS for the coastal zone
only. EPA provides the OSC for the inland zone.

Under most circumstances response is based upon notification,
verification, and activation (Figure 3). When a spill is
detected, the U.S. Coast Guard, Florida Marine Patrol or DCA
Division of Emergency Management must be notified. See pages 9
and 13 for appropriate DNR contacts. A DNR officer will be
dispatched to determine the size and severity of the discharge.

Spills are generally classified as minor, medium, or major
depending upon the location of the spill and the amount and type
of product discharged (note: classes are defined in National
Contingency Plan). For example, a 5,000 gallon discharge of a
highly volatile fuel in the open ocean under heavy sea conditions
might be considered less severe than a 1,000 gallon spill of
heavy, residual oil in an enclosed, sheltered area fringed by
mangroves. The officer responding to the call generally makes
this determination and has the Coastal Sensitivity Atlases
available for reference purposes.

If, due to the considerations involved, a spill is determined
to be a MAJOR discharge the National Response Center will be
notified. The National Response Center will then contact the
appropriate Marine Safety Office of the U.S. Coast Guard.

A Coast Guard On-Scene Coordinator (OSC) will be dispatched
to oversee containment and cleanup operations for spills in the
coastal zone. Generally, the party responsible for the discharge
will be responsible for these operations. In the event the
polluter cannot be determined or at the discretion of the OSC
operations are not being undertaken effectively, federal RRT and,
if appropriate, state and local resources will be activated.

Most responsible marine operators have spill contingency
plans in effect. These generally involve employment of a
prearranged contractor with appropriate equipment and trained
personnel, such as those participating in the Florida Spillage
Control Association. (See Appendix C for a list of these
contractors.)

OIL SPILL RESPONSE

SPILL DISCOVERY
Note Characteristics
I
NOTIFICATION
Call Appropriate Contacts
I
VERIFICATION & ASSESSMENT
State and/or Federal Authorities

MINOR SPILL MAJOR SPILL

Is Cleanup Necessary?
NO YES SSC CoLc
I RRT Activated on Stand-by
Natural RRT Rarely Activated OSC Determines Situation
Dissipation I
Can Discharger be Determined?
Is Disc ger Resp nding Effectively?
N10- I - o YES
Federal OSC initiates
removal activities

Is Further Assistance tors
Necessary? Response Actions

YES NO

State Hazardous
Materials Task Force

Federal Regional Response
Team activated
@CONTAINMENT AND CLEANUP
i
DAMAGE ASSESSMENT AND COST RECOVERY

OSC On-Scene Coordinator
SSC State Spill Coordinator
RRT Federal Regional Response Team
NRC National Response Center

Three Basic Steps in Responding to an oil Spill 3

1. Limiting the Spill:

In most cases, the means of limiting a spill are evident:
close a valve, cease pumping through a ruptured fuel line, or
plug a leak. Even though the proper corrective action is
often obvious, such action is not always promptly taken.

Sometimes there are ways other than the obvious to lessen the
amount of oil spreading onto the water. If a pollutant is
leaking from a shoreline facility, sandbagging or a temporary
dike might prevent it from draining into the water. In the
case of a grounded tanker or barge, the transfer of the
pollutant to another vessel might be a way to limit the
spill.

2. Containing the Spill:

containing an oil spill means preventing its spread over the
surface of the water. There are several advantages to
containment. First, it makes it easier to remove the oil from
the water. Second, holding the oil near the ship, pier, or
terminal from which it was spilled localizes the problem and
minimizes pollution.

oil can be contained by means of a barrier which is either a
floating boom or a bubble barrier. Both these methods have
limited use conditional upon the sea state. A floating boom
is the most common method used for controlling spills in
harbors and other areas where transfers of product take
place. Booms consist of a tubular floating section,
either inflatable or filled with a buoyant material.
Below the floating section there is usually some form of
weighted skirt to trap the product both at the surface
and below the water line.

The boom sets up a simple physical barrier that contains the
oil. Once the slick has been contained, the perimeter of the
boom can be reduced by drawing the boom in from one side or
the other. This concentrates the pollutant and makes it
easier to remove.

In addition to the many commercially available floating
booms, makeshift booms are sometimes used; these can be an
inflated fire hose, linked railroad ties, telephone poles or
other similar devices.

A bubble barrier consists of submerged, perforated tubing from
which compressed air is released. The result is a rising

curtain of bubbles and an upwelling of the water surface above
the tubing. Bubble barriers are comparatively new and are used
in some harbors. The advantage of this type containment is
that it does not interfere with the movement of vessels.

3. Removing the Spill:

Following the containment of an oil spill, the most satisfactory
method of cleanup usually is physical removal of the oil from
the water. This is called "skimming" and may be done by a
specially equipped vessel, a pumping device, or other
equipment.

In general, skimmers have equipment to:

(a) remove pollutants from the waters;
(b) separate pollutants from the waters, and;
(c) store the recovered pollutants.

One type of skimmer vessel has adjustable booms to guide the
slick into wells located on its sides. A mixture of oil and
water is pumped from the well to tanks, where the oil is
separated from the water with the clean water being discharged
overboard.

Another type of skimmer has a bow-mounted absorbent roller to
soak up oil and water. As the roller rotates, it is squeezed
at a calculated pressure to remove the water. A second
squeeze is then made which removes the oil.

Oil recovery barges are also used for skimming. They employ
pump-driven suction equipment to pick up a mixture of oil and
water.

Floating surface skimmers can also be used to remove pollutants
from the water. These devices are raftlike and have no means of
propulsion. They are moored in place where oil collects and
usually pump recovered oil to storage tanks located on shore or
into holding barges.

Manual removal is also a useful method of removing the
pollutants, especially with a small quantity. After the
spill is contained, absorbent material is placed into
the pollutant to remove the pollutant from the water.- The
pollutant-saturated sorbent is then removed by dip-nets or
other means and then disposed of appropriately.

Removal methods are dependent upon several factors such as
water depth, water body width (especially in the case of
inlets), and water current speed (see page 23).

DECISION KEY TO DETERMINE PROTECTION MEASURES

Inlet Deflection Booming and Land-Based
Width YES Skimmers on Least Sensitive Shore
Depth of

Inlet Less More Than
Than 7 Ft 1 Dom Less Than Exclusion
NO Water Booming With
(300 Ft) Absorption or
1 kt Harbor Boom
Inlet Current Deflection
Depth of Width Speed More Than Booming and Land-
Inlet More More Than No Based Skimmers
Than 7 Ft loom I kt On Least
(300 Ft) Sensitive Shore

YES

Less Than Deflection Booming To
Water 1 kt Position of Skimmer On To
Least Sensitive Shore
Current
Speed More Than Sea-going Skimmer Deployment
1 kt

Less Than Exclusion Booming With
Water 1 kt Absorption or Harbor Boom
All Canals Cuffent More Than Deflection .to L.and-based Skimmers
Speed
1 kt On Least Sensitive Shore

Use of Chemical Dispersants 4

If physical containment and collection of spilled oil is
judged infeasible, use of chemical dispersants may be considered
as an alternative means to minimize environmental damage.
Dispersants are chemical compounds which accelerate the natural
evaporation and suspension of oil particles. These chemicals
generally react most effectively in heavy seas which would inhibit
physical containment and removal.

Dispersants shall only be used with the permission of the
Uu_e to the -
Federal On-Scene-Coordinator. potential toxicity of
io-m-e--d-Irspersants, use of these chemicals are strictly
controlled. Only EPA-approved dispersants may be used in Florida
waters on major spills and then only under certain circumstances
and in certain locations.

Suggested Oil Spill Containment and Removal Guidelines 5

The cleanup of land areas, beaches, boat harbors, bulkheads,
and so forth will be necessary if these areas are contaminated
with an oil pollutant. Different substrates require different
cleanup methods for maximum environmental protection and
effectiveness (see page 25). It is extremely important that the
measures taken to restore contaminated areas do not create a
greater hazard to the environment than the oil spill itself. Some
cleaning agents are toxic to marine life. Therefore, only the
physical and mechanical removal of the oil may be used without
the prior written consent of the Florida Department of
Environmental Regulation.

Harbors, Marinas, and Lagoons

Harbor cleaning procedures involve encircling the spill with
a boom, then concentrating the spill by shortening the boom, and
skimming the oil off the surface with vacuum tank suction. This
method can be used in conjunction with applying absorbent or
adsorbent materials to the spill. Water jets from hoses can also
be used to direct oil from congested areas, pilings, and so forth
and concentrating it for later removal.

Sandy Shorelines and Beaches

Techniques for the physical removal of oil contamination from
shorelines and beaches include the use of vacuum trucks to pick
oil directly from the shorelines and/or beaches, the application
and subsequent removal of an absorbent, or adsorbent, and the
removal of oil contaminated sand. When there is little danger of
the oil penetrating deeply into the sand, efforts should first be
directed to its removal in the liquid state. When the oil is

DECISION KEY FOR CLEANUP OF DIFFERENT SUBSTRATES

Substrate Amount Cleanup
Type of Technique
Oil

Can YES Motor Grader
Fine Shoreline Elevating
Sand Medium Sediment Scraping
Be Removed Front-End Loader
To w/o Causing
Erosion of YES Bulldozer
Coarse High Beaches? NO Can
Sand Sediment Be
Replaced Sump and Pump
If Removed? Vacuum Truck
Mixed
Sand and NO Beach Cleaner
Gravel- Manual Removal
Fill Light or Natural Recovery
Tar Balls Low Pressure
On Beach Flushing
Sorbents

Low Temperature
Hydroblasting
Exposed Manual Scraping
Rocky Shore W/Removal
or Platform High Temperature
Hydroblasting
Seawalls Sandblasting
Vacuum Truck
Sorbents
Rip Rap Low Pressure
Flushing
Natural Recovery

Tidal Flats
Mangroves Manual Cutting
Sheltered
Tidal Flats
angrove. Manual C
S
he ered
It rov FNatural Recovery
Mangroves
Beach Sorbent Boom
Vegetation
F
25

highly treated (chemically) or of low viscosity such that it will
penetrate into the sand, an absorbent should be applied. The
absorbent will have to be worked with hand rakes to obtain good
absorbing action. No techniques have been developed for
mechanized agitation or pickup; therefore, this requires a
tremendous amount of manual labor. The restricted use of heavy
construction equipment for the removal of oil contaminated sand
may be required, but only through the Department of Natural
Resources (DNR). Large, flat, sandy beaches may be restored by
removing a layer of sand of uniform thickness, but this action
can only be taken with the approval from the Department of
Natural Resources. Equipment preferred in order of decreasing
effectiveness include graders, elevating scrapers, and front-end
loaders. Because of their tendency to spread oil contamination
deeper into the sand, tracked vehicles should only be used as a last
resort.

Rocks and Sea Walls

Methods of cleaning rocks include sandblasting,
hydroblasting, wet sandblasting, steam cleaning, and hot water
blasting. Usually rock cleaning will be performed adjacent to
the surf making it very difficult to accomplish complete removal
of the oil. Experience has shown that care must be exercised in
cleaning rock next to residential or environmentally sensitive
areas to prevent the wind from carrying the contamination onto
previously uncontaminated surfaces.

State-Funded Cleanup Expenses 3

In order to insure control and documentation of state-funded
cleanup activities, the following procedures have been established
for expending cleanup funds from the Coastal Protection Trust
Fund.

1) All authorities for State-funded cleanup activities will
require the prior approval of at least two of the following
three individuals within the Department of Natural Resources:

Executive Director
Assistant Executive Director
oil Spill Coordinator

2) The Department of Natural Resources Oil Spill Coordinator
shall be responsible for the review and verification of all
invoices submitted by cleanup organizations. This will
include the reconciliation of these invoices with the oil
spill investigative reports compiled by the Marine Patrol.
subject invoices will not be dispersed for payment from the
Coastal Protection Trust Fund without approval by the Oil

Spill Coordinator and the Executive Director of the Department
of Natural Resources.

3) Prior to any state-funded cleanup activities being initiated,
an agreement will be executed and signed by a representative
of the cleanup organization that will be utilized in the
response.

4) The Department of Natural Resources Oil Spill Coordinator will
be responsible for negotiating this agreement with the
contractor.

APPENDIX A

EMERGENCY RESPONSE AGENCIES

FLORIDA MARINE PATROL (TOLL FREE) *1-800-342-1829

NATIONAL RESPONSE CENTER (TOLL FREE) *1-800-424-8802

DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT (DCA) *(904) 488-1320
SC 278-1320

Environmental Protection Agency
(Atlanta) *(404) 881-4062

U.S. Coast Guard (RRT Activation)
Seventh District working hrs (305) 536-5651
after hrs (305) 536-5611

Eighth District working hrs (504) 589-6296
after hrs (504) 589-6225

Florida Marine Patrol (DNR) *(904) 488-1992
Oil Spill Coordinator SC 278-1992

SC - Suncom
- 24 hours

APPENDIX B

COASTAL COUNTY CONTACTS

In most cases local governments will defer to the U.S. Coast
Guard and/or the Florida Department of Natural Resources for spill
containment and clean-up. In the event a spilled pollutant does
contact the shoreline, the following contacts might be helpful in
providing local assistance, such as disposal sites or availability
of equipment.

NOTE: For reference purposes counties are listed by U.S. Coast
Guard Marine Safety Office jurisdicitons.

COUNTY (County Seat):

Mobile Marine Safety Office

AREA CODE (904)

ESCAMBIA (Pensacola)
County Administrator 436-5777
Civil Defense Director 436-5777

SANTA ROSA (Milton)
Civil Defense Director 623-0588

WALTON (DeFuniak Springs)
Z11=11 Defense Director 892-3196

BAY (Panama City)
County Manager 796-8306
Disaster Preparedness Director 796-8306

GULF (Port St. Joe)
Z-1-v-11 Defense Director 653-8977

WANULLA (Crawfordville)
Civil Defense Director 926-7636

TAYLOR (Perry)
County Coordinator 584-3531
Civil Defense Director 584-6413

Tampa Marine Safety Office

AREA CODE (904)

DIXIE (Cross City)
Civil Defense Director 498-3312

LEVY (Bronson)
Adminsistrative Assistant 486-4311, ext. 32
Civil Defense Director 486-4311, ext. 32

CITRUS (Inverness)
County Administrator 796-5021

AREA CODE (813)

PASCO (New Port Richey)
Co y Administrator 847-8115
Emergency Services Director 847-8188

PINELLAS (Clearwater)
County Administrator 462-3485
Civil Emergency Services Director 530-6822

HILLSBOROUGH (Tampa)
County Administrator 272-5750
Fire and Disaster Preparedness Director 223-1611

MANATEE (Bradenton)
County Administrator 748-4501, ext. 3335
Emergency Services Director 748-4501, ext. 3300

SARASOTA (Sarasota)
County Administrator 627-1101
Disaster Preparedness Coordinator 639-4092

CHARLOTTE (Port Charlotte)
County Administrator 627-1101
Disaster Preparedness Coordinator 639-4092

COLLIER (Naples)
County Manager 774-8383
Disaster Preparedness Coordinator 774-8444

Miami Marine safety Office

AREA CODE (305)

MONROE (Key West)
County Administrator 294-4641, ext. 100

DADE (Miami)
County Manager 375-5151
Emergency Preparedness Director 596-8700

BROWARD (Ft. Lauderdale)
County Administrator 357-7362
Emergency Preparedness Director 765-5020

PALM BEACH (West Palm Beach)
County Administrator 837-2030
Emergency Management Director 683-0880

MARTIN (Stuart)
County Administrator 283-6760
Public Safety Director 283-6760

ST. LUCIE (Ft. Pierce)
County Administrator 466-1100, ext. 200
Disaster Preparedness*Director 461-5201

INDIAN RIVER (Vero Beach)
County Administrator 567-8000
Emergency Management Services 567-8000

**Jacksonville Marine Safety Office

BREVARD (Titusville)
Administrative Director 269-8106
Public Safety Coordinator 631-1776

AREA CODE (904)

VOLUSIA (Deland)
County Manager 736-2700, ext. 2391
Civil Defense Coordinator 258-7000, ext. 4190

FLAGLER (Bunnell)
Civi-l-Defense officer 437-3251

ST JOHNS (St. Augustine)
County Administrator 829-5666
Public Safety Director 824-5550

DUVA (Jacksonville)
Chief Administrative Officer 633-3703
Civil Defense Director 633-5410

NASSAU (Fernandina Beach)
Civil Defense Director 261-5962

APPENDIX C

DISCHARGE CLEANUP ORGANIZATIONS

A complete listing of available equipment and rate
structures shall be maintained by the State Agency Coordinator

I. Northeast Florida
A. cooperatives
1. Jacksonville Spillage Control, Inc.
Post Office Box 3005
Jacksonville, Florida 32206
(904) 335-4164

2. Port Canaveral-Brevard County Spillage
Cleanup Committee, Inc.
Post Office Box 331
Cape Canaveral, Florida 32920
(305) 783-2929

B. Third Party Contractors
1. Oil Recovery Co., Inc.
Post office Box 548
Atlantic Beach, Florida 32233
(904) 241-2200

2. Pepper Industries, Inc.
1830 East Bay Street
Jacksonville, Florida 32202
(904) 354-3333

3. Containment Systems, Corp.
Post Office Box 1390
658 South Industry Road
Cocoa, Florida 32922
(305) 632-5640

4. Cape Canaveral Marine Services, Inc.
Post Office Box 904
Cape Canaveral, Florida 32920
(305) 784-2110/1425

5. Canaveral Port Services, Co.
Post office Box 1169
Cape Canaveral, Florida 32920
(305) 784-4646

South Florida
A. Cooperatives
1. Port Everglades Spillage Committee
Post Office Box 13136
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida 33316
(305) 524-0267

2. Port of Miami Spillage Committee
1015 North America Way, 2nd
Miami, Florida 33132
(305) 371-7678

3. Port of Palm teach Environmental
Protection Committee
Post Office Box 9935
Riviera Beach, Florida 33404
(305) 842-4201

B. Third Party Contractors
1. JPS Equipment, Inc.
Oiltrol Division
Post Office Box 13095
Port Everglades, Florida 33316
(305) 475-7200

2. Danmark, Inc.
333 N.W. 23rd Street
Miami, Florida 33127
(305) 573-0610

3. Cliff Berry, Inc.
Post Office Box 13079
Port Everglades Station
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida 33316
(305) 763-3390

III. Northwest Florida
B. Third Party Contractors

1. E.C.P.C.S.
1619 Moylan Road
Panama City Beach, Florida 32407

REFERENCES

1 The Sensitivity of Coastal Environments and Wildlife to
spilled oil in Florida, Research Planning Institute, Inc.,
1983.
2 Informational Brochure, Florida Spillage Control Association,
Inc.
3 Florida Coastal Spill Contingency Plan, Florida
Department of Natural Resources, July, 1984.
4 "Letter of Agreement Between U.S. Coast Guard - Seventh
District and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Region
IV and the State of Florida - Department of Environmental
Regulation", September, 1984.

5
South Florida Oil Spill Response Handbook, South Florida
Regional Planning Council, July 1984.
6Hazardous Material Annex to the Florida Comprehensive
Emergency Management Plan.

I
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