U.S. Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads
Incident Management Division (IMD)
RRT III FOSC Report – November 2013
05-07 Nov 2013
Location:
Ocean City, Maryland
Overview of Regional Response Team
Regional Response Team III is the federal component of the National Response
System for the states of West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, the District of Columbia,
and the Commonwealths of Pennsylvania and Virginia. RRT III is made up of
representatives from sixteen federal departments and agencies and each of the
States/Commonwealths. It is co-chaired by the Chief, Office of Preparedness and
Response from the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Region III Office in
Philadelphia, PA and the Chief, Response Division (drm) of the Fifth Coast Guard
District located in Portsmouth, VA.
Objectives of Regional Response Team


Provide advice and assistance to Federal On Scene Coordinators (FOSCs), Area
Committees and Unified Commands
Provide training, information, communication and coordination mechanisms to
FOSCs, Unified Commands, and Area Committees.

Develop, update, exercise and improve the Federal Region III Regional
Contingency Plan.

Coordinate the acquisition of resources to add value to the response of FOSCs and
Unified Commands.

Provide a conduit to ensure timely and effective planning and information flow
between the NRT and Area Committees, Unified Commands, and FOSCs

Evaluate the response of FOSCs and Unified Commands.

Develop and provide spill countermeasures strategies to assist the response
community for spill and hazardous materials response.
TALKING POINTS:
CASES:
 OILY WATER SEPARATOR BYPASS
Sector Hampton Roads received a report from a whistle blower aboard the M/V
TRANSATLANTIC in June that the vessel has been illegally bypassing the Oily Water
Separator (OWS) by flooding the Oil Content Meter and pumping copious amounts of
waste oil overboard. Coast Guard Marine Inspectors, Marine Investigators,
Environmental Response personnel and Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) agents
were dispatched. Nineteen samples were taken from the OWS, fuel tanks, and settling
tanks and the investigation was turned over to CGIS for legal action.
 POTASH CONTAINERS AT NORFOLK INTERNATIONAL
TERMINALS (NIT)
On 1 October, 2013, NIT facility workers heard a hissing sound coming from a 20-foot
container, then saw the sides of the container bulge outward and observed the release of
grey dust/smoke. Multiple state and federal agencies were notified. After isolating the
damaged container, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) conducted a side scan of the
container to determine its contents. The Hampton Roads Maritime Incident Response
Team also conducted temperature readings at various points on the container to determine
heat variation and risk of explosion. Inashco, the owner of the shipped material, verified
that the contents of the container were an ash and ground metal mixture. Another seven
containers of this material were on the terminal to be shipped and were isolated on the
facility. The exact cause of the reaction is unknown, and Inashco is conducting further
investigations and implementing additional safety measures for future shipment.

TUG SHELIA RAE AND BARGE GROUNDED
The Tug SHELIA RAY and a work barge grounded on the beach in Ocean View,
Norfolk, VA, in November of 2012 while transiting the area in bad weather. Sector
Hampton Roads oversaw the removal of 120 gallons of diesel from the tug. During the
planning stages for salvaging the tug & barge, responders discovered that the tug,
reported to be 26 feet, was actually 33 feet, which requires the vessel to be operated by a
licensed captain and the Coast Guard investigated the absence of a licensed operator. The
tug and barge were successfully refloated and towed to Portsmouth.
 SINKING OF PLEASURE CRAFT COOL BEANS
Sector Hampton Roads received a report of a sunken P/C COOL BEANS (formerly
known as NIPENTUCK). The Coast Guard was unable to make contact with the owner
and the case was federalized. HEPACO was contracted to boom the vessel and
SEAWARD marine was subcontracted for divers and use of a crane barge. The vessel
was raised and remaining product was removed from two fuel tanks and skimmed off of
flooded spaces.
 YB678 DRAGS ANCHOR AND AGROUND
In January 2013, Sector Hampton Roads received a report of a Navy PT now (privately
owned) slowly dragging anchor near the Compestella Bridge and Railroad Bridge. The
vessel crossed the channel and slowly dragged anchor down river. The vessel grounded
up river approx .5NM from the CNM facility. Sector responded and found 120 gallons of
waste/lube and hydraulic oil in tanks but no fuel on the YB678. SEC HR Waterways
contacted the Army Corps of Engineers. A Captain of the Port Order was also issued to
the owner to provide a salvage plan and required a marine inspector or surveyor to survey
the vessel prior to salvage. Agencies/Units Involved: VMRC, Norfolk PD and Army
Corps of Engineers.
NOTEWORTHTY EVENTS

2013 PLACE OF REFUGE PREP EXERCISE
The 2013 PREP tabletop exercise focused on a Place of Refuge scenario and tested the
new Places of Refuge annex to the Area Contingency Plan. The exercise was held on
September 24th, 2013 at the Norfolk Police Dept Third Patrol Division in Norfolk, VA.
Over 50 people representing 30 different agencies and organizations attended. The
Places of Refuge Planning Process provides a structured way for the Port Community to
work with the Coast Guard in planning for Port emergencies.
 RE-ALIGNMENT OF AREA COMMITTEE BOUNDARIES
As of October 1st, 2013, the Eastern Shore of Maryland was reassigned to the Upper
Chesapeake Bay Area Committee. This change will be reflected in the updated version
of the Area Contingency Plan and the information has been passed to Coast Guard Sector
Baltimore for inclusion in their plan.
 22nd ANNUAL MARITIME INCIDENT RESPONSE TEAM (MIRT)
FIREFIGHTING SYMPOSIUM
This weeklong symposium (May 13-18, 2013) was a joint effort between MIRT, Coast
Guard, US Army and others to provide NFPA 1005 pro-board certified training to 100
firefighters from around the United States and even overseas. The curriculum included
classroom training based at the Norfolk Fire Training Center, as well as testing of the
VOSS dewatering pump system and practical shipboard evolutions onboard the MARAD
vessel CAPE RAY at Fort Eustis.