Acronyms and Definitions

Area Committee: As provided for by Sections 311(a)(18) and (j)(4) of the Clean Water Act (CWA), means the entity appointed by the President consisting of members from qualified personnel of Federal, State, and local agencies with responsibilities that include preparing an Area Contingency Plan for the area designated by the President. The Area Committee may include ex-officio (i.e., non-voting) members ( e.g., industry and local interest groups).

Area Contingency Plan (ACP): As provided for by Sections 311(a)(19) and (j)(4) of CWA, means the plan prepared by an Area Committee that is developed to be implemented in conjunction with the NCP and RCP, in part to address removal of a worst case discharge and to mitigate or prevent a substantial threat of such a discharge from a vessel, offshore facility, or onshore facility operating in or near an Area designated by the President.

Coastal waters: As defined in the NCP, for the purposes of classifying the size of discharges, the waters of the coastal zone except for the Great Lakes and specified ports and harbors on inland rivers. Precise boundaries are identified in U.S. Coast Guard/U.S. Environmental Protection Agency agreements, Federal Regional Contingency Plans and Area Contingency Plans.

Coastal zone: As defined in the NCP, all United States waters subject to the tide, United States waters of the Great Lakes, specified ports and harbors on inland rivers, waters of the contiguous zone, other waters of the high seas subject to the NCP, and the land surface or land substrata, ground waters, and ambient air proximal to those waters. The term coastal zone delineates an area of Federal responsibility for response action. Precise boundaries are determined by U.S. EPA/USCG agreements and identified in Federal Regional Contingency Plans. No ports or harbors are designated in Region 5.

Discharge: As defined by Section 311(a)(2) of CWA, includes, but is not limited to, any spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, emitting, emptying, or dumping of oil, but excludes discharges in compliance with a permit under Section 402 of the CWA, discharges resulting from circumstances identified and reviewed and made a part of the public record with respect to a permit issued or modified under Section 402 of the CWA, and subject to a condition in such permit, or continuous or anticipated intermittent discharges from a point source, identified in a permit or permit application under Section 402 of the CWA, that are caused by events occurring within the scope of relevant operating or treatment systems. For purposes of the NCP, discharge also means substantial threat of discharge.

Drinking water supply: As defined by Section 101(7) of CERCLA, means any raw or finished water source that is or may be used by a public water system (as defined in the Safe Drinking Water Act, 42 U.S.C. et seq.) or as drinking water by one or more individuals.

Economically sensitive areas: Those areas of explicit economic importance to the public that due to their proximity to potential spill sources may require special protection and include, but are not limited to: public water supplies, publicly managed use areas, and Tribal use areas.

Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA): Title III Section 300. of SARA; created a system of State and local planning agencies for chemical emergencies and provided a way for communities to gain information about potential chemical hazards. EPCRA's mandates cover three main topics: emergency planning, emergency notification requirements, and requirements for reporting hazardous chemical inventories.

Environmentally sensitive areas: Areas identified as a priority for protection and special attention during cleanup in the event of a pollution incident. Designations of types of areas considered to be sensitive can be found in 1) the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Annex (Appendix IX) and 2) the Guidance for Facility and Vessel Response Plans Fish and Wildlife and Sensitive Environments, published by Department of Commerce/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In addition to this definition, Area Committees may include any additional areas determined to be "sensitive." These areas are mapped in Region 5 and are available on paper and CD-ROM as a companion to this Plan. 4202.(a)(4)(B)(ii)

Hazardous substance: As defined by section 101(14) of CERCLA, any substance designated pursuant to section 311(b)(2)(A) of the CWA; any element, compound, mixture, solution, or substance designated pursuant to section 102 of CERCLA; any hazardous waste having the characteristics identified under or listed pursuant to section 3001 of the Solid Waste Disposal Act (but not including any waste the regulation of which under the Solid Waste Disposal Act [42 U.S. C. 6901 et seq.] has been suspended by Act of Congress); any toxic pollutant listed under section 307(a) of the CWA; any hazardous air pollutant listed under section 112 of the Clean Air Act; and any imminently hazardous chemical substance or mixture with respect to which the U.S. EPA Administrator has taken action pursuant to section 7 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). This term does not include petroleum, including crude oil or any fraction thereof which is not otherwise specifically listed or designated as a hazardous substance in the first sentence of this paragraph, and does not include natural gas, natural gas liquids, liquified natural gas, or synthetic gas usable for fuel (or mixtures of natural gas and synthetic gas).

Inland waters: As defined in the NCP, for the purposes of classifying the size of discharges, means those waters of the United States in the inland zone, waters of the Great Lakes, and specified ports and harbors on inland rivers.

Inland zone: As defined in the NCP, means the environment inland of the coastal zone excluding the Great Lakes and specified ports and harbors on inland rivers. The term inland zone delineates an area of Federal responsibility for response action. Precise boundaries are determined by U.S. EPA/USCG agreements and identified in Federal regional contingency plans.

Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC): A group of local representatives appointed by the State Emergency Response Commission (SERC) to prepare a comprehensive emergency plan for the local emergency planning district, as required by the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-know Act (EPCRA), Title III Section 301(c) of SARA.

National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP): As required by section 105 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, 42 U.S.C. 9605, as amended by the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA), Pub. L. 99-499, collectively called (CERCLA), and by section 311(d) of the Clean Water Act (CWA), 33 U.S.C. 1321(d), as amended by the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA), Pub. L. 101-380, the NCP provides nationwide organizational structure and procedures for responding to discharges of oil and releases of hazardous substances, pollutants and contaminants. In Executive Order (E.O.) 12777 (56 FR 54757, October 1991), the President delegated to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the responsibility for the amendment of the NCP in coordination with members of the National Response Team (NRT) as well as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to avoid inconsistent or duplicative requirements in the emergency planning responsibilities of those agencies.

National Pollution Fund Center (NPFC): As defined by Section 7 of Executive Order 12777, the NPFC is the entity established by the Secretary of the Department of Transportation whose function is the administration of the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund (OSLTF). This includes access to the OSLTF by Federal Agencies, States, and designated trustees for removal actions and initiation of natural resource damage assessments, as well as claims for removal costs and damages.

Natural Resource Trustees: Officials representing State, Tribal, Federal, and foreign governments who are authorized to act pursuant to section 107(f) of CERCLA, section 311(f)(5) of the CWA, or section 10006 of the OPA when there is injury or threat to natural resources, including their supporting ecosystems, as a result of a release of a hazardous substance or a discharge of oil. Natural resources means land, fish, wildlife, biota, air, water, ground water, drinking water supplies, and other such resources.

Navigable waters: As defined by 40 CFR 110.1, the term navigable waters includes: (a) All waters that are currently used, were used in the past, or may be susceptible to use in interstate or foreign commerce, including all waters that are subject to the ebb and flow of the tide; (b) Interstate waters, including interstate wetlands; (c) All other waters such as intrastate lakes, rivers, streams, mudflats, sandflats, and wetlands, the use, degradation, or destruction of which would affect or could affect interstate or foreign commerce including any such waters: (1) That are or could be used by interstate or foreign travelers for recreational or other purposes; (2) From which fish or shellfish are or could be taken and sold in interstate or foreign commerce; (3) That are used or could be used for industrial purposes by industries in interstate commerce; (d) All impoundments of waters otherwise defined as navigable waters under this Section; (e) Tributaries of waters identified in (a) through (d) of this definition, including adjacent wetlands; and (f) Wetlands adjacent to waters identified in (a) through (e) of this definition: Provided, that waste treatment systems (other than cooling ponds meeting the criteria of this paragraph) are not waters of the United States. Water of the United States do not include prior converted cropland. Notwithstanding the determination of an area's status as prior converted cropland by any other Federal Agency, for the purposes of the CWA, the final authority regarding CWA jurisdiction remains with U.S. EPA.

Oil: As defined by Section 311(a)(1) of CWA, means oil of any kind or in any form, including, but not limited to, petroleum, fuel oil, sludge, oil refuse, and oil mixed with wastes other than dredged spoil. Oil, as defined by Section 1001 of OPA means oil of any kind or in any form, including, but not limited to, petroleum, fuel oil, sludge, oil refuse, and oil mixed with wastes other than dredged oil, but does not include petroleum, including crude oil or any fraction thereof, which is specifically listed or designated as a hazardous substance under paragraphs (A) through (F) of Section 101 (14) of CERCLA (42 U.S.C. 9601) and which is subject to the provisions of that Act.

Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund (OSLTF): As defined by the NCP, means the fund established under Section 9509 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. Section 9509).

On-Scene Coordinator (OSC): As defined by the NCP, means the Federal official predesignated by U.S. EPA or USCG to coordinate and direct responses, or the government official designated by the lead agency to coordinate and direct removal actions under the NCP. In certain site-specific situations, DOD or DOE may also act as OSC.

Region 5 Regional Contingency Plan/Area Contingency Plan (RCP/ACP): Developed to fulfill the requirements of the NCP for both RCPs and ACPs, as well as relevant portions of the Federal Response Plan (FRP), particularly Emergency Support Function #10 for Hazardous Materials (ESF #10)

Regional Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (RCP): As provided for by Section 300.210 (b) of the NCP, and under the auspices of the Regional Response Team (RRT), the RCP is the mechanism for planning and coordinating regional preparedness and response actions for discharges of oil and releases of hazardous substances.

Regional Response Team (RRT): As defined in the NCP, the regional response organization (consisting of a representative from each State in the region and representatives from 15 Federal Agencies) which acts as a regional body responsible for regional planning and coordination of preparedness and response actions involving oil and hazardous materials. The RRT coordinates assistance and advice to the OSC in the event of a major or substantial spill.

State Emergency Response Commission (SERC): As provided in SARA Section 301.(a), an individual or group of officials appointed by the State governor to implement the provisions of EPCRA (see above). The SERC coordinates and supervises the work of the Local Emergency Planning Committees and reviews local emergency plans annually.

Tribal Emergency Response Commission (TERC): As defined in the NCP, a group of officials appointed by Native American governing bodies to implement the provisions of EPCRA in the same manner as the SERCs. The TERC may designate local emergency planning districts and appoint LEPCs or act as an LEPC as needed, including reviewing and/or developing local emergency response plans.

Used oil: Any oil that has been refined from crude oil, or any synthetic oil, that has been used and as a result of such use is contaminated by physical or chemical impurities.

Waste oil: For the purposes of this Plan, waste oil is any oil that has been refined from crude oil, or any synthetic oil, that has been physically or chemically contaminated as a result of a spill.

Wetlands: Those areas that are inundated or saturated by surface or groundwater at a frequency or duration sufficient to support, and that under normal circumstances do support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions. Wetlands generally include playa lakes, swamps, marshes, bogs, and similar areas such as sloughs, prairie potholes, wet meadows, prairie river overflows, mudflats, and natural ponds (40 CFR 112.2[y]).

Worst case discharge: A worst case discharge involves ANY discharge or threat of a discharge in quantities sufficient to impact public health, welfare or the environment, where the parties responsible for the threat or discharge are unwilling or unable to perform the required response actions. For the purposes of this Plan, a worst case discharge is considered to be a spill originating at a 1M gallon above-ground storage tank.

ACP: Area Contingency Plan

AOR: Area of Response

APHIS: Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service

API: American Petroleum Institute

ASCS: Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service

AST: Atlantic Strike Team

ATSDR: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

BIA: Bureau of Indian Affairs

BLM: Bureau of Land Management

BOA: Basic Ordering Agreement

CANUSCENT: Regional Annex to Canada-United States Joint Inland Pollution Contingency Plan

CANUSLAK: Regional Annex to Canada-United States Joint Inland Pollution Contingency Plan

CANUSPLAIN: Regional Annex to Canada-United States Joint Inland Pollution Contingency Plan

CANUTEC: Canadian Transportation Emergency Center

CDC: Centers for Disease Control

CERCLA: Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, 42 U.S.C. Section 9601 et seq., also known as Superfund

CHEMTREC: Chemical Transportation Emergency Center

COTP: Captain of the Port (USCG)

CRREL: Cold Region Research Engineering Laboratory

CWA: Clean Water Act, as amended by OPA, 33 U.S.C. Section 1251 et seq.

DEM: Department of Emergency Management

DNR: Department of Natural

Resources DOA: Department of Agriculture

DOC: Department of Commerce

DOD: Department of Defense

DOE: Department of Energy

DOI: Department of the Interior

DOJ: Department of Justice

DOL: Department of Labor

DOS: Department of State

DOT: Department of Transportation

DRG: District Response Group (USCG)

DWRO: Director of Western Rivers Operations

EMD: Emergency Management Division

EPCRA: Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986 (Title III of SARA)

EPIC: Environmental Photographic Interpretation Center

ERB: Emergency Response Branch

ERCS: Emergency Response Cleanup Services

ERD: Emergency Response Division

ERS: Emergency Response Section

ERT: Environmental Response Team

ERU: Emergency Response Unit

ESF: Emergency Support Function

ESI: Environmental Sensitivity Index

FCO: Federal Coordinating Officer

FEMA: Federal Emergency Management Agency

FNS: Food and Nutrition Service

FPN: Federal Project Number

FRERP: Federal Radiological Emergency Response Plan

FRMAP: Federal Radiological Monitoring and Assessment Plan

FRP: Facility Response Plan

FRP/ESF: Federal Response Plan/Emergency Support Function

FS: Feasibility Study

FSIS: Food Safety and Inspection Service

FWPCA: Federal Water Pollution Control Act

GLACIER: Great Lakes Area Computerized Inventory for Emergency Response

GLC: Great Lakes Commission

GLERL: Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory

GLIFWC: Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission

GSA: General Services Administration

HAZMAT: hazardous material(s)

HHS: Department of Health and Human Services

HMIX: Hazardous Materials Information Exchange

IAG: Interagency Agreement

IAPC: Inland Area Planning Committee

IC: Incident Commander

ICP: Incident Command Plan

ICS: Incident Command System

IDEM: Indiana Department of Environmental Management

IDPH: Indiana Department of Public Health

IEMA: Illinois Emergency Management Agency

IEPA: Illinois Environmental Protection Agency

IJC: International Joint Commission

INDOT: Indiana Department of Transportation

ISDH: Indiana State Department of Health

ISP: Indiana State Police

LAT: Lead Administrative Trustee

LEPC: Local Emergency Planning Committee

MASS: Modeling and Simulation Studies

MDA: Michigan Department of Agriculture

MDEQ: Michigan Department of Environmental Quality

MDPH: Michigan Department of Public Health

MERC: Michigan Emergency Response Commission

MLC: Marine Logistics Command

MMS: Mines and Minerals Service

MOU: Memorandum of Understanding

MPCA: Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

MSDS: Material Safety Data Sheet

MSO: Marine Safety Office

MSP: Michigan State Police

NCP: National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan, 40 CFR Part 300

NFA: National Fire Academy

NIH: National Institutes of Health

NIIMS: National Interagency Incident Management System

NIOSH: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

NMFS: National Marine Fisheries Service

NPFC: National Pollution Fund Center

NOAA: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NPS: National Park Service

NRC: National Response Center or Nuclear Regulatory Commission

NRDA: Natural Resources Damage Assessment

NRT: National Response Team

NSF: National Strike Force

NSFCC: National Strike Force Coordination Center

NWS: National Weather Service

OEPA: Ohio Environmental Protection Agency

OEPC: Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance

OISC: Office of the Indiana State Chemist

OPA: Oil Pollution Act of 1990, 33 U.S.C. Section 2701

OPS: Office of Pipeline Safety

ORIA: Office of Radiation and Indoor Air

ORSANCO: Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission

OSC: On-Scene Coordinator

OSFM: Office of the State Fire Marshall

OSHA: Occupational Safety and Health Administration

OSHWM: Office of Solid and Hazardous Waste Management

OSLTF: Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund

OSRO: Oil Spill Removal Organization

OSSM: On-Scene Spill Model

OSWER: Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response

PHS: Public Health Service

PIAT: Public Information Assistance Team

POLREP: Pollution Report Message

PREP: National Preparedness for Response Exercises Program

PRFA: Pollution Removal Funding Authorization

PRP: Potentially Responsible Party

PUCO: Public Utilities Commission of Ohio

RCP: Regional Contingency Plan

RCRA: Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

REMM: Riverine Emergency Management Model

RERT: Radiological Emergency Response Team

RP: Responsible Party

RPM: Remedial Project Manager

RQ: Reportable Quantity

RRC: Regional Response Center

RROC: Regional RCRA Off-Site Coordinator

RRT: Regional Response Team

RRT5: Region 5 Regional Response Team

RSPA: Research and Special Programs Administration

SARA: Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986

SEHO: Safety and Health Officer

SEMA: State Emergency Management Agency

SEOC: State Emergency Operations Center

SERC: State Emergency Response Commission

SHPO: State Historic Preservation Officer

SLSDC: St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation

SONS: Spill of National Significance

SSC: Scientific Support Coordinator

START: Superfund Technical Assessment Team

SUPSALV: Supervisor of Salvage

TERC Tribal Emergency Response Commission

TSCA: Toxic Substances Control Act

UCS: Unified Command System

UMR: Upper Mississippi River

UMRBA: Upper Mississippi River Basin Association

USACE: United States Army Corps of Engineers

USCG: United States Coast Guard

USDA: United States Department of Agriculture

U.S. EPA: United States Environmental Protection Agency

USFWS: United States Fish and Wildlife Service

USGS: United States Geological Survey

WDNR: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources