US EPA Region 3 OSC Boundaries
US EPA Region 3 will provide OSCs for investigating and responding to releases to the main stem of the Ohio River from the Ohio-Pennsylvania boundary, mile 40.1, to the Kentucky-West Virginia boundary, mile 317.2. All releases in the above-named stretch of the Ohio River emanating from sources in West Virginia will be handled by US EPA Region 3 personnel; those from sources in Region 5 will be handled by Region 5 personnel. If either RRT is activated, the Eighth USCG District would be involved along the entire stretch of the Ohio River.
US EPA Region 4 OSC Boundaries
US EPA Region 4 will provide OSCs for investigating and responding to releases of oil or hazardous materials to the main stem of the Ohio River from the Kentucky-West Virginia boundary, mile 317.2, to its junction with the Mississippi River, mile 981.2. Releases in the above-named stretch of the Ohio River emanating from shoreline sources in US EPA Region 4 will be handled by personnel of Region 4; spills from shoreline sources in Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois will be handled by personnel from Region 5.
Region 4 will have the responsibility for ensuring notification of water users downstream of the location of the release, including coordination with The Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO), the USCG Eighth District and USACE, when a release occurs on the south shoreline or in the main stream of the Ohio River. Region 5 has a like responsibility, including coordination with ORSANCO, the USCG Eighth District, and USACE when a release occurs on the north shoreline of the river. Either Region, when requested by the other, may assume the functional OSC role for a particular incident. The decision to accept this responsibility will rest with the Region being requested on an incident-specific basis. Boundary lines do not preclude mutual assistance between the two agencies.
US EPA Region 7 OSC Boundaries
US EPA Region 7 will provide OSCs for investigating and responding to releases to the main stem of the Upper Mississippi River (UMR) when either Iowa or Missouri is the principal first responding State. US EPA Region 5 will have jurisdiction for such releases within the State of Minnesota and where Minnesota, Wisconsin, or Illinois is the first principal responding State. When releases to the UMR main stem will result in significant response by more than one State, or when there is uncertainty as to the responding States, Region 7 will provide OSCs for such releases occurring between Cairo, Illinois, and Keokuk, Iowa (miles 0.0 to 354.5). Region 5 will provide OSCs for such releases above that point.
For spills from shore facilities and non-waterborne sources, OSCs will be provided by the Region in which the source is located.
US EPA Region 8 OSC Boundaries
US EPA Region 5 will provide OSCs for investigating and responding to releases to the main stem of the Red River of the North from its origin in Lake Traverse near Browns Valley, Minnesota, to the Canadian border. All spills to the above-named stretch of the Red River emanating from sources in North Dakota and South Dakota will be handled by Region 8 personnel.
South of the Browns Valley area, the boundary between South Dakota and Minnesota involves the headwaters of the Minnesota River flowing southward. Region 5 Spill Response personnel will respond to releases to the main stem of the Little Minnesota River and Big Stone Lake southward to Ortonville, Minnesota.
All releases to the above-named headwaters of the Minnesota River emanating from sources in South Dakota will be handled by Region 8 personnel; releases from sources in Minnesota will be handled by Region 5 personnel.
US EPA Region 8 will provide communications as necessary with the Canadian Province of Manitoba concerning all releases occurring in waters flowing into Canada, including those emanating from Region 5.