FRP

USCG- Organizational Modification of the VRP and FRP Programs

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USCG issued a new MSIB (08/2015) advising the industry about transfer of the Vessel Response Plan (VRP) and Facility Response Plan (FRP) programs from the Offices of Commercial Vessel Compliance (CG-CVC) and Port and Facility Compliance (CG-FAC) to the Office of Marine Environmental Response (CG-MER), effective July 1, 2015.

Vessel and facility response plans are an integral component of the Coast Guard’s spill response and preparedness mission. This organizational modification will ensure greater unity of effort and consistency across the oil spill planning and response domain. Benefits of this shift include,
1. Improved VRP coordination amongst VRPs, FRPs, Area Contingency Plans (ACPs), Regional Contingency Plans (RCPs), and the National Contingency Plan (NCP).

2. Improved activation of VRPs for response to spills and significant threats of spills.

3. Improved response resource identification and accessibility.

4. Eased implementation of the new PREP Guidelines.

5. Eased implementation of the new Oil Spill Removal Organization (OSRO) Classification Guidelines.

6. Synergized development of a national policy for Alternative Planning Criteria (APC).

7. Improved marine environmental response in the United States.

Major OPA 90 regulatory initiatives have been implemented while both programs resided under the Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy (CG-5P). Some of these initiatives included the new salvage and marine firefighting regulations and response plan requirements for nontank vessels. Specifically, the VRP Program received nation-wide recognition for modernizing its program and migrating VRPs into the digital age. VRP information may still be accessed at https://homeport.uscg.mil/vrp or until the Homeport migration is completed. While little will change regarding the review and approval protocol for both VRPs and FRPs, programmatic oversight and policy implementation will shift to CG-MER under the Assistant Commandant for Response Policy (CG-5R).
The VRP contact information remains vrp@uscg.mil and 202-372-1005 (VRP Help Desk) and the FRP contact information is now 202-372-1226. Please direct all questions regarding this move and policy questions to the aforementioned contact information.

READ MSIB

Source: USCG

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