33 CFR 155.1125: Prince William Sound tanker response plan additions
Last reviewed: October 14, 2026
This section lists extra items a tanker response plan must include in the Prince William Sound geographic-specific appendix. They cover an oil spill removal organization, twice-yearly exercises, and a testing and certification program for prepositioned equipment. The owner or operator must also submit a yearly training and exercise schedule and keep records.
Applies toThe owner or operator of a tanker subject to this subpart.
What it says
The owner or operator of a tanker subject to this subpart must include the requirements of this section in the Prince William Sound geographic-specific appendix required by subpart D of this part.
33 CFR 155.1125(a)“shall include the requirements of this section in the Prince William Sound geographic-specific appendix required by subpart D of this part”
The response plan must identify an oil spill removal organization that provides oil spill removal and containment training, including training in the operation of prepositioned equipment, for personnel including local residents and fishermen from listed Prince William Sound locations.
33 CFR 155.1125(a)(1)(ii)“Provide oil spill removal and containment training, including training in the operation of prepositioned equipment, for personnel, including local residents and fishermen”
The oil spill removal organization must have enough trained personnel with the necessary technical skills to remove, to the maximum extent practicable, a worst case discharge or a discharge of 200,000 barrels of oil, whichever is greater.
33 CFR 155.1125(a)(1)(iii)“Consist of sufficient numbers of trained personnel with the necessary technical skills to remove, to the maximum extent practicable, a worst case discharge or a discharge of 200,000 barrels of oil, whichever is greater;”
The response plan must include exercise procedures that provide two exercises of the oil spill removal organization each year, to ensure prepositioned equipment and trained personnel perform effectively.
33 CFR 155.1125(a)(2)(i)“Provide two exercises of the oil spill removal organization each year to ensure prepositioned equipment and trained personnel required under this subpart perform effectively;”
The response plan must identify a testing, inspection, and certification program for the prepositioned response equipment required in § 155.1130, with annual testing and inspection following the manufacturer's recommended procedures.
33 CFR 155.1125(a)(3)(i)“Annual testing and equipment inspection in accordance with the manufacturer's recommended procedures, to include—”
The program must use an independent entity with appropriate training and expertise to certify that the equipment is on-site and in good operating condition and that required tests and inspections have been performed.
33 CFR 155.1125(a)(3)(iii)“Use of an independent entity to certify that the equipment is on-site and in good operating condition and that required tests and inspections have been performed.”
The owner or operator must submit to the COTP for approval, no later than September 30th of each calendar year, a schedule of training and exercises for the following calendar year.
33 CFR 155.1125(b)“no later than September 30th of each calendar year, a schedule for the training and exercises required by the geographic-specific appendix for Prince William Sound for the following calendar year”
All records required by this section must be available for inspection by the Coast Guard and must be maintained for a period of 3 years.
33 CFR 155.1125(c)“All records required by this section must be available for inspection by the Coast Guard and must be maintained for a period of 3 years.”
Common questions
How many exercises of the oil spill removal organization are required each year in Prince William Sound?
The response plan must provide two exercises of the oil spill removal organization each year. They must include both announced and unannounced exercises.
“Provide two exercises of the oil spill removal organization each year to ensure prepositioned equipment and trained personnel required under this subpart perform effectively;”
When is the Prince William Sound training and exercise schedule due?
The owner or operator must submit the schedule to the COTP for approval no later than September 30th of each calendar year. It covers the following calendar year.
“no later than September 30th of each calendar year, a schedule for the training and exercises required by the geographic-specific appendix for Prince William Sound for the following calendar year”
How long must Prince William Sound response plan records be kept?
Records required by this section must be maintained for a period of 3 years. They must be available for inspection by the Coast Guard.
“All records required by this section must be available for inspection by the Coast Guard and must be maintained for a period of 3 years.”
How much boom must be removed from storage each year for inspection?
The program must provide for removal of no less than one-third of required boom from storage annually, so all boom is removed and examined within a period of 3 years.
“Removal of no less than one-third of required boom from storage annually, such that all boom will have been removed and examined within a period of 3 years;”
The text of 33 CFR 155.1125
Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), current as of April 16, 2026 · Read it on eCFR
Additional response plan requirements
(a) The owner or operator of a tanker subject to this subpart shall include the requirements of this section in the Prince William Sound geographic-specific appendix required by subpart D of this part.
(1) The response plan must include identification of an oil spill removal organization that shall—
(i) Perform response activities;
(ii) Provide oil spill removal and containment training, including training in the operation of prepositioned equipment, for personnel, including local residents and fishermen, from the following locations in Prince William Sound—
(A) Valdez;
(B) Tatitlek;
(C) Cordova;
(D) Whittier;
(E) Chenega; and
(F) Fish hatcheries located at Port San Juan, Main Bay, Esther Island, Cannery Creek, and Solomon Gulch.
(iii) Consist of sufficient numbers of trained personnel with the necessary technical skills to remove, to the maximum extent practicable, a worst case discharge or a discharge of 200,000 barrels of oil, whichever is greater;
(iv) Provide a plan for training sufficient numbers of additional personnel to remove, to the maximum extent practicable, a worst case discharge or a discharge of 200,000 barrels of oil, whichever is greater; and
(v) Address the responsibilities required in § 155.1035(d)(4).
(2) The response plan must include exercise procedures that must—
(i) Provide two exercises of the oil spill removal organization each year to ensure prepositioned equipment and trained personnel required under this subpart perform effectively;
(ii) Provide for both announced and unannounced exercises; and
(iii) Provide for exercises that test either the entire appendix or individual components.
(3) The response plan must identify a testing, inspection, and certification program for the prepositioned response equipment required in § 155.1130 that must provide for—
(i) Annual testing and equipment inspection in accordance with the manufacturer's recommended procedures, to include—
(A) Start-up and running under load of all electrical motors, pumps, power packs, air compressors, internal combustion engines, and oil recovery devices; and
(B) Removal of no less than one-third of required boom from storage annually, such that all boom will have been removed and examined within a period of 3 years;
(ii) Records of equipment tests and inspection; and
(iii) Use of an independent entity to certify that the equipment is on-site and in good operating condition and that required tests and inspections have been performed. The independent entity must have appropriate training and expertise to provide this certification.
(4) The response plan must identify and give the location of the prepositioned response equipment required in § 155.1130 including the make, model, and effective daily recovery rate of each oil recovery resource.
(b) The owner or operator shall submit to the COTP for approval, no later than September 30th of each calendar year, a schedule for the training and exercises required by the geographic-specific appendix for Prince William Sound for the following calendar year.
(c) All records required by this section must be available for inspection by the Coast Guard and must be maintained for a period of 3 years.
Sections it refers to
The plain-English explanation on this page was written with AI from the regulation text above and checked automatically before publishing: every quote appears in the text, every number comes from it, and a second model confirmed each statement adds nothing the text doesn't say. Regulation text current as of April 16, 2026. The regulation text governs. RegKnot is not affiliated with the U.S. Coast Guard.