Oil Spill Response Exercises. Both Parties require owners or operators (hereinafter, “operators”) of covered facilities to conduct exercises to ensure their oil spill response capability and readiness. The Parties agree to cooperate in scheduling, planning, conducting, and evaluating such exercises, including operator-initiated exercises, equipment deployment drills, and government-initiated exercises. BSEE will implement the objectives of the National Preparedness and Response Exercise Program (NPREP) that serve as a guide for conducting exercises.1 OSPR will implement the drills and exercise objectives, as described in OSPR’s regulations, which are applicable to offshore facilities and which build upon the objectives of the NPREP. (14 C.C.R. § 820.01) The Parties will share notifications of exercises received from operators and their contractors. The Parties will exchange industry and Party evaluations of the exercises. With respect to regulatory requirements for oil spill response exercises, the Parties recognize that BSEE may allow credit for exercises, which may also satisfy State regulatory requirements, pursuant to 30 C.F.R. § 254.42. Similarly, the State may allow credit for exercises that meet federal requirements pursuant to 14 C.C.R. § 820.01. In the event either Party recommends or requires an OSRP revision based on an evaluation of an exercise, the Party recommending or requiring such revision will notify the other Party, and the Parties may jointly coordinate prior to notifying the operator.
