Common use of Introduction and Background Clause in Contracts

Introduction and Background. ‌ The purpose of this Wildlife Response Plan is to outline the responsibilities of the Wildlife Branch within a Unified Command structure during an oil spill, describe the procedures to be used, and identify the personnel and equipment necessary to meet wildlife protection responsibilities of the responsible party (RP) and the federal and state governments during a spill. The mission of the Wildlife Branch is to minimize the adverse impacts of oil spills and oil spill response on wildlife. The Northwest Area Wildlife Response Plan (Plan) contains:  Statutory, policy, and procedural bases for Wildlife Branch operations;  Activation criteria and factors to consider when developing response actions; and  Organizational infrastructure for wildlife response operations. 0 When oil spills occur, the Incident Command System (ICS) is used as the organizational structure to coordinate the response actions. The ICS organizational structure typically includes the Unified Command and the Operations, Planning, Logistics, and Finance Sections. The actual response organization will grow to fit the level of response necessary for a specific incident. Response actions concerning the protection, identification, rescue, processing, and rehabilitation of oiled or threatened wildlife are performed by the Wildlife Branch within the Operations Section. It is the policy of the Northwest Area Committee (NWAC) that representatives of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) will assume the positions of Director and Deputy Director of the Wildlife Branch. Representatives from state fish and wildlife departments will assume these positions if designated by a USFWS representative or if a USFWS representative is not available. If there is a significant marine mammal response component to an incident, a representative from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) may be appointed to the position of Deputy Director. A USFWS representative or designee may appoint other parties, including RP representatives, to one or both of these positions at any time during an incident for such periods of time as may be deemed appropriate. Unless otherwise indicated by USFWS, the Wildlife Branch Director position will be delegated to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) for spills that occur within the legal boundaries of Washington State. The remaining positions within the Wildlife Branch will be staffed as appropriate to the incident and may include representatives of state and federal agencies, tribes, the RP, Change 17 January 1, 2016

Introduction and Background. ‌ The purpose of this Wildlife Response Plan is to outline the responsibilities of the Wildlife Branch within a Unified Command structure during an oil spill, describe the procedures to be used, and identify the personnel and equipment necessary to meet wildlife protection responsibilities of the responsible party (RP) and the federal and state governments during a spill. The mission of the Wildlife Branch is to minimize the adverse impacts of oil spills and oil spill response on wildlife. The Northwest Area Wildlife Response Plan (Plan) contains:  ▪ Statutory, policy, and procedural bases for Wildlife Branch operations;  ▪ Activation criteria and factors to consider when developing response actions; and  ▪ Organizational infrastructure for wildlife response operations. 0 When oil spills occur, the Incident Command System (ICS) is used as the organizational structure to coordinate the response actions. The ICS organizational structure typically includes the Unified Command and the Operations, Planning, Logistics, and Finance Sections. The actual response organization will grow to fit the level of response necessary for a specific incident. Response actions concerning the protection, identification, rescue, processing, and rehabilitation of oiled or threatened wildlife are performed by the Wildlife Branch within the Operations Section. It is the policy of the Northwest Area Committee (NWAC) that representatives of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) will assume the positions of Director and Deputy Director of the Wildlife Branch. Representatives from state fish and wildlife departments will assume these positions if designated by a USFWS representative or if a USFWS representative is not available. If there is a significant marine mammal response component to an incident, a representative from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) may be appointed to the position of Deputy Director. A USFWS representative or designee may appoint other parties, including RP representatives, to one or both of these positions at any time during an incident for such periods of time as may be deemed appropriate. Unless otherwise indicated by USFWS, the Wildlife Branch Director position will be delegated to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) for spills that occur within the legal boundaries of Washington State. The remaining positions within the Wildlife Branch will be staffed as appropriate to the incident and may include representatives of state and federal agencies, tribes, the RP, Change 17 January 1, 2016,

Introduction and Background. ‌ The purpose of this Wildlife Response Plan is to outline the responsibilities of the Wildlife Branch within a Unified Command structure during an oil spill, describe the procedures to be used, and identify the personnel and equipment necessary to meet wildlife protection responsibilities of the responsible party (RP) and the federal and state governments during a spill. The mission of the Wildlife Branch is to minimize the adverse impacts of oil spills and oil spill response on wildlife. The Northwest Area Wildlife Response Plan (Plan) contains:  Statutory, policy, and procedural bases for Wildlife Branch operations;  Activation criteria and factors to consider when developing response actions; and  Organizational infrastructure for wildlife response operations. 0 When oil spills occur, the Incident Command System (ICS) is used as the organizational structure to coordinate the response actions. The ICS organizational structure typically includes the Unified Command and the Operations, Planning, Logistics, and Finance Sections. The actual response organization will grow to fit the level of response necessary for a specific incident. Response actions concerning the protection, identification, rescue, processing, and rehabilitation of oiled or threatened wildlife are performed by the Wildlife Branch within the Operations Section. It is the policy of the Northwest Area Committee (NWAC) that representatives of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) will assume the positions of Director and Deputy Director of the Wildlife Branch. Representatives from state fish and wildlife departments will assume these positions if designated by a USFWS representative or if a USFWS representative is not available. If there is a significant marine mammal response component to an incident, a representative from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) may be appointed to the position of Deputy Director. A USFWS representative or designee may appoint other parties, including RP representatives, to one or both of these positions at any time during an incident for such periods of time as may be deemed appropriate. Unless otherwise indicated by USFWS, the Wildlife Branch Director position will be delegated to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) for spills that occur within the legal boundaries of Washington State. The remaining positions within the Wildlife Branch will be staffed as appropriate to the incident and may include representatives of state and federal agencies, tribes, the RP, Change 17 January 1professional wildlife response organizations, 2016aquaria, community groups, specialized wildlife interest groups, contractors, and the public. Within the Wildlife Branch, there are three groups who report to the Wildlife Branch Director: the Wildlife Reconnaissance Group, the Bird Recovery and Rehabilitation Group, and the Marine Mammal Recovery and Rehabilitation Group. The roles, responsibilities, and duties of these groups and individuals within these groups are described in detail in the Wildlife Branch Positions and Responsibilities section of this document. Clear and effective communication between the Wildlife Branch, the Environmental Unit, the Situation Unit, and the Joint Information Center is critical. Wildlife Branch field staff perform reconnaissance by land, boat, and air. Environmental Unit staff gather information regarding wildlife impacts through aerial overflights, field observers, and on-the-ground Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Teams. The Wildlife Branch and the Environmental Unit share this information so that it can be used by the Planning and Operations Sections to aid in strategic assessment and planning of response strategies. The Wildlife Branch Director is responsible for keeping the Unified Command informed, through the Operations Section Chief and the Situation and Environmental Units in the Planning Section, regarding the status of affected wildlife during the response. The Wildlife Branch maintains a Wildlife Liaison position to ensure effective communication and coordination among these different groups. While the organizational structure, roles, and responsibilities remain the same regardless of the location and type of material spilled (e.g., oil or hazardous material, marine or inland environments), some functions may be altered as appropriate. This plan applies to the Pacific Northwest Region covering Washington, Oregon, and Idaho and was developed jointly by a working group of government agencies and interested parties to meet portions of the Northwest Area Contingency Plan’s (NWACP) Fish and Wildlife and Sensitive Environments Plan requirements set forth in the National Contingency Plan, 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 300.210(c)(4).

Introduction and Background. ‌ The purpose of this Wildlife Response Plan is to outline the responsibilities of the Wildlife Branch within a Unified Command structure during an oil spill, describe the procedures to be used, and identify the personnel and equipment necessary to meet wildlife protection responsibilities of the responsible party (RP) and the federal and state governments during a spill. The mission of the Wildlife Branch is to minimize the adverse impacts of oil spills and oil spill response on wildlife. The Northwest Area Wildlife Response Plan (Plan) contains:  Statutory, policy, and procedural bases for Wildlife Branch operations;  Activation criteria and factors to consider when developing response actions; and  Organizational infrastructure for wildlife response operations. 0 When oil spills occur, the Incident Command System (ICS) is used as the organizational structure to coordinate the response actions. The ICS organizational structure typically includes the Unified Command and the Operations, Planning, Logistics, and Finance Sections. The actual response organization will grow to fit the level of response necessary for a specific incident. Response actions concerning the protection, identification, rescue, processing, and rehabilitation of oiled or threatened wildlife are performed by the Wildlife Branch within the Operations Section. It is the policy of the Northwest Area Committee (NWAC) that representatives of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) will assume the positions of Director and Deputy Director of the Wildlife Branch. Representatives from state fish and wildlife departments will assume these positions if designated by a USFWS representative or if a USFWS representative is not available. If there is a significant marine mammal response component to an incident, a representative from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) may be appointed to the position of Deputy Director. A USFWS representative or designee may appoint other parties, including RP representatives, to one or both of these positions at any time during an incident for such periods of time as may be deemed appropriate. Unless otherwise indicated by USFWS, the Wildlife Branch Director position will be delegated to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) for spills that occur within the legal boundaries of Washington State. The remaining positions within the Wildlife Branch will be staffed as appropriate to the incident and may include representatives of state and federal agencies, tribes, the RP, Change 17 January 1, 2016,