Tar Ball Response Plan, Annex 11a

STCZACP

South Texas Coastal Zone

Area Contingency Plan

(STCZACP)

Tar Ball Response Plan

Annex 11a

May 2022

South Texas Coastal Zone Area Contingency Plan

STCZACP

Tar Ball Response Plan, Annex 11a

Record of Changes

Change

Number

Change Description

Section

Number

Change

Date

Name

Converted and updated

Appendix B to Annex 11a

All

May 2022

TGLO Brent

Koza

Updated formatting to align

with the newly developed

USCG National ACP

Architecture model

All

May 2022

MSTCS

Rocklage

South Texas Coastal Zone Area Contingency Plan  
 
ii 
STCZACP  
Tar Ball Response Plan, Annex 11a   
Table of Contents 
Introduction to the Tar Ball Response Plan ........................................................................... 1 
Initial Phase ............................................................................................................................ 1 
Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Teams (SCAT) and Rapid Assessment Teams (RAT) .................. 1 
Natural Resources Considerations ................................................................................................... 2 
Initiation of Action ................................................................................................................. 2 
Requests for Resources .................................................................................................................... 2 
Staging Areas ................................................................................................................................... 3 
Port Aransas, Texas, Nueces County Park Systems at the I.B. Magee Park HQ ........................................ 3 
Mustang Island State Park (Inside Park) ..................................................................................................... 3 
Mustang Island State Park (Fish Pass, State Hwy 361) ............................................................................... 3 
Padre Bali Park (Bob Hall Pier) Nueces County Park Systems .................................................................. 3 
Padre Island National Seashore (Malaquite Visitors Center) ...................................................................... 4 
Cleanup and Recovery Phase ................................................................................................. 4 
Shoreline Cleanup ............................................................................................................................ 4 
Manual Tar Ball Removal ........................................................................................................................... 4 
Mechanical Tar Ball Removal ..................................................................................................................... 4 
Endpoint Recommendation ......................................................................................................................... 4 
Finances ........................................................................................................................................... 4 
Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund (OSLTF) ...................................................................................................... 4 
National Pollution Funds Center ................................................................................................................. 5 
Responsible Party ........................................................................................................................................ 5 
Claims Reporting ........................................................................................................................................ 5 
 
 
 

South Texas Coastal Zone Area Contingency Plan

STCZACP

Tar Ball Response Plan, Annex 11a

1000 Introduction to the Tar Ball Response Plan

The South Texas shoreline frequently experiences oil washing onshore in the form of tar balls,

particularly during the summer months, due to temperature, current, and tidal influences. A tar

ball is a clump, blob, or mat of petroleum that has been carried by ocean currents, picking up solids

and weathering with exposure to environmental elements along the way. With over 600 known

oil seeps in the Gulf of Mexico, tar balls may occur naturally, or they may be associated with a

man-made source such as an oil spill. Tar ball events are not normally particularly hazardous to

humans, but they often generate a high degree of economic and environmental concerns. They

can generate considerable media coverage with questions usually related to the origin of the tar

balls and whether they are associated with a known source or event. The planning, clean-up, and

disposal associated with a coastal tar ball event may require extensive federal, state, and local

coordination to return the Gulf of Mexico shoreline to its former state. Minimizing impacts to

wildlife, vegetation, and other natural resources are the key objectives for any oil spill response

effort.

Objectives:

 To ensure the highest state of readiness for tar ball clean-up for the protection and

preservation of the marine environment of the South Texas Coastal Zone.

 To facilitate the most efficient and effective response while minimizing social,

political, economic, and environmental impacts.

2000 Initial Phase

2100 Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Teams (SCAT) and Rapid

Assessment Teams (RAT)

Shoreline Cleanup Assessment is a process, utilizing standard terminology, to collect data on

shoreline oiling conditions and support decision-making for shoreline clean-up. SCAT should be

conducted in accordance with the NOAA Shoreline Assessment Manual (3

edition).

A Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Team (SCAT) is composed of multi-agency representation.

Each team should, at a minimum, consist of two U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) members and one

Texas General Land Office (TGLO) response officer.

A SCAT, at a minimum, should determine the following: Is cleanup necessary? Which cleanup

method is most appropriate? What is the cleanup priority at the site? Which constraints are

necessary to protect sensitive resources? Should cleanup operations be terminated at the site? The

Field Observer Form for Quick Shoreline Assessment form (see Addendum B) may be used for

rapid shoreline assessment. Rapid Assessment is the most effective means of quickly determining

shoreline cleanup requirements. Rapid Assessment is a modified SCAT process; similar, yet less

in-depth, tactics are employed to collect data necessary to employ cleanup.

A Rapid Assessment Team (RAT) is composed of one or more rapidly deployed SCAT trained

individuals from the USCG, TGLO, or other governmental or private entity whose purpose is to

South Texas Coastal Zone Area Contingency Plan

STCZACP

Tar Ball Response Plan, Annex 11a

acquire percent coverage of tar ball impacts from affected areas and report back to command, who

will determine where immediate deployment of cleanup crews will be sent.

To determine equipment needed, review the equipment list in the Shoreline Assessment Manual.

Cameras with GPS capabilities are ideal for documenting pollution. A few additional

considerations: 4x4 Pickups, UTVs, ATVs, SCAT packs, TGLO Field Observer Form for Quick

Shoreline Assessment forms, and communication gear (location dependent). To operate ATVs on

the Padre Island National Seashore (PINS), a safety course is required by the National Park Service

for all users.

2200 Natural Resources Considerations

Potential impacts to fish and wildlife resources should be handled on a case-by-case basis and

include coordination with, at a minimum, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and Texas

Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD). Recovery operations should include potential habitat

impacts and seasonal distribution of fish and wildlife resources in relation to cleanup strategies

(manual and/or mechanical). Sea turtle and marine mammal considerations are explained in the

Oiled Wildlife Response Plan of the Area Contingency Plan. This includes contact information

for the Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network (STSSN) and the Marine Mammal Stranding

Network (MMSN) to coordinate responses to stranding events. This section also provides

guidance for beach transit during sea turtle nesting season (April through August).

The beaches along the mid to lower Texas coast range in composition from fine grained sand to

shell hash. Efforts to reduce the volume of beach material removed during tar recovery operations

should be exercised and include coordination with, at a minimum, the landowners and/or

municipalities of the impacted area and the Texas General Land Office (TGLO). Special

consideration ought to include areas where erosion exceeds accretion and beach nourishment

projects have occurred. See TGLO Oils Spill Atlas (ESI Maps) and Site-Specific Response Plans

for further planning and operations considerations. High public usage of the beaches in the South

Texas Coastal Zone requires rapid tar ball removal and a high degree of shoreline cleanliness.

3000 Initiation of Action

3100 Requests for Resources

Response efforts may require resources outside the regular unit capabilities. Potential additional

resources necessary for tar ball recovery may include:

 District Response Advisory Team

 Gulf Strike Team

 Houston Public Affairs Detachment or National Strike Force Coordination Center Public

Information Assist Team

 NOAA & State Scientific Support Coordinators

 National Spill Control School

 Regional Liaison Officer

South Texas Coastal Zone Area Contingency Plan

STCZACP

Tar Ball Response Plan, Annex 11a

3200 Staging Areas

Potential staging areas which may be considered during tar ball events should be evaluated

geographically. Staging areas include, but are not limited to:

3201 Port Aransas, Texas, Nueces County Park Systems at the I.B. Magee

Park HQ

Parking: Two Locations (asphalt surfaced)

 Site 1: RV Parking Area - 320’ x 823’

 Site 2: 175’ x 250’

Location: 27º 49’ 56” N x 97º 07’ 27” W

No Security but limited access. Conference Center with WIFI capability.

Contact: Scott Cross

Phone: 361-949-8122

3202 Mustang Island State Park (Inside Park)

Parking: Three Locations (Asphalt Surfaced)

 Site 1: 190’ x 650’

 Site 2: 150’ x 180’

 Site 3: 140’ x 140’

Locations:

 Site 1: 27º 40’ 26” N x 97º 10’ 22” W

 Site 2: 27º 40’ 17” N x 97º 10’ 19” W

 Site 3: 27º 40’ 21” N x 97º 10’ 24” W

Secure locations with limited access. Facilities and utilities available.

Contact: Damon Reeves

Phone: 361-749-5246

3203 Mustang Island State Park (Fish Pass, State Hwy 361)

Parking: Outside gravel surfaced area adjacent to Hwy 361; approx. 150’ x 170’

Location: 27º 49’ 56” N x 97º 07’ 27” W

No Security but limited access. No Facilities or utilities.

Contact: Damon Reeves

Phone: 361-949-8122

3204 Padre Bali Park (Bob Hall Pier) Nueces County Park Systems

Parking: Three Locations (asphalt surfaced)

 Site 1: 350’ x 400’

 Site 2: 340’ x 430’

 Site 3: 200’ x 600’

Location:

 Site 1: 27º 35’ 16” N x 97º 13’ 11” W

 Site 2: 27º 35’ 08” N x 97º 13’ 15” W

South Texas Coastal Zone Area Contingency Plan

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Tar Ball Response Plan, Annex 11a

 Site 3: 27º 35’ 01” N x 97º 13’ 13” W

No Security but limited access. Limited facilities and utilities.

Conference Center with WIFI capability available.

Contact: Scott Cross

Phone: 361-949-8122

3205 Padre Island National Seashore (Malaquite Visitors Center)

Parking: Asphalt Surfaced Parking Lot

Location: 27º 25’ 29” N x 97º 17’ 60” W

Secure location with limited access. Facilities and some utilities available

Contact: Joe Escoto

Phone: 361-949-8173

4000 Cleanup and Recovery Phase

4100 Shoreline Cleanup

4101 Manual Tar Ball Removal

Manual tar ball Removal involves the usage of hand tools such as shovels, rakes, pitchforks, and

polypropylene drum liners. Manual removal is best for minimizing the volume of sand removed

from the shoreline, therefore requiring less disposal.

4102 Mechanical Tar Ball Removal

Mechanical tar ball removal involves the use of heavy equipment such as backhoes, excavators,

bulldozers, and graders. Tar balls may be loaded into end-dumps, roll-off boxes, or other methods

for disposal. Care should be taken to remove as little sediment as possible.

4102 Endpoint Recommendation

Shoreline recovery endpoint consideration should be the removal of visible oil to background

concentrations.

4200 Finances

4201 Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund (OSLTF)

Fund uses were delineated by the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90) to include:

 Removal costs incurred by the Coast Guard and EPA

 State access for removal activities

 Payments to federal, state, and Indian tribe trustees to conduct natural resource

damage assessments and restorations

 Payment of claims for uncompensated removal costs and damages

 Research and development

 Other specific appropriations

South Texas Coastal Zone Area Contingency Plan

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Tar Ball Response Plan, Annex 11a

The OSLTF has two major components. 1) The Emergency Fund is available for Federal On-

Scene Coordinators (FOSCs) to respond to discharges and for federal trustees to initiate natural

resource damage assessments. The Emergency Fund is a recurring $50 million available to the

President annually. 2) The remaining Principal Fund balance is used to pay claims and to fund

appropriations by Congress to Federal agencies to administer the provisions of OPA and support

research and development.

Access to the OSLTF is achieved in accordance with the NPFC User Reference Guide (eURG)

which is designed to be a reference tool during an oil or hazardous materials spill incident for

Coast Guard and EPA Federal On-Scene Coordinators. Most NPFC publications that deal with

financial management aspects of oil spill response are included in this document.

4202 National Pollution Funds Center

The U.S. Coast Guard's National Pollution Funds Center (NPFC) was created to implement Title

I of the Oil Pollution Act (OPA), which addressed issues associated with preventing, responding

to, and paying for oil pollution. Title I of OPA established oil spill liability and compensation

requirements, including the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund (OSLTF) to pay for expeditious oil

removal and uncompensated damages.

4203 Responsible Party

The responsible party (RP) of an incident is the person, business, or entity that has been identified

as owning the vessel or facility that caused the spill. The term does not imply criminal negligence.

Not all incidents have a designated responsible party; these spills are called mystery spills.

Frequently, when tarballs wash ashore in South Texas, no RP can be identified. However, if the

incident does have an RP, in almost all cases, claims must first be submitted to the RP before it

can be submitted to the government (OSLTF, NPFC).

4204 Claims Reporting

To submit a claim, the claimant must show that the spill meets all OPA 90 requirements. The

claims manager cannot process the claims package until it has been proven that the spill meets

these requirements (The OPA Claims Requirements checklist provides a step-by-step guide to help

you decide if a spill qualifies). Costs and damages from the spill must be documented. Claims

packages must be forwarded to the National Pollution Funds Center, the Coast Guard office

responsible for evaluating and approving OPA claims.

For further information, visit the NPFC website: http://www.uscg.mil/npfc/