Resource Protection, Preparedness and Response Team

(formerly known as the Natural Resources Trust and Response Team)

• General Information
• Team Contacts
• Links

General Information

The Resource Protection, Preparedness and Response Team and the Regional Offices work with multiple federal, state and local agencies and other organizations to improve protection and recovery of the Department’s natural and cultural resource and historic property interests during both emergencies and long-term responses.

Natural Resources Trust

Coordination of environmental response with natural resource restoration. Rapid resolution of contamination and hazardous waste problems is best achieved when response and restoration actions are effectively coordinated. OEPC facilitates such coordination by:

• Superfund Coordination – Providing response agencies with a single point of access to the full range of resources and expertise within DOI, coordinating DOI activities when more than one bureau is involved, and resolving potential problems to expedited environmental response and restoration actions.

Emergency Response

Safeguard DOI’s natural and cultural resources and historic properties, as well as DOI employees and visitors during disasters and emergencies. OEPC makes DOI’s emergency preparedness and response processes more efficient and effective through inter-bureau/interagency collaboration. Two principal responsibilities are:

• Federal lead for the protection of natural and cultural resources and historic properties (NCH) under the National Response Framework; and,
• Departmental lead for response to oil discharges and hazardous substances releases under relevant laws.

Remedial Response

Establish and implement interagency policy and guidance when multiple federal agencies are involved in remedial response actions affecting DOI resources. OEPC’s works towards early, upfront resolution of interagency issues so that subsequent, multiple case-specific remedial response actions can be taken quicker and more effectively at a reduced cost. The two lines of effort are:

• Responses on non-DOI managed lands affecting DOI resources; and,
• Non-DOI responses on DOI-managed lands.

Management Excellence

The RPPR Team provides principal support for OEPC’s continuity of operations, budget formulation, and financial management execution. The Team supports the establishment, tracking and analysis of performance measures, workload measures and other metrics needed for documenting the office's programs and performance supporting DOI’s Strategic Plan.

Staff

Links

• Munitions and Explosives of Concern Hazard Assessment Guidance
• Protecting America’s Natural and Cultural Resources and Historic Properties (NCH) During Disasters Brochure
• Preserve America
• Protecting America's Resources during Pollution Emergencies
• Emergency Response - Planning and Coordination
• CERCLA Remediation - Planning and Coordination
• Department of the Interior Environmental Safeguards Plan for All-Hazards Emergencies
• Standard Operating Procedures for National Response Framework Activations: Protection of Natural and Cultural Resources and Historic Properties under Emergency Support Function 11 (ESF-11)