What agency operates the National Response Center (NRC)?

TheNational Response Center (NRC)is the sole federal point of contact for reporting all oil, chemical, radiological, biological, and etiological discharges into the environment within the United States.4While it is a critical component of the National Response System and is used by the EPA (Option A), it is physicallyoperated and staffed 24 hours a day by the United States Coast Guard (USCG).5Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the NRC serves as the "nerve center" for federal pollution incident reporting.6

When a spill or release occurs that meets federal reporting requirements (such as a "Reportable Quantity" under CERCLA or the Clean Water Act), the responsible party must contact the NRC.7The Coast Guard watchstanders then immediately notify the pre-designated federalOn-Scene Coordinator (OSC)—either from the EPA for inland incidents or the Coast Guard for coastal/maritime incidents. They also distribute the information to other relevant state and federal agencies through the Incident Reporting Information System (IRIS).

For a CEDP professional, knowing the role of the NRC is essential for regulatory compliance and rapid response. Reports to the NRC activate theNational Contingency Plan (NCP), allowing federal assets to be mobilized if the local or state response is insufficient.8Since 2003, the NRC's role has expanded to include receiving reports of suspicious activity and security breaches in the maritime domain.9This centralized reporting system ensures that there is no "lost time" when a toxic release occurs, as the Coast Guard's 24/7 capability ensures that the entire federal response apparatus can be alerted within minutes of a phone call.10