Area Contingency Planning

This online engineering PDH course provides information on the development of Area Contingency Plans (ACPs) for environmental emergencies, and explains the formation of area committees, essential plan elements and the establishment of the ACP scope and content.

An ACP is a reference document prepared for the use of all agencies engaged in responding to environmental emergencies in a defined geographic area. An ACP is not a rigid, prescriptive plan with step-by-step instructions for responses. Rather it serves as a mechanism to ensure responders have access to essential area-specific information, as well as to promote interagency coordination as a means of improving the effectiveness of responses.

Responding to the immediate circumstances of an environmental emergency can be a challenging task. Thus, the ACP provides a mechanism for planning for these potential complications prior to an incident. Moreover, it is a useful tool for responders, providing practical and accessible information about what they need to know for an effective response. Currently, the ACP concept has grown beyond oil spill legislations to encompass the prospect of responses to environmental emergencies in general, including hazardous substance releases, natural disasters and acts of terrorism.