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Florida’s Wildlife Contingency Plan for Oil Spill Response

man and woman on boat cleaning oil from a sea turtle

In response to the Federal Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90), the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (National Contingency Plan, or NCP) update of 1994 stipulates that Area Contingency Plans (ACPs) contain a Fish and Wildlife and Sensitive Environments Plan “in order to provide for coordinated, immediate and effective protection, rescue, and rehabilitation of, and minimization of risk of injury to, fish and wildlife resources and habitat.”

To address these statutory mandates, Florida’s Wildlife Contingency Plan for Oil Spill Response (WCP) has been developed by a group of federal and state agencies and other interested parties. The WCP is produced by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in cooperation with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection – Office of Emergency Response, US Fish and Wildlife Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the US Coast Guard.

cover of contingency plan document

Download the Florida’s Wildlife Contingency Plan for Oil Spill Response – October 2012 Edition

The Florida’s Wildlife Contingency Plan for Oil Spill Response establishes a program for the recovery and rehabilitation of wildlife affected by oil and for protection of wildlife during spill response activities. Wildlife includes invertebrates, fish, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals (terrestrial and marine).