31 Tex. Admin. Code § 19.61 – Vessel Response Plans

(a) Vessel Response Plan Requirements.
1. (1) Owners and operators of vessels subject to this subchapter are required to prepare and maintain written, vessel-specific discharge prevention and response plans. A tank or nontank vessel response plan approved by the U.S. Coast Guard satisfies the requirements of this section. A current copy of the plan must be maintained aboard each vessel. Owners and operators of unmanned vessels can satisfy the requirements of this section by maintaining the plan at a primary business location and maintaining the information in subparagraph (G) of this paragraph aboard the unmanned vessel. The vessel-specific discharge prevention and response plan shall include, at a minimum, the following information:
  1. (A) How to contact the owner and operator, including physical and mailing addresses, and a telephone number that is answered 24 hours a day. This information must also be provided for agents of the owner or operator who should be contacted initially instead of the owner or operator.
  2. (B) The names and contact information for the person(s)-in-charge, qualified individual(s), or authorized person(s).
  3. (C) Procedures for vessel personnel to make required reports to immediately notify regulatory agencies of unauthorized discharges or threatened discharges of oil.
  4. (D) The total vessel capacity for fuel and oil.
  5. (E) The vessel's official number.
  6. (F) If applicable, a copy of the Coast Guard Vessel Response Plan approval letter.
  7. (G) Spill prevention and response procedures, including:
    1. (i) shutting down operations;
    2. (ii) securing the source of the spill;
    3. (iii) assessing the spill situation and evaluating for safety hazards to vessel personnel;
    4. (iv) immediate actions for reducing the potential for future spillage;
    5. (v) assessing the condition of the vessel and taking action to prevent further vessel damage;
    6. (vi) notifying the GLO at 1-800-832-8224 as well as other regulatory agencies, local officials, and private property owners impacted by an unauthorized discharge; and
    7. (vii) anticipated actions for abating, containing, and cleaning up an unauthorized discharge of oil.
2. (2) Owners and operators of unmanned vessels subject to this subchapter shall maintain the following information aboard each unmanned vessel:
  1. (A) How to contact the owner and operator, including physical and mailing addresses, a telephone number that is answered 24 hours a day. This information must also be provided for agents of the owner or operator who should be contacted initially instead of the owner or operator.
  2. (B) Qualified individual(s), authorized person(s), or preparedness manager(s).
  3. (C) A checklist for notification of appropriate regulatory agencies in the event of an unauthorized or threatened unauthorized discharge and pertinent information and procedures for response personnel to abate and respond to an actual spill.
  4. (D) The total vessel capacity for fuel and oil.
(b) Submission of Information to the GLO.
1. (1) Applicability. This section, which requires the submittal of limited information to the GLO, applies to owners and operators of any tank or nontank vessel over 400 gross tons required to maintain a federally approved response plan aboard the vessel.
2. (2) Owners, operators or authorized persons of vessels to which this subsection applies must submit the following information to the GLO:
  1. (A) the name of the owner and operator;
  2. (B) the address of the owner and operator;
  3. (C) the electronic mail (email) address, if applicable;
  4. (D) the phone number of the owner and operator;
  5. (E) the qualified individual(s) or authorized person(s) for each vessel to be covered, and information on how these people can be contacted 24 hours a day;
  6. (F) the names and official numbers of vessels subject to this section;
  7. (G) the gross tonnage of all vessels subject to this section; and
  8. (H) the total capacity for fuel and oil of each vessel subject to this section.
3. (3) Completion and Update of information. A vessel owner, operator or authorized person(s) can update information on file with the GLO in the following ways:
  1. (A) Electronically. The GLO has established a link on its website (www.glo.texas.gov) to allow a vessel owner, operator or authorized person(s) to review, update, and amend information on file with the GLO. A vessel owner, operator or authorized person(s) must establish online security credentials by contacting the appropriate Oil Spill Field Office or by emailing a request to oilspills@glo.texas.gov. To minimize the GLO's administrative expense of updating information, the GLO encourages vessel owners, operators or authorized person(s)to use the GLO website to revise vessel information on file with the GLO.
  2. (B) Mail. If a vessel owner, operator or authorized person(s) cannot update information over the GLO website, updated information can be sent by standard mail, email to oilspills@glo.texas.gov or by calling (512) 475-1575 during business hours.

Source Note:The provisions of this §19.61 adopted to be effective November 14, 1995, 20 TexReg 9012; amended to be effective June 21, 1998, 23 TexReg 6238; amended to be effective December 3, 2000, 25 TexReg 11661; amended to be effective January 27, 2013, 38 TexReg 296; amended to be effective November 23, 2025, 50 TexReg 7425.