Project Summary
The Upper Narragansett Bay Geographic Response Plan Project was conducted during 2008 to develop Geographic Response Plans (GRP) to protect sensitive coastal environments and resources along the Upper Narragansett Bay/Providence River coastline. The project was directed by the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM) with funding provided by Motiva Enterprises, LLC. Nuka Research and Planning Group, LLC was contracted by Motiva to facilitate the Planning Group and the GRP development process.
This website contains a record of the Planning Group process and final work products developed by the GRP work group as well as answers to frequently asked questions about GRPs.
GRP Document
The study area for this project, as depicted below, includes Upper Narragansett Bay and the Providence River. Individual sites within the study area were prioritized for GRP development based on input received from work group participants regarding relative risk of oil spill impacts, environmental sensitivity, natural resources and habitat, human use, feasibility of protection, and other relavent factors.
A GRP site sensitivity matrix (file date: 8/7/08) was developed to summarize the resources at risk for each of the potential GRP sites.
GRPs
Part A: Introduction to Rhode Island GRPs
Part B: GRP Tactics Guide (for Massachusetts and Rhode Island)
(All sections - large file – 15 MB)
Note: Tactics Guide already incorporated into SEMA/RI ACP with MA GRPs
Part C: GRPs
RI-02 Mill Creek & Conimicut Point
RI-04 Passeonkquis Cove & Gaspee Point
RI-06 Stillhouse Cove to Fields Point
RI-07 Lower Port of Providence
RI-08 Upper Port of Providence
RI-09 Fox Point & Hurricane Barrier
RI-18 Annawamscott & Mussachuck Creeks
Deployment Tests
Upper Narragansett Bay GRP Deployment tests were held as follows. There are links to testing plans and evaluation forms under each date.
Date |
Times |
GRP sites |
Staging Area |
Tues 9/30/08 |
10:00 am to 6:00 pm
|
RI-23 Mill Gut |
|
Thurs 10/2/08 |
7:00 am to noon (no lunch)
|
RI-16 Bullock Cove |
|
Fri 10/3/08 |
8:30 am to 4:00 pm |
RI-21 Barrington River RI-19 Smith Cove
|
|
Tues 10/7/08 |
10:00 am to 6:00 pm |
RI-14 Watchemoket RI-6 Stillhouse Cove
|
|
Wed 10/8/08 |
7:00 am to 7:00 pm |
RI-11 India Point/Bold Point RI-12 Seekonk River
|
|
Thurs 10/9/08 |
9:30 am to 5:30 pm |
RI-03 O Cove RI-05 Pawtuxet Cove |
The purpose of these tests is to deploy the GRP as drafted at a variety of sites under a range of conditions to verify strategies and tactics, identify any weaknesses in the GRPs, modify GRP as needed, and provide a training/exercise opportunity for responders.
Photos from Deployment Tests
9/30/08 Mill Gut (Bristol)
9/30/08 Mill Gut (Bristol)
10/2/08 Bullock Cove (E. Providence)
10/2/08 Bullock Cove (E. Providence)
10/3/08 Smith Cove (Barrington)
10/7/08 Watchemoket Cove (E. Providence)
10/7/08 Stillhouse Cove (Cranston)
10/8/08 India Point & Bold Point (Providence/E. Providence)
10/8/08 India Point & Bold Point (Providence/E. Providence)
10/8/08 Seekonk River (Providence)
10/9/08 Occupessatuxet Cove (Warwick)
10/9/08 Occupessatuxet Cove (Warwick)
10/9/08 Pawtuxet Cove (Warwick/Cranston)
10/2/08 East Providence Fire/Response Boat
Site Surveys
Site Surveys were conducted during the summer of 2008. Thank you to the following organizations who have provided vessel platforms to support the surveys:
- RIDEM Enforcement Division
- Barrington Harbormaster
- East Providence Harbormaster
- Save the Bay
Thank you also to the following organizations who have provided personnel and expertise to participate in the surveys:
- RIDEM Emergency Response
- Barrington Harbor and Fire Departments
- East Providence Harbor and Fire Departments
- Save the Bay
- USCG Sector Southeastern New England
- Pawtucket Police Department
Meeting Materials
December 11, 2008 -- Final Work Group Meeting
1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
RIDEM
235 Promenade Street, 3rd floor, room 300
Providence, RI 02908
Final drafts of the RIGRPs will be posted to this website for review by 12/1/08. Please review the draft GRPs for discussion at the meeting. We will review & approve the GRPs so that they may be forwarded to the Area Committee for inclusion in the Area Contingency Plan, and officially adopted by RIDEM.
- Agenda
- Meeting Summary
- Meeting Materials
September 16 , 2008 -- Deployment Test Planning Meeting
10:00 a.m. to noon
RIDEM
235 Promenade Street, 3rd floor, room 300
Providence, RI 02908
At this work group meeting, draft GRPs will be presented for review and the GRP Deployment Testing Plan will be finalized.
- Agenda
- Meeting Materials
- Deployment testing plan draft (note - refer to updated schedule on this website, dates in deployment testing plan draft have been updated since 9/16/08 meeting)
- Draft GRPs
- Meeting Summary
April 28, 2008 -- Site Prioritization Meeting
1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Save the Bay Center - Fields Point, Providence
This will be a working meeting that will focus on prioritizing sites within the study area for GRP development.
- Agenda
- Meeting Materials
- Site prioritization matrix (updated 4/23/08)
- Base maps of proposed sites (see above)
- Meeting Summary
March 28, 2008 -- Project Kick-off Meeting
1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
RIDEM
235 Promenade Street, 3rd floor, room 300
Providence, RI 02908
- Agenda
- Meeting Materials
- Project overview (2MB)
- Prioritization of sites for oil spill response (link to follow)
- Site selection process (5MB)
- Meeting Summary
Project Participants
Project participation is open to all interested parties. If you would like to participate in this project or have your email added to the project information list, please contact Elise DeCola.
- List of current work group participants (file date: 4/3/08)
Frequently Asked Questions
What are GRP?
GRP are oil spill response plans tailored to protect a specific sensitive area from impacts following a spill. These response plans are map-based strategies that can save time during the critical first few hours of an oil spill response. They show responders where sensitive areas are located and where to place oil spill protection resources.
GRP have been developed in several regions of the U.S., including Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. In nearly all areas, the GRP (sometimes referred to as GRS, geographic response strategies) represent the consensus product of a planning effort involving state and federal oil spill response agencies, natural resource trustees, spill responders, industry, stakeholders, and the public.
Why develop GRP?
The initial phase of an oil spill response can be quite hectic. Multiple objectives must be met using available resources and responders. At the local level, residents and emergency responders are often the first ones to show up at the shoreline, eager to act before the spilled oil reaches sensitive shoreline environments.
The process of developing GRP brings together diverse groups in a non-emergency setting to discuss environmental sensitivities, protection priorities, response strategies, and response constraints. GRP development fosters local buy-in and creates realistic expectations for protecting sensitive areas from oil spill impacts.
GRP use standard terminology and tactics presented in a field-oriented format so that responders can easily recognize and implement the strategies. Because of this standardization, GRPs are an important tool for training and preparedness as well as response.
How are GRP used?
GRP are tactical plans that provide a set of “directions” to initial responders for how to protect environmentally sensitive areas and resources from oil impacts. GRP sites are selected based on several criteria, and response strategies are developed for those sites in advance of an oil spill. When local responders arrive at the scene, they now have an implementation to deploy pre-staged equipment at sensitive sites.
The Providence River GRP will be incorporated into the Southeastern Mass/Rhode Island Area Plan for oil spill and hazardous materials response. While these plans are NOT a mandate for site protection or response, they are available to government and private industry oil spill responders if needed.
How are GRP developed?
A collaborative Planning Group will oversee the Providence River GRP development. The group will begin by selecting candidate sites for the GRP area. Information will be compiled about candidate sites through sensitivity maps, local knowledge, site surveys, trustee agency input, and public comment.
A set of core oil spill response tactics will then be applied to each GRP site in order to meet the particular protection goals.
GRP are drafted, reviewed, and when possible field-verified. Field testing may result in modifications to the GRP. GRP can be tested during scheduled training exercises, unannounced readiness drills, or actual oil spills. An important part of the process is to keep these documents “evergreen” by updating them as needed.
For examples of similar GRPs developed in Massachusetts, visit the Cape and Islands GRP website.
For More Information...
Please contact Elise DeCola at Nuka Research and Planning Group.
