Ports Primer: 7.4 Agency Responsibilities
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In addition to EPA, many federal, state and local agencies have responsibilities related to ports and port-related issues. A chart in Section 3 outlines federal regulation of port operations in more detail. This section describes:
State and Local Agencies
State and local agencies with responsibilities related to human health and the environment will vary. Generally speaking, the following agencies may have oversight, planning or service responsibilities:
| Area | Potential Agencies |
|---|---|
| Environment | State and local departments of the environment Local health departments (occasionally) |
| Transportation and Goods Movement | State and local transportation departments Metropolitan Planning Organizations |
| Health | State and local health departments |
| Development and Land Use Planning | State and local planning departments Local planning commission |
For resources to help locate state level regulators: Port Compliance: State Regulations.
Federal Agencies
Federal agencies with responsibilities include:
| Agency | Key Areas of Authority Related to Ports and the Environment |
|---|---|
| Environmental Protection Agency | Water and air quality, Coastal zone management, Hazardous wastes, Toxic substances, Storage tanks and spills, Brownfield and Superfund sites, Dredging, Emergency planning |
| Fish and Wildlife Service | Invasive species, Threatened and endangered species, Fishing operations, Importing and exporting wildlife, Oil spills |
| National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration | Coastal brownfields (due to concerns of impacts on endangered species) |
| Army Corps of Engineers | Dredging operations, Fill materials |
| Coast Guard (Homeland Security) | Hazardous wastes coming off ships, Vapor control systems, Oil spills, Environmental regulations from MARPOL (MARPOL is the abbreviation for the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution From Ships, 1973, as modified by the Protocol of 1978), Certain aspects of navigable water control |
| Department of Transportation | Hazardous materials transport, Natural gas and other gas transported by pipeline |
| Department of Agriculture | ImportCommodities of foreign origin entering the United States, as well as goods of domestic origin returned to the United States with no change in condition or after having been processed and/or assembled in other countries./exportMerchandise transported out of the United States to foreign countries. of food products, Inspections of food products, Labeling guidelines |
| Food and Drug Administration | Import/export of food products, Fish & fishery product hazards, Food labeling and safety guidance |
| Federal Maritime Commission | Certain activities of Marine TerminalPort facilities for docking, cargo-handling and storage. Operators |
| Customs and Border Protection (Homeland Security) | Security and screening of cargo, Inspections |
For more information and related resources: Port Compliance: Federal Regulations or see the Appendix for additional resources.