Canadian Coast Guard Commissioner Mario Pelletier and United States Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Linda L. Fagan have signed the renewed Canada-United States Joint Marine Pollution Contingency Plan to provide a coordinated system for planning, preparedness and response to spills occurring in the waters between the two countries.
The Joint Marine Pollution Contingency Plan provides a coordinated mechanism for planning, preparing for, and responding to spills in transboundary waters and establishes procedures for the coordination of spill response efforts between Canada and the U.S. It allows both coast guards to work together efficiently to mitigate any potential pollution impacts on the marine environment.
The area of responsibility under the Joint Marine Pollution Contingency Plan extends along the Canada-United States border, from coast to coast to coast, and addresses transboundary waters in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the Beaufort Sea, as well as the Great Lakes. The renewed signing of this agreement reaffirms the two coast guards’ commitment to keeping shared waters safe and healthy for citizens on both sides of the border.
The Canadian and United States coast guards consistently work closely together on a wide range of coast guard services, including environmental response, search and rescue, icebreaking, marine traffic management, and aids to navigation. (Photo from United States Coast Guard)