U.S. Coast Guard environmental protection

Updated on Nov 16, 2023

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Marine environmental protection is one of the eleven missions of the United States Coast Guard (USCG).

There are five areas of emphasis in the marine environmental protection (MEP) mission. These areas cover virtually every aspect of oil and chemical response, and provide the goals and objectives for Coast Guard initiatives.

The five areas are:

Prevention

To stop pollution before it occurs, with:

Training

Equipment

Procedures

Enforcement

To provide civil and criminal penalties for illegal acts

Surveillance

To protect the marine environment by conducting:

Pollution overflights

Vessel boardings

Harbor patrols

Transfer monitoring

Facility inspections

Response

Cleanup and impact limitation of an oil or chemical discharge

In-house abatement

Ensure that Coast Guard vessels and facilities comply with federal pollution laws and regulations

References

U.S. Coast Guard environmental protection Wikipedia

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