What are Geographic Response Plans?

Geographic Response Plans (GRPs) are plans that guide oil spill response in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. Each GRP is written for a specific area (for example a river, a lake, or section of Puget Sound), and includes tactical response strategies tailored to a particular shore or waterway at risk of injury from oil. GRPs have two main objectives:

  • Identify sensitive natural, cultural or significant economic resources at risk of injury from oil spills.
  • Describe and prioritize response strategies in an effort to reduce injury to sensitive natural, cultural, and certain economic resources at risk from oil spills.

Click here for a map of Washington GRP strategies

Click here for Washington’s GRP Focus Sheet

Click here to see which GRPs are in your area

Who maintains the GRPs? 
Washington: Coastal and inland Geographic Response Plans (GRPs) for Washington State including the lower Columbia River are maintained by Washington Department of Ecology. The Spokane River GRP, Snake River GRPs, and Middle Columbia River GRP are jointly maintained by Ecology and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Region 10).Click here to read Washington State GRPs

Oregon: Coastal GRPs for Oregon are maintained by Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. The Lower Deschutes River GRP is maintained by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Idaho: GRPs for Idaho are maintained by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Click here to read Oregon and Idaho GRPs

How do I make a comment on a GRP?
We accept comments on any GRP at any time. You can submit comments through the Northwest Area Contingency Plan website. If you have specific comments for Washington State GRPs, please send an email at GRPs@ecy.wa.gov, or by regular mail at:
Washington State Department of Ecology
Spill Prevention, Preparedness, and Response Program – GRPs
P.O.  Box 47600
Olympia, WA 98504-7600