Oil Notifications: Emergency Response Notification System (ERNS) fact sheet

The Emergency Response Notification System (ERNS) is a national computer database which provides the only centralized mechanism for documenting and verifying incident notification information as initially reported to the National Response Center (NRC), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and to a limited extent, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG). The initial notification data may be followed up with updated information from various Federal, State and local response authorities, as appropriate. ERNS contains data that can be used to analyze release notifications, support emergency planning efforts, and assist decision makers in developing spill prevention programs. The fact sheet provides summary information on notifications of releases of oil reported in accordance with the Clean Water Act (CWA). Under Section 311 of the CWA, discharges of oil which: (1) cause a sheen to appear on the surface of the water; (2) violate applicable water quality standards; or (3) cause sludge or emulsion to be deposited beneath the surface of the water or adjoining shoreline, must be reported to the NRC