Federal On Scene Coordinator (USCG)

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The Federal On Scene Coordinator (FOSC), in United States water bodies, is a U.S. Coast Guard officer, usually of the rank of captain, who is responsible for administering the federal response to discharges and substantial threats of discharges of oil and releases of hazardous substances in his or her area of responsibility.

In the United States, the Federal On Scene Coordinator is a Commanding Officer of a marine safety command and receives this authority from the Commandant of the Coast Guard via the chain of command. Each Commanding Officer holds four separate functional titles that are prescribed in law or treaty. These designations are:

Captain of the Port (COTP)
Officer in Charge Marine Inspections (OCMI)
Federal On Scene Coordinator (FOSC)
Federal Maritime Security Coordinator (FMSC).

In the event of an emergency, the Federal On Scene Coordinator has the authority (and additionaly as COTP and FMSC) to act as necessary without additional authorization and has power over all of the other major Federal agencies in his area of responsibility. However, he or she must consider federal laws and the Code of Federal Regulations in making decisions in non-emergencies.