Anyone witnessing an oil spill, chemical release, or maritime security incident should call the National Response Center (NRC) hotline at 1-800-424-8802.
While the NRC is not a response agency, it serves as an emergency call center for initial reports for pollution incidents and forward that information to appropriate federal and state agencies for response.
Reporting is required when any harmful quantity is discharged into the waterway. A harmful quantity can be simply identified if a film or sheen on the water’s surface is created. Other indications of a harmful quantity include a sludge or emulsion beneath the surface of the water.
In 2019 alone the NRC fielded 25,760 reports across the United States.
