The ExitCorexit campaign advocates three separate actions to ban Corexit dispersants, protect emergency responder and public health, and establish regional citizens' advisory councils. Combined, these actions will better protect humans and wildlife from toxic exposures during all-hazard disasters, including oil spills, by holding governments accountable to minimize harm and spillers liable for paying for the harm. The campaign also advocates OSHA actions to support incident-specific medical monitoring to protect all HAZWOPER emergency responders.

How? Together. Actions are underway in R10 (Region 10 states are WA, OR, ID, AK), R4 (MS, AL, FL) and R6 (LA, TX). Current actions and KEY UPDATES in the Pacific Northwest and Gulf Coast states follow with latest news below.

Not from the Pacific Northwest or Gulf Coast states? Read the primers for each action below. To learn how the current law protects governments and spillers from liability (paying for harm), check out the Liability Dodge Timeline after the latest news on the campaign. Then email [email protected] to join the Campaign.

• ACTION 1: Request EPA to ban discontinued Corexit dispersants from use in oil spill response, effective immediately.
  • UPDATE 1/15/2025: EPA wrote ALERT director, stating, “EPA is still reviewing the request to delist the two cited Corexit dispersants… [There is no] available timeline for when EPA will respond to that request.” See Action 2.

• ACTION 2:  Request state lead agencies for oil spill preparedness and response with ocean coastlines (along the Arctic, Pacific, and Atlantic Oceans, including the Gulf of Mexico) to take emergency measures to refuse to use discontinued Corexit dispersants, even if stockpiled and available.
  • UPDATE 1/10/2025: Pacific Northwest lead agencies (WA, OR) and RRT 10 federal members have verbally stated they will not use Corexit dispersants, stating liability and insurance concerns of using a discontinued product. This is likely a problem in other regions as well. State agencies also stated the west coast primary spill response organizations are actively looking at new products as they are required by law to stockpile sufficient product for a large oil spill. ALERT is advocating that state agencies require supplemental testing of dispersant products before use to prevent a repeat of the Corexit debacle.
  • CALL to ACTION! Other regions should consider this approach. Contact YOUR state lead agency, ask if they plan to use discontinued Corexit dispersants during an oil spill response, urge them not to by sharing the info and links above with YOUR lead agency, and report findings with [email protected].

• ACTION 3:  Request state lead agencies for oil spill preparedness and response and/or emergency management in the seacoast states to update area and regional contingency plans during the ongoing 2-year revision process by adopting the following three state-driven measures to ensure plans work as intended and do no more harm to people or the environment.
  • • (1)  Establish Worker Health Monitoring Units with symptom-based hazard assessment within these contingency plans, as recommended by the 2023 Health and Safety Task Force, chartered by Regional Response Team 10 and the Northwest Area Committee;
    • (2)  Establish Public Health Assessment Units with symptom-based hazard assessment within these contingency plans, as recommended by the Health and Safety Task Force; and
    • (3)  Create a Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council as an independent support function for Area Committees as anticipated by the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 and recommended by the President’s Commission on the Deepwater Horizon (in Alaska in regions that do not yet have them).
  • UPDATE 1/10/2025: In a mediated revision process, the Pacific Northwest states (WA, OR, ID), US Coast Guard, and EPA agreed that nothing will be thrown in or out of the Northwest Area Contingency Plan during the initial paper shuffle to transfer protocols from this comprehensive plan into three USCG sector plans. The public will be invited to comment on the draft plans to add the three state-driven measures before the plans are finalized. Meanwhile…
  • CALL to ACTION on February 4! ALERT allies in the Pacific Northwest should attend Dept. of Ecology kick off meeting for Best Achievable Protection (BAP) in oil spill C-plans as part of the new laws passed by the WA legislature. Allies should frame our three state initiatives––worker and public health monitoring units and citizens' advisory councils––as BAP and request adoption.

• OSHA ACTION:  ALERT advocates incident-specific medical monitoring to protect all HAZWOPER emergency responders.
  • UPDATE 2/5/2024: Federal OSHA issued a proposed rule to protect emergency responders after a 25-year national consensus process with stakeholders. The proposed rule is the first comprehensive, prescriptive federal emergency response standard. It includes symptom-based health monitoring and triggers for protective action, pre- and post- incident medical evaluations, and health monitoring during incidents available to every on-site emergency worker. Problem? The proposed rule does not apply to HAZWOPER emergency responders.
  • ACTION! ALERT is developing OSHA petition to request a rulemaking for similar protections for HAZWOPER responders. Estimated completion date: Spring Equinox. Stay tuned.

To protect our communities and first responders during oil spills and hazardous waste releases, please JOIN THE EXIT COREXIT CAMPAIGN and take action.