ALCOAST 019/26 - JAN 2026 GOVERNMENT INITIATED UNANNOUNCED EXERCISE (GIUE) PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS FOR FY26

R 161656Z JAN 26 MID320018475948U
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
TO ALCOAST
BT
UNCLAS
ALCOAST 019/26
SSIC 16000
SUBJ: GOVERNMENT INITIATED UNANNOUNCED EXERCISE (GIUE) PROGRAM
REQUIREMENTS FOR FY26
A. Marine Environmental Response and Preparedness,
COMDTINST 16000.14B
B. Government Initiated Unannounced Exercise (GIUE) Tactics,
Techniques, and Procedures, CGTTP 3-75.7
1. Per REF (A), this ALCOAST establishes the FY26 GIUE requirements
for Sector and Marine Safety Unit (MSU) Captains of the Port (COTP).
2. GIUEs are a cornerstone of the area oil spill exercise cycle and
a key tool for COTPs to evaluate risk and measure oil spill response
preparedness. The Office of Marine Environmental Response Policy,
Commandant (CG-MER) continues to require the number of GIUEs
permitted under regulation and the Preparedness for Response
Exercise Program (PREP) Guidelines, while also taking into account
the total number of group I-V oil candidates available within each
COTP Zone. Previous GIUE reduction memos granted on the basis of
insufficient group I-IV facilities are no longer applicable due to
new guidance on conducting GIUEs on group V facilities. Units with
more than 12 facilities should select candidates using a risk-based
decision process as described in REF (A). Units with 12 or less
should continue to rotate candidates to ensure compliance with
response plan regulations and planning standards. Candidates include
fixed and mobile Marine Transportation Related facilities and tank
and non-tank vessels required to have response plans.
3. GIUE requirements are published annually. For the purposes of
GIUE reporting requirements, subsequent GIUEs on the same plan
holder following an unsuccessful GIUE do not count towards the
COTP's annual requirement when conducted within the same Fiscal Year
as the unsuccessful GIUE.
FY26 GIUE Requirements:

MSU Duluth                                                                 1
MSU Houma                                                                4
MSU Pittsburgh                                                            4
MSU Port Arthur                                                           4
MSU Savannah                                                             2
MSU Valdez                                                                  1
Sector Boston                                                               4
Sector Charleston                                                         2
Sector Columbia River                                                   4
Sector Corpus Christi                                                    4
Sector Delaware Bay                                                     4
Sector Detroit                                                               4
Sector Eastern Great Lakes                                            2
Sector Guam                                                                2
Sector Honolulu                                                            3
Sector Houston-Galveston                                              4
Sector Jacksonville                                                        4
Sector Key West                                                            1 (every 3 years)
Sector Lake Michigan                                                     4
Sector Long Island Sound                                               4
Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach                                       4
Sector Lower Mississippi River                                         4
Sector Maryland-National Capitol Region                        4
Sector Miami                                                               4
Sector Mobile                                                               4
Sector New Orleans                                                      4
Sector New York                                                           4
Sector North Carolina                                                    2
Sector Northern Great Lakes                                          1
Sector Northern New England                                        4
Sector Ohio Valley                                                         4
Sector Puget Sound                                                       4
Sector San Diego                                                          4
Sector San Francisco                                                     4
Sector San Juan                                                            4
Sector Southeast Alaska                                                 4
Sector Southeastern New England                                   4
Sector St. Petersburg                                                     4
Sector Upper Mississippi River                                         4
Sector Virginia                                                               4
Sector Western Alaska and U.S. Arctic                              4

    a. GIUEs are routinely reported to DHS and COMDT (CG-DCO) as a
service-wide performance measure. Units should perform GIUEs
throughout the year to facilitate meeting requirements, while also
ensuring plan holders are capable of responding in year-round
conditions. Ideally, COTPs required to conduct four GIUEs per FY
should conduct one exercise each quarter. Units that cannot meet
their GIUE requirement shall route a memo to COMDT (CG-MER), through
their District and Area, in accordance with REF (A) and REF (B)
outlining the reasons the unit could not complete the required
exercises and how they intend to meet the requirement going forward.
GIUE shortfall memos should be received by COMDT (CG-MER) no later
than November 30, 2026. A template is posted on the COMDT (CG-MER-4)
SharePoint page and can be accessed at:
(Copy and Paste URL Below into Browser)

https://uscg.sharepoint-mil.us/sites/cgmer/mer4/Shared%20Documents/
Forms/AllItems.aspx?csf=1&web=1&e=3kcyvt&CID=affa0e7c%2D96fd%2D43d8
%2Dbc26%2D5945a8691a1f&FolderCTID=0x012000DDE6264431F48C40A463B3488
8621F40&id=%2Fsites%2Fcgmer%2Fmer4%2FShared%20Documents%2FGIUE%20
Documents

    b. Requirements for average most probably discharge equipment are
defined in 33 C.F.R. 154.1040(d), 33 C.F.R. 154.1045(c),
33 C.F.R.155.1050(d), and 33 C.F.R.155.5050(d). Plan holders do not
meet the equipment deployment requirements by merely staging the
equipment onsite. During a GIUE, the facility or vessel owner/
operator must have the required equipment deployed to receive credit
for that portion of their required exercises. For facilities
transferring groups I-IV oils, containment boom, along with all
necessary equipment for proper deployment, is to be in place within
one hour and skimming devices, including temporary storage, within
two hours. Units should keep in mind that these requirements specify
criteria to be used during the planning process and are not
performance standards. As such, units may grant some time variance
based on actual exercise conditions.
    c. Coordinating GIUEs with other agencies benefits both plan
holders and governing agencies. Joint GIUEs enhance overall program
oversight as they achieve the goals of testing industry, improving
interagency relations, and providing training opportunities, while
reducing industry's exercise burden. Incident Management Divisions
shall coordinate with other governing agencies to conduct joint
exercises when possible. To facilitate joint GIUEs when partnering
agencies have lengthy documentation procedures, units may delay
issuing the results letter to the plan holder when requested by the
other exercise evaluating agencies. Normally, Federal On-Scene
Coordinators (FOSC) have 10 business days to complete the results
letter, but at the request of another agency, the FOSC may
coordinate to issue the documentation at similar times. When this
occurs, the FOSC shall inform their District within 10 days of the
completed GIUE stating the details, to include the exercise results
and reason for the delay. This allows the District to log the
completed GIUE in the COMDT (CG-MER-4) SharePoint page for
COMDT (CG-MER) reporting purposes. Federal On-Scene Coordinators
now have 30 days to complete the documentation in MISLE and forward
to their respective Districts.
4. CG-MER has published the GIUE Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures
(TTP) document to outline additional requirements, guidance, and
training for conducting GIUEs. The TTP shall be used by all units
who administer a GIUE program. This TTP is available on MER and
FORCECOM's Portal Online websites. Vessel Response Plans (VRPs) and
vessel GIUE history can be accessed using VRP Express.
COMDT (CG-MER-4) VRP personnel can provide additional guidance and
training on VRP Express and VRP information upon request by emailing
VRP@uscg.mil or by calling (206) 815-7477.
5. This message will be cancelled on 10 NOV 2026.
6. POC: LTJG Reva I. McAulay, COMDT (CG-MER-4),
Reva.I.McAulay@uscg.mil.
7. RADM M. M. Dean, Assistant Commandant for Operations Integration
and Response Policy (CG-3/5R), sends.
8. Internet release is authorized.