EPA Administrator (for inland oil spills) or USCG Commandant (for coastal oil spills) may declare a spill a “Spill of National Significance” (SONS): An oil spill of great complexity or scope.

• First (and only) declared SONS was the 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill.
• The Exxon Valdez spill (1998) was the impetus for writing SONS regulations into the NCP.
• During a SONS, EPA Administrator may name a Senior Agency Official to assist the Federal On-Scene Coordinator, or USCG may name a National Incident Commander to assume role of Federal On-Scene Coordinator, in the following tasks:
• Communicating with affected parties and public;
• Coordinating federal/state/local/international resources at national level; and 
• Conducting strategic coordination with governors/mayors, NRT, and RRTs.