EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN.

SEC. 401. EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN. (a) In General.—Within 15 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commandant of the Coast Guard shall submit a plan to Congress on the most cost-effective means of implementing an international private-sector tug-of-opportunity system, including a coordinated system of communication, using existing towing vessels to provide timely emergency response to a vessel in distress transiting the waters within the boundaries of the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary or the Strait of Juan de Fuca. (b) Coordination.—In carrying out this section, the Commandant, in consultation with the Secretaries of State and Transportation, shall coordinate with the Canadian Government and the United States and Canadian maritime industries. (c) Access to Information.—If necessary, the Commandant shall allow United States nonprofit maritime organizations access to United States Coast Guard radar imagery and transponder information to identify and deploy towing vessels for the purpose of facilitating emergency response. 109 STAT. 567 (d) Towing Vessel Defined.—For the purpose of this section, the term “towing vessel” has the meaning given that term by section 2101(40) of title 46, United States Code.