Glossary of Marine Terms
N
National Pollution Funds Center (NPFC)
means the entity established by the Secretary of Transportation whose function is the administration of the Oil spill Liability Trust Fund (OSLTF). Among the NPFC's duties are: providing appropriate access to the OSLTF for federal agencies and states for removal actions and for federal trustees to initiate the assessment of natural resource damages; providing appropriate access to the OSLTF for claims; and coordinating cost recovery efforts.
National Response System (NRS)
is the mechanism for coordinating response actions by all levels of government in support of the OSC. The NRS is composed of the NRT, RRTs, OSC, Area Committees, and Special Teams and related support entities.
National Strike Force (NSF)
is a special team established by the USCG, including the three USCG Strike Teams, the Public Information Assist Team (PIAT), and the National Strike Force Coordination Center. The NSF is available to assist OSCs in their preparedness and response duties.
National Strike Force Coordination Center (NSFCC)
authorized as the National Response Unit by CWA section 311(a)(23) and (j)(2), means the entity established by the Secretary of the department in which the USCG is operating at Elizabeth City, North Carolina, with responsibilities that include administration of the USCG Strike Teams, maintenance of response equipment inventories and logistic networks, and conducting a national exercise program.
natural resources
means land, fish, wildlife, biota, air, water, groundwater, drinking water supplies, and other such resources belonging to, managed by, held in trust by, appertaining to, or otherwise controlled by the United States (including the resources of the exclusive economic zone defined by the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976), any state or local government, any foreign government, any Indian tribe, or, if such resources are subject to a trust restriction on alienation, any member of an Indian tribe.
nautical mile
a unit of length used in sea navigation equal to 1852 meters or approximately 6076 feet.
navigable waters
those waterways upon which commercial or private vessels are able to operate in their customary mode of navigation. As defined by 40 CFR 110.1 means the waters of the United States, including the territorial seas. The term includes:
- All waters that are currently used, were used in the past, or may be susceptible to use in interstate or foreign commerce, including all waters that are subject to the ebb and flow of the tide;
- Interstate waters, including interstate wetlands;
- All other waters such as intrastate lakes, rivers, streams (including intermittent streams), mudflats, sandflats, and wetlands, the use, degradation, or destruction of which would affect or could affect interstate or foreign commerce including any such waters:
- That are or could be used by interstate or foreign travelers for recreation or other purposes;
- From which fish or shellfish are or could be taken and sold in interstate or foreign commerce;
- That are used or could be used for industrial purposes by industries in interstate commerce.
- All impoundments of waters otherwise defined as navigable waters under this section;
- Tributaries of waters identified in paragraphs (a) through (d) of this definition, including adjacent wetlands; and
- Wetlands adjacent to waters identified in paragraphs (a) through (e) of this definition: Provided, that waste treatment systems (other than cooling ponds meeting the criteria of this paragraph) are not waters of the United States.
- Waters of the United States do not include prior converted cropland. Notwithstanding the determination of an area's status as prior converted cropland by any other federal agency, for the purposes of the Clean Water Act, the final authority regarding Clean Water Act jurisdiction remains with EPA.
net tons
the gross tons of a vessel less deductions for certain specified non-cargo spaces resulting in a net volume capacity of 100 cu. ft. per ton. (See gross tons.)
nitriding
adding nitrogen to iron-base alloys by heating the metal in contact with ammonia gas, or other suitable nitrogenous material. nitriding is conducted at a temperature usually in the range of 935-1000” f. and produces surface hardening of the metal without quenching.
non-ferrous
metals or alloys that contain no appreciable quantity of iron. this term is applied to such metals as aluminum, copper, magnesium, etc.
normalizing
see heat treating definitions page 146 through 148.
