These exercises are designed to examine the adequacy of various components of the response plan. All internal exercises should be self evaluated and self certified. Every three years all components of the entire response plan must be exercised. It is not necessary to exercise them at the same time, therefore, PREP allows the flexibility to exercise different components over a triennial period. The plan holder is responsible for documenting the components completed in the exercises.
External exercises involve the plan holder and other members of the response community.
They are used to evaluate the response plan and the plan holder's ability to coordinate with the response community to conduct an effective response to a pollution incident. The exercise is designed by an exercise design team comprised of representatives from federal, state, and local governments, and industry. The exercise design should be done as a cooperative effort, however, the lead plan holder has the primary voice and final decision authority in the exercise design. In the case of the six government-led exercises, either the Coast Guard or EPA is the lead plan holder. An industry plan holder that participates in an Area exercise would not be required to participate in another exercise for a minimum of six years.