(a) The person in charge of a vessel or facility, which is subject to this chapter, as soon as he or she has knowledge of an incident in which the vessel or facility is involved, shall immediately notify the Secretary of the incident.
(b) (1) When the Secretary receives information, pursuant to subsection (a) of this section or otherwise, of an incident which involves oil pollution, the Secretary shall, where possible, designate the source or sources of the oil pollution and shall immediately notify the owner and operator of such source, and the guarantor, of that designation as well as the Attorney General of the State.
(2) When a source designated under paragraph (b)(1) of this section is a vessel or a facility, and the owner, operator or guarantor fails to inform the Secretary, within 5 days after receiving notification of the designation, of his or her denial of such designation, such owner, operator or guarantor, in accordance with regulations promulgated by the Secretary, shall advertise the designation and the procedures by which claims may be presented to him or her. If advertisement is not otherwise made in accordance with this paragraph, the Secretary shall, at the expense of the owner, operator or guarantor involved, advertise the designation and the procedures by which claims may be presented to that owner, operator or guarantor.
(c) Advertisement under subsection (b) of this section shall commence no later than 15 days from the date of the designation made thereunder to continue for a period of no less than 30 days.