--> Abstract: Environmental Components of OCS Policy Committee Recommendations regarding National Oil Spill Prevention and Response Program, by C. G. Groat and J. Thorman; #91004 (1991)

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Environmental Components of OCS Policy Committee Recommendations regarding National Oil Spill Prevention and Response Program

GROAT, C. G., American Geological Institute, Alexandria, VA, and JAN THORMAN, Minerals Management Service, Washington, DC

The Exxon Valdez oil spill of March 24,1989 resulted in thousands of pages of analytical reports assessing the environmental, organizational, legal, procedural, social, economic, and political aspects of the event. Even though the accident was a transportation incident, it had a major impact on the public and political perception of offshore oil operations. This caused the OCS Policy Committee, which advises the Secretary of the Interior and the Minerals Management Service on Outer Continental Shelf resource development and environmental matters, to undertake a review of the reports for the purpose of developing recommendations to the secretary for improvements in OCS operations that would insure maximum efforts to prevent spills and optimal ability to deal with any that occur. The Co mittee felt strongly that "a credible national spill prevention and response program for both OCS and non-OCS oil spills in the marine environment is needed to create the political climate for a viable OCS program."The report of the Committee described eight essential elements of this program; four of these focused on the environmental aspects of oil spills, calling for (1) adequate characterization of the marine and coastal environment, including both information and analysis, accessible to decision makers, (2) the capacity to restore economic and environmental resources as quickly as possible if damage occurs, (3) a mechanism for research on oil spill impacts, and (4) a meaningful role for all interested and responsible parties, including the public, in as many of these activities as p ssible, from spill prevention and contingency planning to environmental oversight of ongoing operations and participation in clean-up and restoration activities.

Public confidence and political acceptance of offshore oil development are to a large degree dependent on the capabilities to analyze, document, and deal with the environmental aspects of oil spills The assembling and organization of the environmental resources information needed to accomplish this can best be carried out through the development of sophisticated, responsive, geographic information systems (GIS) accessible to all of the players. This will require near-term financial and operational cooperation of federal and state agencies, research organizations, and industry.

 

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #91004 © 1991 AAPG Annual Convention Dallas, Texas, April 7-10, 1991 (2009)