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1989-05-30 Regular MeetingKodiak Emergency Services Council May 30, 1989 @ 5:00 p.m. Kodiak, Alaska EXXON VALDEZ OIL SPILL ERNIE PIPER (GOVERNOR'S AIDE): Governor Cowper is coming down tomorrow about noon. The general schedule is a briefing here, 1:30 p.m. Fisherman's Hall, 2:30 p.m. with the processors, then the Mirror and KMXT, and leave at 5:00 p.m. JEROME SELBY (KIB MAYOR): At 9:00 a.m., the Admiral will be here and will be leaving at 10:15 a.m. BOB BRODIE (CITY OF KODIAK MAYOR): Senator Murkowski will be here Friday. SELBY: All of here in this room will meet at 9:00 a.m. Friday and then will participate in public meeting at 10:00 a.m. COMMANDER RICHARD FORD (USCG): Three cleanup teams from Katmai are still in the Kupreanof. Word back is they did a three mile strip today. The team from Fowl Bay is moved to Uyak Bay. A lot of vegetation on beaches --2' thick. SELBY: Still our hardest hit areal - FORD: As far as I know. ARNIE SITYROCK (DEC): Today we are working Raspberry Straits on the west side. FORD: We went to Shuyak with Exxon and did entire west side, and the beaches looked good. I think we are going to sign off for surface cleanup. It is the results of five weeks effort. On north side, a couple of beaches impacted. Pleasure to work with y'all. SELBY: We appreciate the hard work. BRAD BALCH OF WASHINGTON D.C. WILL BE TAKING COMMANDER FORD'S PLACE. JAY BELLINGER (KODIAK NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE): Two sick eagles out of Old Harbor and Melina Bay, and one seal pup which should be on way to Seward. Special eagle team in town and had a meeting getting our heads together on how to do it and gave them our best information. Hope to get going tomorrow or the next day. We have had this sea otter specialist and, as far as I could tell, they didn't see any sick animals. They are a little oiled because they have gone through sheen. Will have him work with different teams to decide what to do next. Exxon is bringing down three birds folks to spend time to see if oiled birds are getting caught and give crews some tips. We will cover whole gambit. Count: 21 live birds in, 11,596 dead through today, 39 dead sea otters, 6 live eagles --one since died, and 9 dead eagles. SITYROCK: Some of the skiff crews are finding a white foamy substance that feels like lanolin in Ouzinkie and Port Lions. Will try to pick samples and Kodiak Emergency Services Council - May 30, 198 Page 1 03816 see what it might be. Also, reports of drops of it in Seward burns worker's hands. We have had people concerned about their health and if they should continue working around this. LT. TOM CALLAHAN (NOAA): I am going to bottle up some and send it to our lab in Cold Bay SITYROCK: Commission has opportunity to make comment on Exxon's draft. The 200 people noted on cleanup --if people have strong feelings, they need to let him know. SELBY: I have right now --it's inadequate. JIM WADE (EXXON): We have a total of 469 people right now, including everyone employed by Exxon. 150 will be for purpose of cleaning beaches. That is added to approximate 197 now. And within the next few days, will add 100 to 300 people for the setnetters. The number in the report isn't correct. I think the actual number out on the beaches now exceeds 200. Village cleanup will continue until area they wish to work in is cleaned up--subsistance beaches, Native lands, etc. SELBY: 500 would be an approximate number. SITYROCK: As a justification, we are looking at more Type A this year. FORD: The plan also listed three or four sights and that is wrong. I know we have identified at least twice that number. SITYROCK: I drafted a memo to Exxon regarding polyester absorbant materials as a device for collecting and monitoring oils. I asked four questions. I never got a written response and the verbal is notclear. WADE: I discussed this with Commander Ford and explained to you the pending litigation. For the application of boom for deflection of free oil, there is boom available made specifically for that purpose. For those reasons, I could see no reason for deploying that boom. As far as effectiveness, on the oil in the state we are seeing, I am not sure it would be all that effective. SITYROCK: I received a letter from Fritz Baumhaufer. (Read letter.) I called the engineering firm that manufactures Gunderboom, and what they express to me is that they have given up on making a profit for this oil spill, but they would be glad to see it deployed for field trials. Will make copies of letter from lawyer's firm releasing Exxon. (Read letter). SELBY to FORD: Do you know how much of typar nets and boom there is and how much on decks yet? FORD: I don't know offhand. SELBY: Will you find out? If we have free-floating oil, we should get it there out and captured. WADE: Are you recommending that over other boom that has been tried and 03817 Kodiak Emergency Services Council - May 30, 198 Page 2 performed? SELBY: In my view, if there is a little free-floating oil in one bay and one in another, you aren't going to run skimmers. We can use this stuff to roundhaul smaller amounts, whether it is table- or room -size pieces, and get it out of the water. SHRYOCK: We are finding it isn't even that big of pieces. You have to be right down to the water to see it. It leaves dime or quarter sizes on beaches. WADE: How do you propose we do that? SHRYOCK: I view it first from a monitoring standpoint if it picks up a lot. It is built in with a leadline and then set them out 2-300 yards, anchor to buoy, and tendered by setnetters. FORD: Oil snares does same. WADE: We are going to distribute oil snares to setnetters. I have obtained permission to release materials that we have here to the Borough. and City. There will be stipulations. Exxon does not want to be involved in the manufacture of boom out of this material. But, the boom will be released to the City for their use as they see fit. Exxon does not want to be involved in use. As far as holding, there are other booms available easy to deploy and will be distributed to the setnetters. SITYROCK:. I am simply thinking of it as a monitoring device. With this, you could get a feel for density. With snares, it would be just quantitative. With it, you would be able to measure it. It will sure help our Fish & Game manage fisheries. FORD: Problem with sea curtain is anything above a two knot current will tear the works. SELBY to FORD: If you could give us an inventory and if you could make a suggestion of the possible use of both stuff attached to nets and stuff in rolls, we can make some effective use. FORD to WADE: Are you also going to turn lose stuff on boats? WADE: I need to clarify that. I don't know how much of that is left. Arnie, I am not saying you don't have anything workable, but we have been advised not to use it and that is why we are turning it over to the City. FORD: I think if people are on beaches and see large amounts of oil, let us know because there is still boom available. This needs to be emphasized. SELBY: I don't want to mess with that. If you could use this typar to get small amounts of oil out of the water, if it works, let's do it. WADE: If you have small patches on beaches, the program shows how to pick it up. Kodiak Emergency Services Council - May 30, 198 Page 3 ".! 03818 FORD: Could anchor curtain on beaches and as tide comes in, the oil gets caught up in it. SELBY: We need to give the folks guidance of how to use stuff for maximum. MIKE GOODWIN (PARKS): I would not want crew to be pulled off Shuyak and be redeployed. They are doing well and have momentum going. The State archeologist from Shippo is coming back down to Kodiak tomorrow and would like to get out with new crews going to sites that are of archeological importance. Jim, I would like to get with you. WADE: How long will he be here? We are having meetings with setnetters and it would be great if he could attend those meetings. Veco hired new people to relieve some of those people that have been out. GOODWIN: Still getting some pressure from various volunteer groups that want to get volunteer parks group going --for instance, Sierra Club --for passive cleanup, monitoring, or picking up dead birds. Bob, you had expressed concerns of taking jobs away from locals. BRODIE: If it is a statewide program, then that is up to you. We would defer any comments to State Parks in Anchorage. My concern was that you would open yourselves up for criticism. SELBY: If they are ready to go, get DEC and Exxon and get going. FORD: As far as Shuyak, it will depend on the time. It is a trained and equipped crew and would be easy to move elsewhere. BELLINGER: Couldn't we request Exxon to start another team to be ready? FORD: Shoreline committee needs to redefine its priorities. BRODIE to WADE: Where are you in crew hiring stage. Jack Rickner (Exxon) said he had five crews and was hiring another. WADE: We were concentrating on priority areas for salmon openings. We are hiring 150 people for setnetters sites. We have more equipment in place. The sixth crew was not hired. We have five teams with 20 men per team. BRODIE: Jack led us to believe they would get boats and crews together and train them. WADE: I can't explain why that was done. I know we were under pressure for setnetters' plan and also village response teams. SELBY: Apparently, the guys in Port Lions are still being told they can't pick up oil. They are part of surveillance crews and being told they can't pick up oil. They are finding it and feel frustrated because they are small enough amounts they could pick it up instead of coming back and reporting it. WADE: I can't think of any reason why. We told folks at Ouzinkie not to collect white material that is coming on beach. They brought samples in and Kodiak Emergency Services Council - May 30, 198 Page 4 was told it was plankton. SELBY: I talked with Pete Squartsoff in Port Lions. I guess I would like you to go ahead and get a couple of more of these beach cleanup teams going. It will impact salmon season. Looks like you don't have enough crews to do what needs to be done with salmon season. BRODIE: Could you give us a schedule and as you meet that schedule, you tell US. WADE: I think the set net beaches cleaning operations took precedent over that. BRODIE: Jack Rickner told us. SELBY: If you look at beaches, you don't have enough crews to even get it done this summer. From the amount of beach oil, you will need at least two more crews. Let's get them on board and get them going. WADE: I need to go back and see what Jack committed to an additional team suggested splitting some teams up. DISCUSSION ON NEED FOR ADDITIONAL CREWS. caused that to change. I wasn't aware I know that after I came back, I BRODIE: Will you tell us tomorrow about the request for two more teams? GOODWIN: There are small public use cabins I will turn over to clean up crews. MATT ROBUS (FISH & GAME): A general permit under Title 16 has been issued for unlimited cleanup in mouths of fishing streams. I will get copies of general permit to everyone tomorrow. More a technical nature now. We are hiring to get seven test vessels going. Also, adding to their effort by using these boats to deploy snares or something so when they come back they can tell if oil has struck there. John Harrington said the helicopter should be here Wednesday or Thursday. CALLAHAN: I will keep everyone up to date on the white stuff. We will meet again and maintain our priority list. SITYROCK: DEC won't be ready to sign off on any beaches for at least two weeks. FORD: Exxon and Coast Guard can sign off and then it will be going back to shoreline committee for comments. Also, state lands. GIL BLINN (PARKS) gave a report: Issued Exxon permit for five -wheelers on beaches. Will Troyer (sp?) has come in as a new biologist and will be setting up long term plan. We would hope clean up activities would continue in the Parks. WADE: I appreciate your understanding and cooperation while we were out of place at the command center. We have some new folks we need to get in place and acclimate. Kodiak Emergency Services Council - May 30, 19803Rair 5 SELBY to WADE: Could we get a resolution for Marine Welding? He still hasn't been paid and hasn't got boom back. Also, we have asked to get some boom back to the two oil docks here in Kodiak. BRODIE: What is the agencies feelings on adequacies of number of helicopters? Is there enough to do job? DISCUSSION ON NUMBER OF HELICOPTERS BEING USED BY AGENCIES. SELBY: We have a total of seven --enough? FORD: Based on number and missions, we are in good shape. BRODIE: How is fuel question for over there? SITYROCK: We are to coordinate with Susan Wagner (Exxon) when using fuel caches by reporting number used, number remaining, etc. That should be reemphasized at this point. WADE: I can't answer if they are reporting back to her, but, we are replenishing on as -need basis. SELBY: Will you check with her so someone doesn't end up short? _ BRODIE: Arnie, what about public handouts? SITYROCK: My department wants to go more formal through the Valdez office. BRODIE to WADE: We haven't seen any vessel reports for awhile. WADE: We haven't had a vessel report in the last few days. I will check into it. BRODIE: We got a map of the printout of what boats were doing. SELBY: Jack did it while he was here, and we would like back in the cycle. 03821 Kodiak Emergency Services Council - May 30, 198 Page 6