1989-06-21 Regular MeetingKodiak Emergency Services Council
June 21, 1989 @ 5:00 p.m.
Kodiak, Alaska
EXXON VALDEZ OIL SPILL
LT. TOM CALLAHAN (NOAA): Everyone should have a copy of the cover letter that
went with the Type B work order and detailed explanation of what is planned for
Chief Cove. All seems to be in order for Type B without severe impact. Coast
Guard and Exxon would be happy to have Cleanup Committee's approval so we can
go ahead with test.
JAY BELLINGER (KODIAK NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE): One thing we would like to
see is helicopter transportation for DEC and land manager. Also, .a video of
some of that because agencies would like to see it for the future. There is a
helicopter on the Rebel, so, maybe, Exxon can arrange transportation.
WAYNE PURDOM (EXXON): We have been instructed to make a video, but
unfortunately we don't have a video camera. Does anyone have one we could use?
BELLINGER: If they could get copies for each agency...
JACK RICKNER (EXXON): We need names of all the people who will be transported
out there.
NAMES GIVEN TO HIM.
BELLINGER: Would like to get some pre -pictures, too, before they start
cleaning.
BOB BRODIE (CITY OF KODIAK MAYOR): Water tests or mousse tests?
CALLAHAN: We got a bucket of mousse mixed with sand. It's stuff that may be
seen below the surface. Will see it in high energy surf zone. Still haven't
received any calls from the one who had seen the glut of mousse.
COMMANDER RICHARD MEYER (USCG): I have talked to the person on that. It will
be in my report.
BELLINGER: Had a lot of meetings in-house. Sounded like we would get the
eagle team replaced.
JERRY HAMMOND (NATIONAL PARKS): Would like to compliment this group because it
does provide opportunity to ask questions. Would Exxon or Coast Guard
enlighten us a little bit on the status of additional SCAT teams?
MIKE GOODWIN (PARKS): The group on Shuyak has split up and there is a ten -man
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crew still in place?
RICKNER: That's right.
BELLINGER: Is the plan to have them move around area (NE corner)?
RICKNER: We plan to leave them there.
PURDOM: There is enough work to keep them busy.
HAMMOND: If any agencies have any information on hits or tar balls off
Anichiak, please call us so we can direct our people there as quickly as we
can.
BRODIE: Chignik people are getting real anxious.
WAYNE DOLEZAL (ADF&G): I talked to Ernie Carlsen about our plans.
LARRY NICHOLSON (ADF&G): At 9:30, we got a report that in outer Anichiak Bay
is a 10 yards by 1/4 mile and 4 miles in length. It is enough .oil that a
skimmer would be effective in that area. This report was passed on to the
Coast Guard, and they directed a vessel with containment boom on board there.
DOLEZAL: We are making a 5 o'clock radio contact with them to find out where
it is.
NICHOLSON: I discussed, this morning, the need for test fishing vessels for
Kodiak and Chignik, and I was informed by Wayne they have two now and will be
getting two more. Report of sheen in Kemp Bay. We dispatched a helicopter to
go down and verify. Should be a report back by 8 this evening. We did delay
announcement of Red River until Sunday night, so we can get down and look at
that area. High probability there won't be a fishery before Wednesday.
MEYER: I was there today and is part of my report.
NICHOLSON: 130 setnetters on west side employed for clean up actively. This
would be tremendous information for us if we could get a report every day.
Maybe we can put our heads together to share that information.
PURDOM: We probably have less of a good communication with setnetters than all
other workers but are working to improve it.
NICHOLSON: I know they have sideband radios. The information would be a lot
of information for us.
MIKE LEWIS (DEC): We are working with having test crews there and will get
that information back to you.
DOLEZAL: Reports from test fishing vessels taking chain of command custody
samples. Reported patches of oil coming in at Panamaroff--silver sheen, Black
Point --silver sheen and mousse, northwest part of Kodiak near Salmon
Creek --silver sheen and mousse, Chief Point --silver sheen and mousse, Alitak
Bay --nothing, northeast Kodiak under bridge --mousse. We are taking samples
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with an eye toward oil in water for fishing. Old Harbor area --light sheen and
mousse, Tibet (?) Point --light sheen, Tanganak (?)--light sheen and mousse.
Mainland district at Igvak--silver and light sheen, Lagoon --mousse and light
sheen, Portage Bay --light sheen.
LEWIS: Shoreline team was finally contacted and are working in Hallo Bay and
north. Passive monitoring team update. Arnie (Shryock) will be coming back
and taking over my position here early next week.
LINDA FREED (ACTING KODIAK ISLAND BOROUGH MAYOR): We did send a fax to Kelso
about DEC's internal problems of getting information to the coordinator here.
Our fax got some attention, which is a good sign.
RICKNER: Yesterday slow day for beach cleaning teams. Four Native village
teams working. Skimmer picked up some oil. Three road teams out and some on a
vessel going to Woody Island. Warm water team is still tied up to dock.
Hopefully, we can get some vessels to load it up and get it out. Another SCAT
team coming shortly.
MEYER: Yesterday, I flew to Partition Cove. On inside, saw just a, little bit
of mousse. On outside, we saw light to medium and is in need of cleanup
effort. Had good discussion with boats and people there. The fellow on the
"Buck and Ann" was the person who sighted the mousse. He said it was on
surface and down about three feet. Different from the report we heard. On
Partition Cove, I took samples to sink and they do sink readily. They rolled
in the sand and pick a lot up. I still think claim supported that mousse can
be below surface. This morning we took Dorothy to subsistence area, and there
was no mousse, and she was happy about it. You can tell virtually nothing by
flying over. You had to virtually pick it up. From the air, it looks like
mousse and when picked up, it is decaying vegetation. They do have problems in
getting organized in getting out boom. It arrived with line on one boat and
snare on another, and the two boats didn't know what the other had.
Communication problem. They do have a need to put ten additional people on
contract and, perhaps, a couple of boats. Then to Iykulik (?) K-73 level. It
was apparently some oil had been in there, but it has all washed away. If you
look at wood debris, you could see spots where it had been. We saw one tar
ball. We talked to two Fish & Game people, and they said they have hardly seen
anything.
MEYER to NICHOLSON: It looks like a good sound ecological area.
NICHOLSON: We did see sheen floating in that direction.
MEYER: To Sturgeon River. Exxon contract crew had lots of bags of rocks.
It's a lot of rock and vegetation and little bit of oil. South side entrance
is an area that requires Type B cleanup. Exxon will be looking at that. In
Larsen Bay, a lot of progress, lot of removal, and good program going with a
lot of activity. I understand that three skimmers (Mark Vs) arrived in Port
Lions, and they are now working to gather up support for that. I look for any
suggestions you have on deploying them. We initially thought one in Marmot
Bay, one in Chiniak Bay here in Kodiak, and one in Uyak. That's the areas we
initially targeted.
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I got some information on Secretary of State. Preliminary schedule is to be
here Saturday, June 24, at 9:30 a.m. It will be Secretary Skinner, Admiral
Yost, Captain Lloyd, Rear Admiral Kimd, Commander Balunis, Lt. Commander
Spence, and one of the Secretary's aides. Would like to first have a meeting
on fisheries in the Support Center Conference Room with the Mayors and ADF&G.
Overflight from 10:45 to 13:30 and would like your recommendations for areas to
stop in--area that has been cleaned and one that hasn't been. My idea would be
Chief Point and Kuali (?) Bay, although that's a lot of flying time. If
anybody has better ideas, let me know. Would like to come back and have a
meeting with this group from 13:35 to 14:45. A 15:00 departure.
SUGGESTIONS TO MEYER ON AREAS TO VISIT. EVERYONE TO THINK ABOUT IT AND LET HIM
KNOW.
STEVE HANEWICH (USCG): Word from Valdez that the Alaska State Historical
Preservation expressed concerns of over aggressive Type A clean up. We can
help that problem by getting work order system on line and getting them out to
field and monitoring to keep in check. Also, concerned about number of
archeologists here.
DISCUSSION ON ARCHEOLOGISTS.
BRODIE: Senator Stevens' office called. He may be in area next week. Got a
list from Veco, and they have $500,000 worth of checks going to vendors here
and working on $200,000 for April, May, and June going into system. Should
make vendors happy. Chamber of Commerce is going to start tracking it for us
and give us a report next week. The IRS is in town with a concern that vendors
aren't going to make withholding payments. They are here to talk to fishermen
and boats that aren't used to withholding.
Admiral didn't make it in.
PURDOM: We will possibly move Command Center to airport.
FREED: We started that permit process today.
BELLINGER: I have the maps of the active eagle nests to hand out. Every
helicopter needs a set.
GARY PETRAE (NOAA): I hope the use of helicopters to take dignitaries around
doesn't stop the helicopters from doing what they are suppose to do.
FREED: That is our concern, too.
BRODIE: The public meeting on Friday will be here (Assembly Chambers).
CALLAHAN: Shoreline Committee meeting at 2 o'clock tomorrow.
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