01/24/1990 Regular MeetingKodiak Emergency Services Council
January 24, 1990 @ 10:00 a.m.
Exxon Valdez Oil Spill
)UTAK ISLAND BOROL
MAYGIi'S OFFICE
JEROME SELBY (Kodiak Island Borough Mayor) explained than about once a month
during the winter month, the Council meets to touch bane. We w:111 go through
each agency as we normally do.
RAY MORRIS (DEC) introduced Mark Markeson, Assistant and Field Program Manager:
ADEC decided on the 11th to curtail winter operations for the winter here in
Kodiak. There isn't justification to continue transects to continue beach
surveys. I talked with Steve Provolene, and he agreed that Seward and Homer
should also be reevaluated. We will support the KISCC effort. If we feel
there is a significant need for data, we will make a special,request and get
permission to go. Essentially, the 212 is shut down, but we will be using it
periodically for Kitoi Bay Hatchery overflights. We are doing it two days a
week. We are evaluating the winter program. We aren't seeing a significant
change from September and October. Those areas inside protected beaches have
stayed the same. We will wait until the middle of March to do a good walk, and
we will walk every segment treated. Based on that survey, we will make
recommendations for treatment. There will be no extended field evaluation such
as living on the site. The proposal for doing that doesn't meet with disfavor,
but it was discussed by the science group as being nonessential at this time.
That idea was shelved.
SELBY: When you begin in March, you are looking at all transects?
MORRIS: We will do them all including areas with encapsulated oil. We will
survey moderately oiled beaches because we don't have areas of heavy hits. We
turned in approximately 150.segmegts.
LONNIE WHITE (KIB Assembly Member): What do you mean by encapsulate?
MORRIS: Saturated down in gravel. Surface generally looks cleaned, but you
don't have to dig too far and you find encapsulated material that hasn't
changed much from last summer. In some areas, it is frozen and erosion is not
taking place. Proposals have been submitted to remove encapsulated oil from
the beaches.
JOE TALBOTT (NOAA): Is there a time frame?
MORRIS: ASAP. I haven't heard a date.
MIKE GOODWIN (Department of Natural Resources): I am no longer working for
Parks as I was last summer. DNR is working to establish a list of
environmentally sensitive resource areas. We are trying to establish special
status lands of high biological or archeological interests by about mid-March.
We are trying to decide if there will be cleanup of areas we are responsible to
manage. We are looking at the benefit to clean versus human impact. We are
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also looking at what State Parks is doter e 17R at
Shuyak Island. He is seeing a weatherinS .::,ring ;,.ace unu su! n, s!. • ; z. a __
working its way off. Some is getLing cu led. 7.0t: lit' -..01 L.1 — find
unless you dig down. The KISCC is also ::ening this u! sev_n su vee• sites. We
will probably.be getting an analysis of that eery noon. We did receive a
response clean up plan, and our people are reviewing ti!a�. W want to set down
as a collective group and discuss it.
TALBOTT: I returned from a planning meeting on goals, objectives, and some
specifications for the NOAA 1990 document fol clean up. Basically the plan
deals with several specific clean up operations for certain types in generic
terms. The spring/summer clean up program will have very specific
recommendations which we will tie into spring assessment. It will be quite a
bit more streamlined than last year. That document is planned to be forwarded
to the Coast Guard this week and distributed by the Coast Guard next week.
Exxon, the State, and the Coast Guard will begin an aggressive survey of
low-energy sites. The idea is to go out and axamine all areas we believe will
be problem spots. These are independent of study sites being looked at. DEC,
NOAH, land managers, and the Coast Guard will be members. It will not affect
the Winter Interagency Monitoring Program (WIMP) operations. Planning meeting
with Exxon, the State, NOAA, and the Coast Guard will be the first or second of
February. We will try to get as much information together as possible. Much
of the discussion is on how assessment will be done in the spring. We want to
do a joint assessment program with NOAA, the State, DEC, Coast Guard, Exxon,
and land managers. We will go out and make assessments at that time as to what
needs to be done. Then, make a decision and move on. It will be an aggressive
program. The State is going along with this particular concept. In the 1990
plan, we expect to have a joint process adhe;:ec to, On the beaches of high
energy levels, we are seeing material cleaned, but other areas are essentially
at the same status as September. Over time it is unrecorded because of the
1964 earthquake. We don't have a good statistical base because it hasn't been
25 years. So, basically the top is being cleaned. Low energy areas are
essentially the same as last summer.
GORDON GOULD (City of Kodiak Manager): How is data exchange working out on
agencies and activities?
TALBOTT: Exxon has their data through December. Ours was held back because of
the slides.
MORRIS: We were told in Anchorage that DEC would exchange when it is decided
what is to be exchanged.
TALBOTT: It is data that has been looked at and summarized. The exchange of
like data. The real value is not so much the data but so we can sit down and
discuss and have documentation.
SELBY: How much of the 100 miles will you be looking at for bioremediation?
TALBOTT: Nothing is targeted yet, but bioremediation is one of the tools for
us this spring and summer, and we need to figure out way we want to use it.
Trying to get EPA to address local issues and go over this program.
"Recommendations for 90" document has been distributed at the regional level
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and comments were requested at that level. It was not intended to be a -general
distribution document/town meeting document. I have an extra copy.=of
bioremediation. Talbott went on to explain interpol and a sprinkler system
with a water-soluable material.
SELBY: When will conclusive study about bioremediation be out?
TALBOTT: There is a lot of on-going work. You can take this document as the
text we work from.
SELBY: Will they be releasing a supplement?
TALBOTT: I don't know.
LARRY NICHOLSON (ADF&G): On interagency surveys, have you conducted site
surveys?
TALBOT: Not yet. Exxon will get together with SCAT.
SELBY: Can we get them to set down with ISCC to have a chance to work with one
priority list?
TALBOTT: That is really an Exxon/Coast Guard consideration.
SELBY: Who is handling it?
TALBOTT: I don't know. Exxon or the Coast Guard.
SELBY: We request that they get their heads together and let the rest of the
community know. We can save a whole lot of time if we meet.
BILL MILLER (NPS): We are members of the KISCC team. We are having difficulty
participating in team monitoring because of our regulations on flying in Exxon
choppers. As a team goes out and monitors sites, we all seem to come to the
same conclusion. We anticipate that on the coastline of Katmai, we will bring
people back in to go back and reevaluate NP transects to draw conclusions of
winter. We are also in the process of reviewing special use permits that were
issued last summer. We are renewing them for the year 1990.
JAY BELLINGER (USF&W): We have been participating in interagency beach segment
surveys. Finished fall seabird surveys and will do winter in February.
Working on special use permits for 1990 activities. Presently looking at
summarizing of data of damage survey to see which needs to be continued.
Number of dead birds in December is less than October. (Mayor Selby requested
a copy of the document.) Port Lions village clean up plan reviewed. I have
some questions for when we get together. I do need time for a chance to review
plans. On 1990 draft plan, I comment to the regional office.
GOODWIN: Any plans for sea otter studies?
BELLINGER: Will make those decisions next month following up on what we did in
89. They will review that data to see what will be continued in 1990. Eagle,
sea birds, and otter data is being reviewed to see what will be continued.
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Regional office is doing comments on bioremediation. We comme,it co regiuu3l
office. At Tugidik Island, they don't see anything unusual on Emperor geese.
That is an annual survey we do.
NICHOLSON: Have been invulved in a meeting with DEC, AG, ar>.d our office' to
discuss Memo of Understanding with DEC about how we will continue business this
year. We will come in with a plan not much different than last year with
exception of test fisheries areas. Because of changing status of oil, we feel
we don't need to do that. We want to go in with helicopter before herring and
determine if there is oil on beaches or new reoiling. If we find a problems,
we will close those areas. Hope to coordinate with DEC and Exxon for herring
and into salmon. DEC commitment is to continue with site surveillance. The
only change in the Memorandum of Understanding is that this year it will be put
into regulations if approved by governor. We are currently rewriting operation
plan as far as type of surveillance that we, as a department, conduct. The
only on-going oil spill programs are where we physically can do creeks to
determine if there is a change in fry and live eggs from base., The only other
program would be looking at major spawning in herring fishing. Based on what
we have seen in the last few months, we are optimistic for fisheries this year.
We want to have answers for some degree of reoiling.
JEFF BARNHARDT (F & G HABITAT): Will continue role with ISCC on monitoring.
Will monitor streams having heavy to moderate impact.., Other streams that were
suspected and we never got to, we will look at those. Will monitor Tugidak
Island and any specific clean up operation -s. We may have a -group program with
F & W with winter areas on concern.
EVERITT STONE (DEC): We will continue looking at fish product for oil
contamination.
MORRIS: No longer complaints about bioremediation.
JOHN PEAVEY (EXXON): Winter monitoring program with the villages is going well
except for Karluk. We are continuing to develop dialogue. Introduced Don
Carpenter, Logistics Manager, and Monte Taylor, Community Liaison Manager, from
Anchorage. I have passed on concerns about waiver to our attorney and as far
as I know, no resolutions. The village program entails a process where they go
to a particular site at each visit every two weeks to collect and evaluate if
any mousse, and to try to give us an historical information as to what
wintering is doing to that beach. We ask them to send samples and take
pictures to give us an idea. What we are seeing is if there was any presence
of mousse that appears to have. been there and wintered over time. The amounts
they are finding appear to be wintered and are great distances from each other.
They will continue to do this until spring assessment.
SELBY: Another aspect is they are picking up what is on beach and getting it
into dumpsters.
PEAVEY: We have asked them to let us know when dumpsters are 3/4 full, and we
haven't heard of any. They do have equipment necessary if they are to find a
concentration. This is simply Type A.
SELBY: Oil at Port Williams has not been picked up.
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CUiviL%NDER ARCHIE SMITH (USCG): We are continuing to monitor program.
SELBY: Is summer plan NOAA's or what?
TALBOTT: NOAA is a staff organization to the Coast Guard. This document is a
recommended plan. The decision on how to implement it is up to the Coast
Guard. The Coast Guard would then incorporate that into a 1990 plan. The
questions you are asking now will be answered at the February meeting. it
should be incorporated into one plan/guide that everyone works from.
WAYNE COLEMAN (Oil Spill Liaison): We are trying to move along with village
program. The Department of Labor and the University of Alaska is going around
conducting three-day training sessions. From my observations and what I hear,
it sounds like it is a well received program.
TALBOTT: The Coast Guard has undertaken task of a central distribution center
for documents for the response agencies so each can go to one place and get
copies of documents and what is there. We are setting up a mailing of what is
there. Should greatly streamline process of getting documents. We expect it
to be on-line beginning the 15th or so of March with being in full swing in
April.
GOULD: DCRA funded an oil impact study through the Oiled Mayors. The City of
Kodiak was named project manager. The purpose of the study is to find out what
happened to all 27 local communities impacted and have it to become a planning
tool for emergency planning in natural and man-made disasters, e.g. staffing
and emergency management, social and psychological as to what happens to
communities.
SELBY: We are concerned that the time for the plan and the reasonable response
are out of sync with fishing for herring in April. We are concerned about
potential of losing part of that fishery.
WHITE: Bioremediation --is that what is being talked about being done?
TALBOTT: It is being discussed and seems a good possibility.
The meeting adjourned at 11:45 a.m.
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