06/07/1989 Regular MeetingKodiak Emergency Services Council
June 7, 1989 @ 5:00 p.m.
Kodiak, Alaska
EXXON VALDEZ OIL SPILL
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STEVE HA+ICH (USCG): I am relieving Commander Balch. He was called home on
a family emergency for about three weeks. Same people on sites as we have had
for the last couple of days.
GIL BLINN (PARKS): We are very pleased at effort at Chiniak right now. Crews
are starting at streams and moving outward. They are finding mousse to a depth
of four inches. They are gathering it out with hand tools --Type A cleanup.
There is probably more at deeper depths.
JEROME SELBY (KIB MAYOR): Do you want to leave it there or root it out?
BLINN: Our response is to leave it; I don't know what DEC's will be. I will
be rotating out on Saturday. My replacement will be Jerry Hammond. Will bring
him to five o'clock session tomorrow. He is a retiree from NPS so my
understanding is he will be here for the duration.
SELBY: We have enjoyed having you here.
GARY BURK (FISH & WILDLIFE): One eagle from Port Lions that had to have a few
stitches in its wing. It is at the bird rehab center. Was not an oiling, but
eagle team will be looking at him. Barbara Baler from 48 Hours in New York
City called regarding what we are doing with eagles and possibility for
filming. Also, about sea otters and what community is doing for cleanup.
There will be someone here Friday to do an assessment. They will be here on
June 19.
SELBY: It is my understanding they will be here next week and the plans are to
catch opening of salmon season. I am also advised CNN will be here Friday of
this week.
GLINN: I think they are going to try and tie it all together.
WAYNE DOLEZAL (FISH & GAME): Helicopter on east side of Ugak and Kulida and
found classification of light impact of fresh mousse near Pasagshak. The video
tape I saw showed globs 6" in diameter. We took chain of custody tests. There
was sheening also 200' long and 30' wide. Biggest was at Shark Point. Few
more packets west toward Saltery. At Kulida, a splattering in first couple of
bays. It is coming in from somewhere. Don't see anything out in open water.
DEC was going to fly to see what they could on southern part of east side.
Call from Little River area and apparently boom there is blocking fish
movement. I called Exxon and asked them to move it to deeper area so fish
could get by.
JACK RICKNER (EXXON): I am coming up to speed and am chief Exxon person in
town now. I am replacing Jim Wade. We are offsetting one another with three
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weeks on and three weeks off. I understand John Peebe is replacing John
Harrington. I am in charge of Kodiak operation by handling operations and of
this. Harrington/Peebe community liaison.
SELBY: How are you coming on hiring five new beach crews?
RICKNER: Team six will get out tomorrow. The problem is getting vessels
converted to berthing vessels. Hopefully after the 7th, will be going to ten
teams. I am hoping we get some more office personnel in to help us manage.
Looked at plane board and was happy to see number of helicopters. I think your
efforts really helped get helicopters for us.
SELBY: I assume setnetters are on beaches.
RICKNER: I really haven't talked to anybody and am not up to speed on that.
When I left there was tension by fishing community on Exxon meeting their
needs. Has anyone come and addressed the Borough and local fishermen for
requests.
SELBY: Exxon has not responded to requests. We are trying to work with Fish &
Game about whether to have a fish season or not. They still would like to come
up with a pre -season agreement.
RICKNER: I know they were to have high level people meet in Valdez.
SELBY: It is still a very much alive issue and will stay with us until it gets
resolved. It may come down a notch or two if the season opens, but it will not
go away. Most folks recognize it won't be a normal season. The fishermen want
to know what rules are and can it be handled in a straightforward way. If you
can't go fishing at all, that is straightforward and lasts all season, but
stops in between leave lots of questions. They are asking why should I cut my
own throat and try to fish. Anything we can give them for guidelines and
classifications will be giving them reassurance.
RICKNER: When I left you were still having Wednesday telephone conferences
with Bill Dahl. Are you still having those conferences?
SELBY: We didn't have one today because we know he is gone.
RICKNER: It really helps me when you can talk to them directly and bring those
sort of things up.
SELBY: We will keep pounding away. I am sure John is up there today talking
to them about it. We will see what John accomplishes and pick it up from
there. We have to just keep going issue by issue and getting an answer and
going on to next one. How clean is clean for one.
ARNIE SITYROCK (DEC): New moderate impact on west Shuyak area on
southwest -facing exposure. On the road system, I can't get a feel for bounty
bags. It would be something to talk about at interagency meeting. We need to
start thinking what is an acceptable treatment for this year.
DOLEZAL: I thought DEC and USCG was working on it.
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SITYROCK: They are working it but there is room for our input before it is
finished.
SELBY: Are there any Type B cleanups proposed.
SITYROCK: Not yet, but it is an area which should be considered. Want to call
a meeting tomorrow?
SELBY: Need to maybe move a Type B crew in behind Type A crew.
DOLEZAL: NOAA out flying to get samples of white stuff at Larsen Bay.
DISCUSSION ON WHITE STUFF. RICKNER HAS SEEN A REPORT ON IT AND WILL GET A COPY
OF THAT REPORT TO THE COUNCIL.
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