08/24/1989 Regular MeetingKodiak Emergency Services Council
August 24•, 1989
Kodiak, Alaska
EXXON VALDEZ OIL SPILL
LINDA FREED (ACTING KODIAK ISLAND BOROUGH MAYOR): We have been waiting for
Exxon but since they have not showed, I will start. I have extra copies of the
letter about the incinerator for anyone who wants one. I will answer anyone's
questions. I signed a permit for beach bags for Ishiut and Black Cape Foul
Bay. We put application in and DNR has permit and necessary steps for
reviewing at the ISCC meeting which Wayne (Coleman)will dol.
DICK HENSEL (ADF&G): Could it not be this is moved in light of fact, it is not
operational.
DENNIS MAGUIRE (USCG): It is an infactory failure --brick works failed.
HENSEL: We are looking at a week's delay and season could be closed.
FREED: Last we heard, it was not irreparable, and we put letter together with
that in mind.
HENSEL: Habitat in process of identifying streams to begin taking samples of
substrate that has been contaminated --30 to 40 streams. We are looking to have
a helicopter signed to this effort. Operations start August 26, completing
September 12. A man at Akhiok is waiting for weather to clear to go to Tugidak
to begin cleanup. We are composing outline of fall and winter operations to
share at the ISCC this Saturday.
FREED: Doe that have you go up the chain and back?
HENSEL: Item introduced by Baxter for information purposes. It's not a matter
of putting together something that requires approval. It is a way of
communicating with individual committee members.
PAUL BURKE (USF&W): I had a call from Arnie (Shryock) where we don't just
share but accept each other's data and going from there.
FREED: We will make sure Wayne (Coleman) knows what the Borough and City are
doing so we can cooperate.
JOHN HOPKINS (DEC): Busy with DEC's answer to winter plan response. (He
passed out the document.) It is to Admiral Ciangalini. We will wait for a
response back. There was a lot of discussion on the idea of refloatable oil.
It is a major concern with ADF&G. Oil is being tracked now with satellite
imagery. It takes three to four weeks after to get information to people. We
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have been watching the other approaches to Kodiak Island, and they will be
getting involved. South, too. Forty to fifty percent of original oil is
unaccounted for, and whether that has flowed out of the system, stuck, or sank,
we are waiting to see. As the weather changes, we are expecting possibility of
seeing more oil in Kodiak. This is why we want serious monitoring going on.
We are nervous and suspicious. Will we get enough oil distribution to go out
again? That is basically what this document is saying. We have a very serious
input into this document. It's a standard for the state as a whole, including
Prince William Sound, etc. We still don't know what our winter operations are,
and we do have permission to bargain in good faith relevant to ISCC. Also,
guideline. The State of Alaska has responsibility to protect data gathering
base and control of data gathering. This is something DEC will maintain and
continue on. We will possibly be willing to work with people, but I think we
are possibly going to have to call a lot of our own shots. We are talking
about one 212 and one fixed wing.
JERRY HAMMOND (NATIONAL PARKS): Did I understand you would be taking all
records of other agencies?
HOPKINS: Possibly State DEC will do that as the State Coordinating Agency.
JIM SELLERS (GOVERNOR'S OFFICE): Has anyone encountered paraffin pillows
floating and what they are?
(No one knew.)
HAMMOND: Would like to introduce Newton Sikes, Chief Ranger at Lake Mead area.
He has sent more people to Alaska to assist in our operation here than any
other park. He will be here about thirty days in IC operation supporting
research groups with bear guards. I think SCAT has completed entire coast line
of Katmai.
MAGUIRE: We have been told, tentatively, there will be Exxon/Coast Guard in
Kodiak with a Lt. Commander running it. This is just for the spill. It will
probably be co -located with Exxon at the terminal.
BURKE: On last week's report on the 23 dead Storm Petrels in Spiradon Bay,
they died by toxicity because of oil. The oil is being fingerprinted to see if
it is Exxon Valdez. Port Lions people are saying they are seeing birds feeding
in the tide rips, getting lethargic, and dying. We know there is oil
ingestion. Apparently, we have a lot of birds --nearly 1,000 -from around
Tugidak and are fresh carcasses. We are getting fresh kills. WE received a
fledged bald eagle covered in oil and ill. It is in center. We are apparently
getting some oil in Akhiok that is refloating. On the geotextile, if the
Borough is still interested in securing a permit, we are ready to proceed.
FREED: I will check where we will need the permit. Noreen Thompson, the
Deputy City of Kodiak Mayor, received communication that Exxon has decided to
do geotextile in Homer. She is going to contact Bob (Brodie) and Jerome
(Selby).
BURKE: I received a call from a fisherman in Metrofinia Bay seeing dead
whales, otters, and birds on the beaches. I gave message to John Peavy. He
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had a review team that was going to go there today. But, because of the
weather couldn't get there. But past Chignik, they saw a 25' gray whale on the
beach and oil. I notified NMPS in Valdez, and they called back for more
information. On the winter plan, we will be putting together an abstract
focusing on fall flight in early September to October. What birds, when and
where they come in, what they use, and how they use it. Would like to have a
draft in two weeks.
HENSEL: On Petrel, any correlation with feeding on contaminated organism.
BURKE: Pebbles in crop covered with oil. That is what we think it is.
DISCUSSION on birds wintering and feeding. Some in Tugidak, Spiradon Bay/Port
Lions, and Larsen Bay that are fresh dead birds --some with oil outside, some
just feeding and getting weak and dying. They are being picked up and die
before getting to Anton Larsen Bay.
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