06/13/1989 Regular MeetingKodiak Emergency Services Council
June 13, 1989 @ 5:00 p.m.
Kodiak, Alaska
EXXON VALDEZ OIL SPILL
LT. STEVE HANEWICH (USCG): The word I got from Valdez on contaminated fish
issue is ADEC and State will be meeting tonight. I have no indication who the
Admiral spoke to. We repaired the one skimmer and are negotiating with Exxon
to get other skimmers in this area.
WAYNE PURDOM (EXXON): We found three in Seattle, and they will be coming up
here. It will take three, four, or five days. I don't think these skimmers
have ever been used up here.
HANEWICH: Replaced unit on the radio. Several overflights yesterday
determined small amount of oil off Sturgeon River and Cape Uyak. Bad weather
today.
JERRY HAMMOND (NATIONAL PARKS): I would like to introduce Frank Betts, who is
area commander in the Anchorage office. We are off-loading summer supply of
aviation fuel on the Peninsula. We found one sighting of mousse in Aniapthak
(spelling ?) area.
LARRY NICHOLSON (ADF&G): If you can pin point it, it would be great because we
have fisheries going on there now.
GARY OTT (NOAA): My boss is meeting with ADEC to solve technical issue. We
have a scientist here that will assist Fish & Game in any way. Spent quite a
bit of time today thinking through priorities and will have a draft ready by
tomorrow. I have been asked to make a map available at all public meetings
that visually points out priority areas. We ask that the discussion of what is
happening be done on the map and on list of priority issues.
NICHOLSON: We have some late reports from vessels in Red River and Alitak and
so far, so good. We did find there has been a halibut catch that got into oil
in the vicinity of the Barren Islands. We sent a vessel out there.
Announcement tomorrow at 6 o'clock regarding fishery openings.
MIKE GOODWIN (PARKS): We aren't doing much until we get new people up there.
WAYNE DOLEZAL (ADF&G): Would like to introduce Homer Zumstein who will be
going out on cleanup vessel as Fish & Game monitor. Also, Dennis Prichard who
is assistant manager at McGrath. We spent time in Shoreline Committee cleanup
comments work. Two live sea otters and live murre awaiting to get to Seward.
Dead birds = 13,875, dead sea otters = 51, bald eagles = 14, sick sea otters =
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18, and 9 stressed live eagles --two died after getting there. It's about as
hard to get report back on live ones as on dead ones that go to lab. We are
also picking up ones with natural problems that have caused them to be
stressed. Oil reports on sea otters were reported as lightly oil. We have a
otter catcher going to give us a summary report of what we should do right now
as we haven't seen a lot of sick otters.
�Kk4N
COLLEEN B3�D (DEC w/ANCHORAGE OFFICE): I am filling in for Arnie (Shryock).
Field crews all grounded today. I am also trying to track ocean disposal and
grinding. I understand that Emergency Services has ANSUR doing reports?
JEROME SELBY (KODIAK ISLAND BOROUGH MAYOR): We have on clams and seafoods.
Will get you a copy.
BIRD: One report came in to us on contaminated halibut, and Everett Stone is
meeting the boat. That report came in to us, and that is good. For any
contaminated or tainted fish, what is mechanism to take fish out to be ground
up?
PURDOM: It is suppose to be ready with a dedicated vessel. We have to be sure
we have permission to do grinding.
SELBY: Are they ready for Friday? We need to have it for the anticipated
fishery. They will need to know it before making decision.
PURDOM: We will have it by Friday. We do have all the boats.
SELBY: Do you have one on the south end?
PURDOM: I don't know.
SELBY: Those have to be resolved by 6 o'clock tomorrow.
NICHOLSON: I did get a list from the people on the receiving vessels. It
listed six vessels and locations and also scales imprinting devices are all
taken care of and just a matter of setting sail. If that isn't true, I need to
hear it.
PURDOM: My understanding is it's true, and I will reaffirm with Veco.
JACK RICKNER (EXXON): As I recall, six tenders and two grinders. I understand
the grinding vessels are prepared and ready to go. I am not sure of what the
status is on the six tenders. Will have that for you tomorrow. I do know, for
Mike's information, that we did send # team yt five up to Andre$Cn (��)
Bay around Shuyak's east side.
GOODWIN: I wasn't aware of that.
RICKNER: I hope that is where they are. I checked with Teri Stone and she has
plenty of material and we informed her where additional material is.
SELBY: Did you get any feedback on how afternoon session in Anchorage went on
preseason agreement?
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PURDOM: I haven't heard.
SELBY: Any information where nets are?
PURDOM: It is my understanding they are here.
SELBY: Everybody figured out how to work radios and tie into radio network?
PURDOM: If anyone has a problem, tell us.
RICKNER: My understanding is VHF installed and repaired last night. It is
there all the time and available for use.
OTT: The movement of crew going up there is not priority set by task force.
RICKNER: Part of crew five is being relocated.
GOODWIN: It makes me feel happy they are going there, but ISCC group is trying
to establish priorities and we understand that fishery resources are the
highest priority. This crew going to Andrean (spelling ?) has not been
identified as first go -around in priority areas established.
RICKNER: I goofed.
BIRD: What happens next? Will they get redirected?
RICKNER: If ISCC and the Coast Guard agree that it needs to be redeployed.
BIRD: I hate to see them get a run-around.
RICKNER: We heard it was a small oiling and won't take long.
SELBY: My suggestion is to get them back into the system and working on
priorities. Since they are there, leave them and then get them back into
system.
HANEWICH: We met with committee and we are going entirely with recommendations
of committee. We have been or are working at 9 of 11 sites identified. I
asked committee to look at Afognak area. Crew was working there before they
went to Shuyak. Priority areas that haven't been hit yet are on
Afognak/Peninsula side. We felt a bigger task force was needed there. Some
logistical concerns in regard to priorities.
BOB BRODIE (CITY OF KODIAK MAYOR): I have talked to people coming in from
crews and if we give them direction with a reason behind it, it settles the
confusion a little bit somehow and tells them they are doing a good job but why
they needed to be moved. It would help.
SELBY: Where are we on crews?
RICKNER: Team 8 is ready to go and waiting for two rubber rafts that were
suppose to get in today. Fred Byars is going to talk to the Coast Guard on
where they should be going.
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SELBY: Apparently a new Veco edict is that nothing over $5,000 would be
purchased here; it would be purchased through Anchorage. That may affect your
rubber raft order as there are vendors here. They won't even take a local bid
from here. We would like purchasing here.
LT. GOVERNOR STEVE McALPINE: I am concerned that I don't know what will happen
when NBC films fish being grinded and then a salmon seiner. Limited
perceptions are a very tenuous thing. In Seattle, signs are saying these are
not Alaskan salmon. The second problem I see is there is a notion that because
Alaskans were so greedy, we became lax with Alyeska. My concern is that it
will play further that Alaskan greed will have them catch fish and we don't
have a social conscience about us in murking in waters. I don't understand how
you get around that. The processors are concerned. As they are unable to
deliver fish this year, someone else will supplant that void. We have to
supply quantity and quality. Once word of that oiled halibut goes over the
wire, the public perception doesn't see that because the system work right, the
halibut will never get to market. They will see oiled halibut. I have deep
concerns about fisheries in this area and how recommendation to resolve this
issue will be taken care of.
I am wondering if there is some rationale for different approach to cleaning.
PURDOM: The impact of oil around Kodiak is such that it's basically washing in
on beaches and not so heavily oiled. We have very few areas where we will use
more ex"-ensiva cleanup. Most of the cleanup is picking it up and carrying it
off.
McALPINE: In terms of crew deployment, are crews being deployed for a day here
and a day there. Would it be a better approach to deploy more people
immediately and cover every area. I was told 700 people are on a work list and
immediately available.
PURDOM: We have come through an upgrade. It is not just people, but also the
equipment, handling of accumulated wastes...
McALPINE: Is there a reservoir where contaminated material could be stored?
SELBY: We have temporary storage at the Lash dock. But, one of the problems
we have is that it is such a large area and barges can't get to each beach to
pick stuff up. Some very real equipment problems. We have asked them to not
stop at 10 crews --not counting village and road system crews. I still have
problems that with ten crews you can get beaches cleaned up by September. We
have to have more crews than what there is. That is not to say clean beaches.
That is to get stuff on top. We haven't even talked Type B cleanup.
McALPINE: I know how the September 15th date was reached, and I am not sure
anyone is ready to concede that adequate cleanup can be done, and we should not
until job is done. We are at stage of saying if this work can be done in the
summer time, it will be more easily done and more cheaply done. My feeling is
if there is any way to get more materials and people on...
There is virtually every level of concern about process of payment. If there
are dome guidelines that can be developed for claims and invoices, even a
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hiring... Somewhere someone has to set down and give them some guidelines.
You have to assign people in municipalities to do extra work and it costs the
taxpayers. It is real important some accommodations be worked out between
communities and Exxon and has to be done.
There is a real sympathy between Kodiak and Kodiak Island Villages. A real
sense of responsibility that they don't get left in the lurch.
Another reason I am here is the problems with our own employees having to move
in and out. I need feedback if there are problems with you folks and we, as a
State, are dealing with you. Reality is it is not a bed of roses but if there
are problems unique to this situation, I would like to hear about them. I will
handle them separately.
Finally, there seems to be a much higher level of
than other places. We are all in the same boat
together. It is there and needs to be done. Let's
and do the job we need to do.
Kodiak Emergency Services Council - 6/13/89
cooperation going on here
together and need to pull
try to keep a high morale
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