Science and common sense in Port Valdez, Alaska
- EVS Consultants, N. Vancouver, British Columbia (Canada)
- RCAC, Valdez, AK (United States)
- Alyeska, Anchorage, AK (United States)
- Environmental Protection Agency, Seattle, WA (United States)
Valdez, Alaska achieved worldwide attention with the Exxon Valdez oil spill. This exacerbated an already polarized situation (industry, government, citizens, environmental groups) regarding the Valdez Terminal of the Trans Alaska Pipeline System. Other than spills, the major focus of environmental concern was and remains the Terminal`s Ballast Water Treatment Plant (BWTP) which discharges into Port Valdez. The previous NPDES wastewater discharge permits for this facility have been contentious for almost the entire period of pipeline operation. The draft NPDES permit is scheduled to be proposed for reissuance this year. However, a significant change has been initiated which so far is resulting in cooperation rather than confrontation between the various primary stakeholders. This presentation will explain how this change was initiated, how it is being maintained, and how what is happening could be a model for progress through cooperation. Although EPA and the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) remain the final decision makers, key ingredients to this change and to the resulting progress include: (1) EPA opening up public discussion on the permit early in the permit development process; (2) willingness of involved parties to listen and explore non-traditional approaches; (3) a subsequent non-binding Scientific Meeting to discuss the permit, attended only by scientific representatives, with set Ground-Rules and Agenda and a nonstakeholder moderator, which resulted in eight general points of agreement; (4) use of these points of agreement to discuss what environmental monitoring should be in the permit, what should comprise separate studies, and what should not be done; (5) continuing cross-stakeholder communication and discussion; (6) an open and highly visible process.
- OSTI ID:
- 197577
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9511137-; ISBN 1-880611-03-1; TRN: IM9612%%351
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 2. Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) world conference, Vancouver (Canada), 5-9 Nov 1995; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of Second SETAC world congress (16. annual meeting): Abstract book. Global environmental protection: Science, politics, and common sense; PB: 378 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Healy clean coal project: Technical progress report. Quarterly report number 14, April--June 1994
Barriers to communication and cooperation in addressing community impacts of radioactive releases from research facilities