Environmental components of OCS policy committee recommendations regarding national oil spill prevention and response program
- American Geological Inst., Alexandria, VA (United States)
- Minerals Management Service, Washington, DC (United States)
The Exxon Valdez oil spill of March 24, 1989 resulted in thousands of pages of analytical reports assessing the environmental, organizational, legal, procedural, social, economic, and political aspects of the event. Even though the accident was a transportation incident, it had a major impact on the public and political perception of offshore oil operations. This caused the OCS Policy Committee, which advises the Secretary of the Interior and the Minerals Management Service on Outer Continental Shelf resource development and environmental matters, to undertake a review of the reports for the purpose of developing recommendations to the secretary for improvements in OCS operations that would insure maximum efforts to prevent spills and optimal ability to deal with any that occur. The Committee felt strongly that 'a credible national spill prevention and response program from both OCS and non-OCS oil spills in the marine environment is needed to create the political climate for a viable OCS program.' The report of the Committee described eight essential elements of this program; four of these focused on the environmental aspects of oil spills, calling for (1) adequate characterization of the marine and coastal environment, including both information and analysis, accessible to decision makers, (2) the capacity to restore economic and environmental resources as quickly as possible if damage occurs, (3) a mechanism for research on oil spill impacts, and (4) a meaningful role for all interested and responsible parties, including the public, in as many of these activities as possible, from spill prevention and contingency planning to environmental oversight of ongoing operations and participation in clean-up and restoration activities.
- OSTI ID:
- 5570424
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-910403-; CODEN: AABUD; TRN: 92-007557
- Journal Information:
- AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States), Vol. 75:3; Conference: Annual meeting of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG), Dallas, TX (United States), 7-10 Apr 1991; ISSN 0149-1423
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
OIL SPILLS
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
PETROLEUM INDUSTRY
OIL POLLUTION CONTAINMENT
POLLUTION REGULATIONS
CLEANING
CONTINENTAL SHELF
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
FORECASTING
OFFSHORE DRILLING
WATER POLLUTION CONTROL
CONTINENTAL MARGIN
CONTROL
DRILLING
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
INDUSTRY
POLLUTION CONTROL
REGULATIONS
020900* - Petroleum- Environmental Aspects
290300 - Energy Planning & Policy- Environment
Health
& Safety