WATCHING WASHINGTON OIL SPILL OVERKILL

Dec. 2, 1991
With Patrick Crow The 1990 Oil Pollution Act (OPA), designed to prevent and control marine oil spills, may also result in expensive redundancy in offshore cleanup equipment. OPA requires owners or operators of tankers and facilities to develop and maintain response plans to contain and recover even a worst case spill. Those plans require approval by the U.S. Coast Guard, which can conduct unannounced drills to test the private spill response plans' deployment of personnel and equipment.

The 1990 Oil Pollution Act (OPA), designed to prevent and control marine oil spills, may also result in expensive redundancy in offshore cleanup equipment.

OPA requires owners or operators of tankers and facilities to develop and maintain response plans to contain and recover even a worst case spill.

Those plans require approval by the U.S. Coast Guard, which can conduct unannounced drills to test the private spill response plans' deployment of personnel and equipment.

COAST GUARD PROGRAM

Meanwhile, the Coast Guard is expanding its own oil spill strike teams, which it uses when the private sectors' resources are inadequate or not readily available.

It established Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf Coast strike teams in 1973 but consolidated the Atlantic and Gulf Coast teams in 1987 due to budget constraints.

The 37 man Atlantic team is based in Mobile, and the 28 person Pacific team at Novato, Calif. Now the Coast Guard plans to expand back to three teams and greatly increase its equipment base.

It has divided the U.S. and its territories into 13 regions for oil spill contingency planning.

In each, Coast Guard officials will inventory the equipment and personnel available for removal of "worst case spills" and develop contingency plans to respond to them.

The General Accounting Office, a congressional watchdog agency, recently criticized the Coast Guard's rush to buy more oil spill recovery equipment.

GAO said the Coast Guard should be more careful not to duplicate the capabilities of private oil spill control companies, including the Marine Spill Response Corp. (MSRC) and about 90 oil spill cleanup cooperatives.

Most of the cooperatives are organized to respond to spills in protected harbors, sheltered waters, and inland areas, but nine of the largest co-ops can respond to open water spills. MSRC is geared to deal with large, open water spills.

GAO said the Coast Guard plans to buy hardware without enough consideration for the equipment purchase and placement plans of private contractors, regional cooperatives, and other federal agencies.

GAO RECOMMENDATION

GAO recommended that the Coast Guard prepare an inventory of existing and ordered oil spill containment and removal equipment and coordinate its equipment purchases and placements with the private sector's to avoid duplication that would cost taxpayers money.

Coast Guard officials told GAO they believe worst case spills may require investments beyond the $900 million MSRC is spending, it may not be able to compel industry to make additional investments, and the public expects the Coast Guard to maintain equipment to respond to private sector spills.

But GAO suspects the admirals have empire building on their minds. It noted, "OPA gives the Coast Guard the authority to ensure that industry develops whatever response capabilities the agency deems essential."

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