By the OGJ Online Staff
HOUSTON, May 13 -- The US Coast Guard May 10 said it wants to standardize vessel response plans for oil tankers. Officials said the proposed rule changes, 5 years in the making, will clarify what salvage and marine firefighting services are required in vessel response plans.
US officials said the proposed changes will ensure "appropriate salvage and marine firefighting resources are identified and available for responding to incidents up to and including the worst-case scenario."
Under the proposal, vessels operators must identify salvage and firefighting companies that can meet existing oil spill regulations under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990. Companies contracted by the vessel operators must be able to perform specialized tasks detailed by the Coast Guard including emergency towing, onsite fire and structural stability assessments, and salvage operations.
The Coast Guard estimates the rule will prevent 87,282 bbl of oil from being spilled, resulting in a cost-effectiveness of $5,634 for each barrel not spilled.
"This means it costs society $5,600 to keep each barrel of oil from being spilled into the water," officials said.
The cost to industry to implement the rules, based on a 30-year time period, will be $491 million; firefighting and salvage companies will probably spend about $127.9 million ($111.7 million in current dollars) in up-front costs to buy equipment when the rule is finalized in 2003. The Coast Guard anticipates the capital and annual costs incurred by those salvage and firefighting companies will be largely passed on to vessel planholders through retainer fees or increased costs for services provided.
The proposed rulemaking will also set new response time requirements for each of the required salvage and marine firefighting services.
Comments are due Aug. 8. Before then the Coast Guard plans to hold several public meetings. A notice with the specific dates and locations of the meetings will be published in the Federal Register at least 30 days prior to the meetings, officials said.
