ESTABLISHMENT OF DISPERSANT USE ZONES IN THESTATE OF CALIFORNIA: A CONSENSUS APPROACH FORMARINE WATERS 3–200 NAUTICAL MILES FROM SHORE

摘要

It has long been the policy of the National Response Team (NRT)rnthat the appropriate use of dispersants as a first strike method ofrnresponse to marine oil spills could greatly minimize the impactsrnof such spills. Beginning in early 2000, the Region IX RegionalrnResponse Team (RRT) evaluated the appropriateness of dispersantrnuse for the State of California. In January 2001, the RRT signedrninto effect a dispersant use policy for the federal waters off therncoast of California from 3200 nm offshore. These revisions tornthe Regional Contingency Plan provided a streamlined decisionrnmaking process for dispersant use and designation of zone. Specifically,rnthe plan called for each of the six local area committees torndevelop and forward recommendations for dispersant-use zonerndesignations into one of three categories: pre-approval, preapprovalrnwith consultation, or incident-specific RRT approvalrnrequired.rnEach of the six local area committees utilized a modified EcologicalrnRisk Assessment (ERA) known as a Net EnvironmentalrnBenefit Analysis (NEBA) process to identify concerns and prioritizernrisk. Such an approach ensured consistency along the coast asrnwell provided a mechanism by which all points of view were considered.rnUtilizing a “what if” oil scenario, each on-water responsernoption (no-response, dispersants, in-situ burning, mechanicalrnrecovery) was evaluated for its ability to remove oil from the waterrnsurface and potential environmental impacts. A risk matrixrnallowed comparison between species and habitats. Participantsrnwere encouraged to share their concerns along with the keyrndrivers for their response decisions, often allowing then to thinkrnoutside their typical agency-centered framework. Based on seasonalityrnand species of special concern, zones for dispersant usernwere designated as a means of providing protection to sensitivernshorelines and on-water species.rnAs of November 2002, the RRT has adopted DispersantUsernZones for all designated off-shore waters. Current efforts arernunderway to incorporate the necessary dispersant planning informationrninto the State and Federal Planning efforts.rnThe response to the workshops was overwhelmingly positive.rnThe NEBA/workshop approach facilitated the subsequent workrnundertaken by the U.S. Coast Guard and the RRT as an integralrnpart of the implementation of the US-Mexico Agreement, furtherrnensuring a coordinated bi-national oil spill response.