GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY PARTNERING: NATIONWIDE PROGRESS IN PRE-AUTHORIZATION AGREEMENTS SINCE 1994

摘要

This paper describes a long-term partnering effort between industry and government to make appropriate and effective decisions about the use of nonmechanical oil spill countermeasures, I.e., in-situ burning (ISB), dispersants, and other chemicals. To illustrate the success of this partnering effort, this paper reports the nationwide evolution and status of pre-spill authorization agreements for the use of these technologies, with a focus on status changes since 1994. The authors propose that partnering, I.e., consensus-building through shared goals and responsibilities for planning and implementation, between industry and government is a practical approach to achieving credible and supportable results on controversial issues, and especially in situations where staffing resources are limited. In places like the US where national policy mandates roles and responsibilities for both industry and (multiple agencies and levels of) government during oil spill planning and response, partnering as a deliberate approach greatly enhances the ability of all participating entities to integrate effectively into a true response community.