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Navy needs to look for additional dredge disposal site
Marine Pollution Bulletin
which help to stabilize the sediment. It is difficult to predict the consequences of the creeks and bays losing their roles as nursery habitats for juvenile animals. The nearby rocky bottoms, and the communities which live on them will also be affected by the greater movements of terrigenous material. Increased turbidity will decrease the intensity of available light and there will be a greater sedimentation and abrasive effect, all of which will modify to some extent the rocky bottom plant and animal communities. JUAN CARLOS CALVIN CALVO
North American News Chevron Reaches Agreement with California Commission on OCS Activities Chevron USA has reached an agreement with the Minerals Management Service (MMS-Department of Interior) and the California Coastal Commission regarding siting of an oil rig off the California coast. Chevron had proposed placement of the rig at a depth of 700 feet 15 miles from the coastline and six miles from Anacapa Island, which is part of the Channel Islands National Park. Despite a finding of 'No Significant Impacts" in an Environmental Assessment prepared by MMS and despite the Commission's staff recommendation for approval of the rig siting, the Commissioners denied the petition based on concern that the rig would impact fishing, interfere with navigation, and negatively impact visual aesthetics. In response to these concerns, Chevron filed a modified development plan which included a fund to mitigate any negative impacts caused by the rig operations on commercial fishermen and a radar system to assist navigation in the area. Chevron also proposed to buy air pollution offsets that would have been the largest offsets ever proposed for an offshore operation. The California Coastal Commission denied the rig petition with the proposed mitigatory actions by an 8 to 4 vote. Ironically, the eight negative votes were split, with 4 Commissioners believing any impacts could not be fully mitigated and with 4 Commissioners feeling that the proposed mitigatory actions set unreasonable precedents and were over-mitigating the proposed operations. In response to the Commission's denial, Chevron appealed to the Secretary of Commerce, who has implementation responsibility for the Coastal Zone Management Act, and filed suit against the Commission. This litigation encouraged the interested parties to enter negotiations that culminated in an agreement. That agreement calls for approval of Chevron's Development Plan by MMS and does not allow the Commission to interfere with further action on the proposed plan. The agreement will end the problems that Chevron has had storing the rig platform, which was towed in circles in the ocean for more than two weeks and which was then stored in Los Angeles harbour at costs nearing $200 000 a day. 62
EIS Must Evaluate Risks Before Nuclear Wastes Shipped A US District Court ruled in favour of a Puget Sound coalition that petitioned the court to impose an injunction on the Department of Energy's (DOE) plans to ship radioactive wastes through several West Coast ports. DOE had planned to ship over 25 000 kg of radioactive material in the form of spent fuel rods from Taiwan research reactors. The fuel rods would have come into ports in Puget Sound, Washington, and San Francisco Bay and Long Beach, California, and would have then been transported to South Carolina. Although DOE used an EIS done by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in the 1970s that evaluated transportation risks imposed by general nuclear waste activities, the court ruled that the Department would have to prepare an EIS specifically keyed to the risks imposed by the proposed project.
EPA Forced to Suspend Drilling Mud Test to Preserve Mysid Supply The EPA announced in September that offshore oil operators would be allowed to dispose of drilling muds in the Gulf of Mexico for the rest of 1986 without performing the standard bioassay toxicity tests. These tests are required under a general permit issued under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), which limits toxicity of discharged muds to an LDs0 of 30 000 ppm (see Mar. Pollut. Bull. 17,440441). The required bioassays were suspended because of the shortage of mysid shrimp used in the tests. The shortages have resulted in greatly increased testing times and threatened to further deplete mysid stocks. EPA refused to order use of another species, which would have depleted stocks of that species while diverting resources needed to increase mysid stocks. EPA determined less frquent tests would result in a spotty demand on the already stressed mysid market. The Natural Resources Defence Council had requested EPA to require a preliminary toxicity test that only used one-third to one-sixth of the number of mysids required for the usual bioassay tests. EPA also rejected this alternative since the preliminary tests could not give reliable test results. EPA intends its action to ensure long-term supply of the test organism, while not significantly impacting Gulf waters. Diesel fuels will still not be allowed to be discharged and no waste materials can be discharged near biologically sensitive areas, such as reefs.
Navy Needs to Look for Additional Dredge Disposal Site EPA has concluded the Navy's proposed site to dispose dredged material near Seattle, Washington, would present 'unacceptable risk' to various marine species, especially the Dungeness crab. The Navy will be
Volume 18/Number 2/February 1987
dredging to build a home port it has proposed for the aircraft carrier Nirnitz. However, the proposed disposal site for the contaminated materials provides habitat for breeding Dungeness crabs and for economicallyimportant bottom fish. EPA also informed the Navy and the Corps of Engineers that it had concerns regarding the increased input of tributyltins into the system and the need to utilize technical advances to restrict the contaminated sediments to the chosen disposal site. EPA has stated it will recommend that the Navy's application for a dredging permit be denied if it does not propose a different disposal site. EPA recommended that the Navy consider a deep-water site.
Federal Oil Spill Bill Considered by Congress A bill that would establish a federal oil spill clean-up fund and liability programme passed the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. This bill would create a $350 million fund for oil spill response expenses not paid by a responsible party and would probably be collected by taxation of oil refiners. The fund could be used to pay for a state's response, for federal activities involved in spill response or follow-up, for economic losses, and for damaged or destroyed natural resources. The bill would limit liability on an oil tanker to the greater of S10 million or $500 per gross ton of capacity, while other vessels would be liable for $300 per gross ton capacity, Deep-water ports and onshore and offshore facilities would have a liability limit of S100 million, except in the case of gross negligence or willful misconduct. The bill is consistent with the 1984 International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage, but the Convention protocols would not be ratified by Congressional passage of the bill. The US is the only major maritime nation that has not ratified the international procedures. The bill also imposes criminal penalties for failure to promptly report a spill. The bill does not totally pre-empt any state spill programmes, while a bill in the House of Representatives would override state programmes. The Senate bill would allow state programmes to continue and would impose only a very limited pre-emption of state laws. While specifics of the bills will have to be negotiated, a national oil spill fund appears certain to be enacted in the future.
Canadians Briefed on Deep Sea Mining A briefing session on Ocean Mining in Canada, organized by the University of British Columbia, was held in Vancouver, 1 December 1986. Speakers were largely from the university departments of Geological Sciences and Mining and Mineral Process Engineering, and the Ocean Mining Division, Energy, Mines and Resources, Canada. Presentations on geology and mineralization reviewed the formation and economic potential of shallow and deep aggregates, placer and ridge deposits. Dr M. Waldichuk of Fisheries and Oceans Canada reviewed potential environmental effects of ocean mining. He noted that bottom dredging for placer
deposits and shallow aggregates or other extractive procedures can destroy groundfish habitat and spawn, fish nursery areas, and the feedstock on which commercial fisheries are dependent. Deep manganese nodule extraction appears likely to have little impact on site, although a previous speaker had warned of the enormous areas which would have to be covered to extract economic quantities of nodules from a two dimensional seabed-interface deposit. Another concern will arise if deep nodules or other ores are not processed at sea, but brought onshore for milling and concentration. In such cases pollution experience gained with coastal mines will be particularly relevant. Turbidity from tailings discharges or from dredging operations in shallow water may also be of concern. D E R E K ELLIS
Draft Report Proposes Opening Arctic Wildlife Refuge to Oil and Gas Leasing The UK Fish and Wildlife Service has released for public review a draft report and legislative environmental imapct statement (LEIS) on the oil and gas potential of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. The Service's proposed recommendation, which is based on the report, is that the entire refuge coastal plain be made available, with the necessary environmental safeguards, for oil and gas leasing. Public comments on the draft report and LEIS will be incorporated into the final report to Congress, which is to be submitted in the spring of 1987. The National Refuge is a 19 million acre refuge with 1.5 million acres of coastal plain. Although only comprising 8% of the total refuge, this coastal plain area is predicted to contain in excess of 29 billion barrels of oil and 65 trillion cubic feet of gas. The coastal plain also provides calving grounds for a large migratory caribou herd and habitat for other wildlife, including musk oxen, polar and brown bears, and many species of migratory birds. Through extensive geological surveys, the Service has determined that the oil and gas potential of the area is sufficient to fully explore the possibility of leasing the area for industry activity. After extensive biological surveys, the Service has determined the oil and gas operations would have to be restricted to preserve the environmental integrity of this unique resource. However, the Service recognizes the technology advancements and the experience acquired by the industry in development of Prudhoe Bay and in construction of the TransAlaska Pipeline and believes development of the refuge could occur with only minimal adverse environmental effects. In addition to the impacts on wildlife, the report considers the positive and negative impacts on the native lnupiat residents of the area.
Alaskan Areas Receive NPDES General Permit EPA has issued a final NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) general permit for oil and gas wells in the Gulf of Alaska, Cook Inlet, and the Alaskan outer continental shelf. The general permit sets 63
which help to stabilize the sediment. It is difficult to predict the consequences of the creeks and bays losing their roles as nursery habitats for juvenile animals. The nearby rocky bottoms, and the communities which live on them will also be affected by the greater movements of terrigenous material. Increased turbidity will decrease the intensity of available light and there will be a greater sedimentation and abrasive effect, all of which will modify to some extent the rocky bottom plant and animal communities. JUAN CARLOS CALVIN CALVO
North American News Chevron Reaches Agreement with California Commission on OCS Activities Chevron USA has reached an agreement with the Minerals Management Service (MMS-Department of Interior) and the California Coastal Commission regarding siting of an oil rig off the California coast. Chevron had proposed placement of the rig at a depth of 700 feet 15 miles from the coastline and six miles from Anacapa Island, which is part of the Channel Islands National Park. Despite a finding of 'No Significant Impacts" in an Environmental Assessment prepared by MMS and despite the Commission's staff recommendation for approval of the rig siting, the Commissioners denied the petition based on concern that the rig would impact fishing, interfere with navigation, and negatively impact visual aesthetics. In response to these concerns, Chevron filed a modified development plan which included a fund to mitigate any negative impacts caused by the rig operations on commercial fishermen and a radar system to assist navigation in the area. Chevron also proposed to buy air pollution offsets that would have been the largest offsets ever proposed for an offshore operation. The California Coastal Commission denied the rig petition with the proposed mitigatory actions by an 8 to 4 vote. Ironically, the eight negative votes were split, with 4 Commissioners believing any impacts could not be fully mitigated and with 4 Commissioners feeling that the proposed mitigatory actions set unreasonable precedents and were over-mitigating the proposed operations. In response to the Commission's denial, Chevron appealed to the Secretary of Commerce, who has implementation responsibility for the Coastal Zone Management Act, and filed suit against the Commission. This litigation encouraged the interested parties to enter negotiations that culminated in an agreement. That agreement calls for approval of Chevron's Development Plan by MMS and does not allow the Commission to interfere with further action on the proposed plan. The agreement will end the problems that Chevron has had storing the rig platform, which was towed in circles in the ocean for more than two weeks and which was then stored in Los Angeles harbour at costs nearing $200 000 a day. 62
EIS Must Evaluate Risks Before Nuclear Wastes Shipped A US District Court ruled in favour of a Puget Sound coalition that petitioned the court to impose an injunction on the Department of Energy's (DOE) plans to ship radioactive wastes through several West Coast ports. DOE had planned to ship over 25 000 kg of radioactive material in the form of spent fuel rods from Taiwan research reactors. The fuel rods would have come into ports in Puget Sound, Washington, and San Francisco Bay and Long Beach, California, and would have then been transported to South Carolina. Although DOE used an EIS done by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in the 1970s that evaluated transportation risks imposed by general nuclear waste activities, the court ruled that the Department would have to prepare an EIS specifically keyed to the risks imposed by the proposed project.
EPA Forced to Suspend Drilling Mud Test to Preserve Mysid Supply The EPA announced in September that offshore oil operators would be allowed to dispose of drilling muds in the Gulf of Mexico for the rest of 1986 without performing the standard bioassay toxicity tests. These tests are required under a general permit issued under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), which limits toxicity of discharged muds to an LDs0 of 30 000 ppm (see Mar. Pollut. Bull. 17,440441). The required bioassays were suspended because of the shortage of mysid shrimp used in the tests. The shortages have resulted in greatly increased testing times and threatened to further deplete mysid stocks. EPA refused to order use of another species, which would have depleted stocks of that species while diverting resources needed to increase mysid stocks. EPA determined less frquent tests would result in a spotty demand on the already stressed mysid market. The Natural Resources Defence Council had requested EPA to require a preliminary toxicity test that only used one-third to one-sixth of the number of mysids required for the usual bioassay tests. EPA also rejected this alternative since the preliminary tests could not give reliable test results. EPA intends its action to ensure long-term supply of the test organism, while not significantly impacting Gulf waters. Diesel fuels will still not be allowed to be discharged and no waste materials can be discharged near biologically sensitive areas, such as reefs.
Navy Needs to Look for Additional Dredge Disposal Site EPA has concluded the Navy's proposed site to dispose dredged material near Seattle, Washington, would present 'unacceptable risk' to various marine species, especially the Dungeness crab. The Navy will be
Volume 18/Number 2/February 1987
dredging to build a home port it has proposed for the aircraft carrier Nirnitz. However, the proposed disposal site for the contaminated materials provides habitat for breeding Dungeness crabs and for economicallyimportant bottom fish. EPA also informed the Navy and the Corps of Engineers that it had concerns regarding the increased input of tributyltins into the system and the need to utilize technical advances to restrict the contaminated sediments to the chosen disposal site. EPA has stated it will recommend that the Navy's application for a dredging permit be denied if it does not propose a different disposal site. EPA recommended that the Navy consider a deep-water site.
Federal Oil Spill Bill Considered by Congress A bill that would establish a federal oil spill clean-up fund and liability programme passed the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. This bill would create a $350 million fund for oil spill response expenses not paid by a responsible party and would probably be collected by taxation of oil refiners. The fund could be used to pay for a state's response, for federal activities involved in spill response or follow-up, for economic losses, and for damaged or destroyed natural resources. The bill would limit liability on an oil tanker to the greater of S10 million or $500 per gross ton of capacity, while other vessels would be liable for $300 per gross ton capacity, Deep-water ports and onshore and offshore facilities would have a liability limit of S100 million, except in the case of gross negligence or willful misconduct. The bill is consistent with the 1984 International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage, but the Convention protocols would not be ratified by Congressional passage of the bill. The US is the only major maritime nation that has not ratified the international procedures. The bill also imposes criminal penalties for failure to promptly report a spill. The bill does not totally pre-empt any state spill programmes, while a bill in the House of Representatives would override state programmes. The Senate bill would allow state programmes to continue and would impose only a very limited pre-emption of state laws. While specifics of the bills will have to be negotiated, a national oil spill fund appears certain to be enacted in the future.
Canadians Briefed on Deep Sea Mining A briefing session on Ocean Mining in Canada, organized by the University of British Columbia, was held in Vancouver, 1 December 1986. Speakers were largely from the university departments of Geological Sciences and Mining and Mineral Process Engineering, and the Ocean Mining Division, Energy, Mines and Resources, Canada. Presentations on geology and mineralization reviewed the formation and economic potential of shallow and deep aggregates, placer and ridge deposits. Dr M. Waldichuk of Fisheries and Oceans Canada reviewed potential environmental effects of ocean mining. He noted that bottom dredging for placer
deposits and shallow aggregates or other extractive procedures can destroy groundfish habitat and spawn, fish nursery areas, and the feedstock on which commercial fisheries are dependent. Deep manganese nodule extraction appears likely to have little impact on site, although a previous speaker had warned of the enormous areas which would have to be covered to extract economic quantities of nodules from a two dimensional seabed-interface deposit. Another concern will arise if deep nodules or other ores are not processed at sea, but brought onshore for milling and concentration. In such cases pollution experience gained with coastal mines will be particularly relevant. Turbidity from tailings discharges or from dredging operations in shallow water may also be of concern. D E R E K ELLIS
Draft Report Proposes Opening Arctic Wildlife Refuge to Oil and Gas Leasing The UK Fish and Wildlife Service has released for public review a draft report and legislative environmental imapct statement (LEIS) on the oil and gas potential of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. The Service's proposed recommendation, which is based on the report, is that the entire refuge coastal plain be made available, with the necessary environmental safeguards, for oil and gas leasing. Public comments on the draft report and LEIS will be incorporated into the final report to Congress, which is to be submitted in the spring of 1987. The National Refuge is a 19 million acre refuge with 1.5 million acres of coastal plain. Although only comprising 8% of the total refuge, this coastal plain area is predicted to contain in excess of 29 billion barrels of oil and 65 trillion cubic feet of gas. The coastal plain also provides calving grounds for a large migratory caribou herd and habitat for other wildlife, including musk oxen, polar and brown bears, and many species of migratory birds. Through extensive geological surveys, the Service has determined that the oil and gas potential of the area is sufficient to fully explore the possibility of leasing the area for industry activity. After extensive biological surveys, the Service has determined the oil and gas operations would have to be restricted to preserve the environmental integrity of this unique resource. However, the Service recognizes the technology advancements and the experience acquired by the industry in development of Prudhoe Bay and in construction of the TransAlaska Pipeline and believes development of the refuge could occur with only minimal adverse environmental effects. In addition to the impacts on wildlife, the report considers the positive and negative impacts on the native lnupiat residents of the area.
Alaskan Areas Receive NPDES General Permit EPA has issued a final NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) general permit for oil and gas wells in the Gulf of Alaska, Cook Inlet, and the Alaskan outer continental shelf. The general permit sets 63