This discussion should give you an idea what we are looking for in post- 

 spill evaluation and reporting. 



PROGRAMMATIC RELATIONSHIPS 



I would like to say a few words about how these activities relate to 

 the program management system. The impact of oil spills crosses program, 

 category, and divisional interests. There usually is no single program or 

 division responsibility. There must be very close interprogram communication, 

 coordination, and accommodation. Oil spill response must be a coordinated 

 Fish and Wildlife Service effort. 



In order to facilitate the administrative aspects of oil spill response, 

 responsibility for coordinating the Service's response capability ideally 

 should be placed in a single program at the Washington level. For the past 

 3 years, this responsibility has been vested in the Migratory Bird Program 

 because the National Contingency Plan specifies our role in dealing with 

 oiled birds and because oil-soaked birds seem to draw more public attention 

 than almost any other feature during a spill. Unfortunately, we have not 

 previously had the manpower to allocate full-time to this function. However, 

 the Director has now approved the establishment of a position in the Washington 

 office, which will have as its primary responsibility the coordination of 

 the Service's spill response. 2 The person filling the position will develop 

 a close relationship with the Coast Guard, EPA, and other agencies involved 

 with oil spills and will serve as a liaison between research and management 

 in developing research needs relating to oil and its impact on wildlife. 

 This central coordination responsibility will be given to the Program Coordinator 

 for Environmental Contaminants in AER, with key individuals being designated 

 as the principal contact in the Office of Migratory Bird Management, Fisheries 

 Resources and Research. We hope to be able to implement some of these changes 

 by 1 May 1977. This leaves some unanswered questions concerning how to 

 handle regional staffing assignments, which we will have to work out with 

 the individual Regions. 



We are also considering the establishment of a central core of technical 

 expertise within the Service that can be rapidly deployed to a spill site 

 to organize an effective bird dispersal and bird treatment effort. This 

 group would not usurp responsibilities of field and regional coordinators, 

 but would supplement our present in-house capabilities. 



CONCLUDING REMARKS 



I have given you a general idea--a philosophical overview—of how the 

 Service should approach its responsibilities in planning for and responding 

 to oil and other hazardous substance pollution emergencies. Prespill planning 

 and preparedness cannot be stressed enough—they are the key to an effective 

 response. In the past, we have been too casual and reactive. Responsibilities 



^Editor's note: The new position of National Oil and Hazardous Substance 

 Spill Coordinator was filled in the fall of 1977. 



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