hold a workshop in April 1990 to review experience gained as a 

 result of the Exxon Valdez oil spill to determine if it is 

 possible to apply what has been learned toward developing a 

 response plan in the event of a similar oil spill in the future. 



On 18 August 1989, the Trustee Council released for comment 

 the public review draft of the State/Federal Natural Resource 

 Damage Assessment Plan and Restoration Strategy for the Exxon 

 Valdez Oil Spill. The assessment included three major compo- 

 nents: (1) determination and quantification of injury; (2) 

 determination of damages; and (3) development of a restoration 

 strategy. 



The Marine Mammal Commission, in consultation with its 

 Committee of Scientific Advisors, reviewed the public review 

 draft and, by letter of 29 September 1989, provided comments on 

 those parts of the plan bearing upon the assessment and miti- 

 gation of impacts of the oil spill on marine mammals. In its 

 comments, the Commission noted that, while the draft plan pro- 

 vided a comprehensive overview of the studies required to assess 

 natural resource damage from the spill, it did not contain suf- 

 ficient information to judge the likelihood that the component 

 studies would, in fact, provide a reliable assessment of natural 

 resource damage or whether the cost estimates were reasonable. 

 The Commission noted, for example, that none of the study 

 descriptions included in the Plan indicated precisely when, 

 where, or how the planned studies would be done. Neither did 

 they identify or indicate the qualifications of the individuals 

 who would be conducting the studies or how the cost estimates 

 were calculated. 



To ensure development of the best possible Damage Assessment 

 Plan, the Commission recommended that, if it had not already done 

 so, the Trustee Council: require development of comprehensive 

 project descriptions, including detailed cost estimates; have the 

 detailed project descriptions reviewed by groups of knowledgeable 

 experts not associated with the damage assessment program; and 

 revise the Plan, as appropriate, to take account of the expert 

 review. The Commission further recommended that, if it had not 

 already done so, the Council make arrangements for periodic 

 meetings of the principal investigators of the various studies to 

 facilitate information transfer and cooperative analyses of study 

 results as well as cooperative planning. 



With respect to program planning, the Commission noted that 

 it understood that some beaches in areas affected by the spill 

 remained substantially oiled, that oil in beach sediments may 

 leach into adjacent marine areas, and that there likely would be 

 a continuation of clean-up efforts in the spring and summer of 

 1990. Leaching of oil into marine areas and related containment 

 and clean-up operations may further impact marine mammals, both 

 directly and through food chain effects. This action could 



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