DOCUMENTATION AND DAMAGE ASSESSMENT: 



THE KEYS TO DEVELOPING A MORE EFFECTIVE 



SPILL RESPONSE STRATEGY 



Roy W. Hann, Jr. 



Department of Civil Engineering 



Texas A & M University 



College Station, Texas 



A new era is approaching in oil and hazardous spill control as a result 

 of proposed Superfund legislation in the United States, revised international 

 conventions and insurance programs, and the ultimate fate of the billion 

 dollar level litigation over the Amoao Cadiz spill. 



In this presentation I will discuss: 



1. why I think this new era is approaching and particularly how 

 documentation and damage assessment are involved, 



2. why I think it is needed, 



3. how I think it will affect industry and government spill 

 response, 



4. what role my institution believes it will play in this new 

 era, and 



5. a planning activity entitled Engineering and Scientific Studies 

 Before, During, and After a Spill under development for our pro- 

 gram that may have useful components for planning activities. 



NEW ERA 



The last decade was significant because it saw the establishment of pro- 

 grams to clean up oil spills both in the United States and abroad. Costs for 

 cleanup activities were paid by the spiller from insurance programs, or 

 government treasuries. These were major breakthroughs in their time! 



New programs being introduced call for the third party damages and in 

 some cases environmental/ecological damage to be paid from similar sources. 



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