113 



Captain Corbett. We are not sure that one is not a rate and one 

 is a total spill size. 



Mr. Studds. I see. OK. Let us get that because on the face of it, it 

 appears to be dramatic. 



Captain Corbett. I would like to respond to it in writing. 



Mr. Studds. OK. I think the record in general will be held open 

 for questions. You have talked in response to questions of other 

 members about the mandate for the prepositioning of cleanup 

 equipment in regions of OCS activity around the country. That is 

 equipment which the Coast Guard will require to be prepositioned; 

 is that correct? 



Captain Corbett. That is correct, purchased and owned by the 

 operators or their agents. 



Mr. Studds. Now is that a prior condition or one of many prior 

 conditions, for example, for a final permit for exploratory drilling? 



Captain Corbett. That is the intent. Interior grants the final 

 permit, not the Coast Guard. But the intent is exactly that, that 

 before the permit is granted, the equipment will be in place, the 

 contingency plans approved, as approved by the Coast Guard, or I 

 should say as recommended to Interior by the Coast Guard. So 

 Interior has the final authority to grant the permit. But we are 

 hoping and feel that Interior will rely heavily on the Coast Guard's 

 expertise in this field. 



Mr. Studds. But Interior under the law has the authority to go 

 ahead with or without the approval of the Coast Guard; is that 

 correct? 



Captain Corbett. Under the law, yes, sir. 



Mr. Studds. Has that ever happened, have your recommenda- 

 tions been ignored by Interior yet? 



Captain Corbett. No, sir. 



Mr. Studds. You have no reason to think they would be, I 

 assume? 



Captain Corbett. No, sir. 



Mr. Studds. With respect to the prepositioning requirements, 

 they would be in any OCS region, generally defined the mid-Atlan- 

 tic, Georges Bank, Gulf of Alaska, rather than for any particular 

 company's lease? 



Captain Corbett. Probably. It depends on the situation. For in- 

 stance, on lease sale 42 it is by lease. As long as the 6-hour 

 response capability is met, then it does not matter to us where they 

 are sited. The equipment could be sited on the rigs themselves or 

 on some of the vessels which support the rigs nearby ashore, or 

 perhaps on some of the even fairly distant, I would not say remote, 

 as long as they can demonstrate to our review process they can be 

 there within 6 hours, then that is considered adequate. 



Mr. Studds. Have you had such plans submitted with respect to 

 lease sale 42? 



Captain Corbett. No, sir, but we are hoping it will be fairly soon. 

 We are watching that very closely as a matter of fact. But the plan 

 itself has not yet been submitted to us. 



Mr. Studds. Now the 11 sites of which only three are equipped at 

 the moment around the country, these are Coast Guard sites as 

 opposed to industry sites? 



Captain Corbett. That is right. 



