bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Subsistence Fisheries and the Exxon Valdez: Human Health Concerns
Authors: Walker Ann Hayward , Field L. Jay 
Published: January 2013

ABSTRACT
As a result of the Exxon Valdez oil spill, many residents of villages in Prince William Sound, Lower Cook Inlet, the Alaska Peninsula, and Kodiak Island were alarmed by the prospect that their subsistence food supply might have been contaminated by oil and thus present an increased health risk.
Although major oil spills have occurred in the past, no database has been developed on human health effects resulting from the consumption of oil-contaminated food. This information gap and the time lag of several months required to develop relevant data were the principal impediments to rapidly addressing the villagers’ concerns. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) was asked by the federal on-scene coordinator and the Alaska Oil Spill Health Task Force to take an active role in addressing the subsistence food safety concerns of native villagers. Specific issues of concern to villagers included the following: Were subsistence foods contaminated as a result of the spill? Could subsistence foods be screened or tested by villagers to detect contamination? Did consumption of subsistence foods pose a health risk, either immediate (acute) or long-term (chronic)? What species in what areas were safe to eat?
Answering these questions involved researching the screening and testing equipment and protocols in existence, developing and implementing a sampling program, selecting techniques and a laboratory to conduct the analyses, and identifying experts to evaluate the analytical data as they might relate to the human health risk. This paper describes the activities and findings of the NOAA subsistence program; it does not address occupational health issues associated with the oil spill.
Upland Soil and Fertilizer in Rhizophora Mangrove Growth on Oiled Soil
Authors: Teas Howard J. , Diego Maria E. De , L. Elias Luque , Lasday Albert H. 
Published: January 2013

ABSTRACT
Upland soil placed in small excavated holes in an oiled mangrove forest was found to be markedly superior to adjacent oiled soil as a medium for growing Rhizophora mangrove propagules and seedlings, even though the oil from the 1986 spill had weathered to the extent that it caused no mortality in planted propagules. The low value of oiled soil was not ameliorated by fertilizer. The inferior value of the oiled mangrove soil compared to upland soil appears to derive from the nature of old Rhizophora mangrove peat as a poor substrate for growth of young seedlings, rather than to residual oil toxicity. Planting of propagules in upland soil in the field was substantially less expensive than growing and planting out nursery plants.
Synergistic Contingency Planning by WRTs: An Inland Zone Watershed Response Team Contingency Planning Concept1
Authors: Robinson James L. 
Published: January 2013

ABSTRACT
Legislative mandates of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 call for comprehensive Area Contingency Planning which, for the inland zone, may be best accomplished through novel multi-jurisdictional efforts of existing Regional Response Teams (RRTs) to form Watershed Response Teams (WRTs).
Bioremediation Technology Development and Application to the Alaskan Spill
Authors: Chianelli R. R. , Aczel T. , Bare R. E. , George G. N. , Genowitz M. W. , Grossman M. J. , Haith C. E. , Kaiser F. J. , Lessard R. R. , Liotta R. , Mastracchio R. L. , Minak-Bernero V. , Prince R. C. , Robbins W. K. , Stiefel E. I. , Wilkinson J. B. , Hinton S. M. , Bragg J. R. , McMillen S. J. , Atlas R. M. 
Published: January 2013

ABSTRACT
Bioremediation was used to clean oil-contaminated shorelines in Prince William Sound following the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Among the approaches considered for enhancing natural rates of oil biodegradation, nutrient applications became the principal focus. Bioremediation studies were conducted in a cooperative effort of Exxon, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and scientists in academia. Field testing of nutriation of indigenous oil-eating microorganisms was conducted early in the summer of 1989, and full-scale application followed. Monitoring during the fall and winter of 1989–90 revealed the evident benefit of the technique and supported additional applications in 1990. The efficacy of bioremediation was demonstrated by measurement of numbers of hydrocarbon-degrading microorganisms, microbial hydrocarbon-degrading activities, and chemical changes in residual oil. This paper discusses laboratory and field programs demonstrating the efficacy and environmental safety of bioremediation, and reviews the materials and methods chosen for large-scale application.
Oil Spills in the Great Barrier Reef Region
Authors: Craik Wendy 
Published: January 2013

ABSTRACT
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority is charged with conservation of the Great Barrier Reef while allowing reasonable use to continue. One of the major challenges facing the authority is the risk of a major oil spill in the Great Barrier Reef region. An oil spill contingency plan, Reefplan, developed for the Great Barrier Reef region and part of Torres Strait, is a component of the Australian National Plan to Combat Pollution of the Sea by Oil. The authority provides scientific advice to the on-scene coordinator, who is in charge of responding to any spill. This paper reviews the history of oil spills in the Great Barrier Reef and discusses the authority's role in prevention and preparation for oil spills. The difficulty of coping with a large spill and the issue of environmental damage are highlighted, given the relatively remote nature of the region, the sparse population, and the logistic difficulties of working in such an area.
Enhancement of Biodegradation of Alaskan Weathered Crude Oil Components by Indigenous Microbiota with the use of Fertilizers and Nutrients
Authors: Tabak Henry H. , Haines John R. , Venosa Albert D. , Glaser John A. , Desai Sanjay , Nisamaneepong Wipawan 
Published: January 2013

ABSTRACT
Bench-scale biodegradability studies of the Alaskan weathered crude oil were undertaken as part of the bioremediation project for the shorelines of Prince William Sound Alaska, contaminated by the Exxon Valdez oil spill. The purpose of the studies was to evaluate the ability of the indigenous microbial consortium of the seawater and island beach areas to biodegrade the weathered crude oil's alkane hydrocarbon and polynuclear aromatic (PAH) constituents in batch-type respirometric reactors and shaker flask systems.
Biodegradation studies used Inipol EAP22 and water-soluble nitrogen and phosphorus-containing solution (OECD) as the fertilizer nutrient source. In the respirometric studies, the unpolluted beach material in seawater was spiked with 1,000, 300, and 100 mg/L of weathered crude oil and with Inipol at 5 percent of oil weight or with OECD stock solution concentrates. The contents were brought up to 1,000 mL with seawter. Unpolluted beach material spiked with 10,000, 3,000, and 1,000 mg/L of weathered crude oil and with either Inipol at 5 percent of oil weight or with OECD inorganic salts in 1,000 mL of seawater were used in shaker flask microcosm studies. Temperature of incubation in both studies was 15° C, and culture systems were incubated in darkness.
Cumulative oxygen uptake data, growth data, and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis data demonstrate almost complete utilization of the alkane hydrocarbon constituents in the presence of Inipol fertilizer and OECD synthetic medium, and significant biodegradation of the PAH constituents after six weeks of incubation. Control experiments without Inipol or OECD nutrients demonstrated absence of biodegradative activity.
Trajectory Analysis for the Exxon Valdez: Hindcast Study
Authors: Galt J. A. , Watabayashi G. Y. , Payton D. L. , Petersen J. C. 
Published: January 2013

ABSTRACT
The movement and spreading of the oil from the tanker Exxon Valdez accident was a vital issue in the massive response activities launched by industry, private groups, state governments and the federal government. To address this issue, a number of observational and forecast programs were carried out. These accumulated an unprecedented amount of observational data ranging from visual and remote-sensing distribution information to fairly complex adaptations of standard trajectory analysis routines.
This paper reports on a hindcast study that used observational data and computational procedures to provide a quantitative estimate of the oil distribution over time. The major difficulty in doing this work was associated with the fact that both the observational and computational data had errors. Typically, the observational distribution data were nonquantitative and tended to have a number of false positives, while the wind and current data used in the computational procedure lacked detail or were improperly scaled. To reconcile these difficulties, a statistical procedure was developed that helped identify various types of errors. This procedure was used to produce an observationally corrected, mass-balanced trajectory hindcast model.
The results of the hindcast model are available in a variety of formats and indicate the following general conclusions: by the end of the second week of April, approximately 30 percent of the spilled oil may have been lost to weathering processes, 40 percent beached within Prince William Sound, 25 percent exited Prince William Sound, and about 5 percent remained floating within Prince William Sound. Further analysis indicates that, of the oil leaving the Prince William Sound system, approximately 10 percent traveled beyond Gore Point, and about 2 percent got as far as Shelikof Strait.
CAMEO—Valdez: Charting the Progress of the Spill Cleanup1
Authors: Haas Thomas J. 
Published: January 2013

ABSTRACT
On the morning of March 24, 1989, the tanker Exxon Valdez ran aground on Bligh Reef in Alaska's Prince William Sound. The vessel was carrying more than 53 million gallons of North Slope crude oil of which almost 11 million gallons were spilled into the water. The immediately impacted area included most of the western part of the sound, but as the time went by the impacted area expanded to include parts of Seward, Homer, and Kodiak.
This event became the worst oil spill in the history of this country—identified as a “spill of national significance.” Exxon's major cleanup response was closely monitored by federal, state, and various interest groups. Early in the response it was obvious to the federal on-scene coordinator (FOSC) that a computer-aided management system was necessary to monitor the progress of the spill cleanup operations. CAMEO (computer-aided management of emergency operations)—Valdez then was developed for the FOSC by the scientific support coordinator (SSC) through the efforts of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and immediately put to use.
Burning of Oil Spills
Authors: Evans D.D. , Mulholland G.W. , Lawson J.R. , Tennyson E.J. , Fingas M.F. , Tebeau P.A. , Gould J.R. 
Published: January 2013

ABSTRACT
The Center for Fire Research (CFR) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is conducting research related to safety in offshore drilling and oil spill pollution under joint funding from Minerals Management Service (MMS), U.S. Coast Guard, and the American Petroleum Institute. Technical assistance in measurement has been donated by Environment Canada. This research has focused on examining the phenomena associated with crude oil combustion and the impact of using burning as a spill response method.
The process of burning crude oil on water as a means to mitigate oil spills has been investigated with a research effort combining both small-scale experiments and calculations. As a result of these studies, there has been increased understanding of the burning process, including burning rate, heat radiation, smoke emission, smoke composition, and smoke dispersion in the atmosphere.
A key to gaining acceptance of burning as a spill response technique is the demonstration that favorable results obtained at laboratory scale can be shown to continue in test burns representing the size of fires expected in actual operations. Field-scale burn tests are being planned and coordinated jointly by MMS, API, USCG, and Environment Canada to document the use of burning technology under conditions simulating actual oil spill cleanup operations. The purpose of this project is to measure the effects of oil spill burning in laboratory and field tests.
The Oil Pollution act of 1990: Key Provisions and Implications
Authors: Bovet David M. , Corbett Charles R. 
Published: January 2013

ABSTRACT
The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 establishes a system of oil spill liability, compensation and financial responsibility at levels not contemplated prior to the Exxon Valdez incident. Furthermore, it does so while preserving states’ prerogatives and rejects the international solution embodied in the 1984 Protocols to the 1969 Civil Liability and 1971 Fund Conventions.
The act requires new contingency planning by both industry and government and sets new construction, manning, and licensing requirements. It increases penalties, broadens enforcement responsibilities of the federal government, and enhances states’ participation in the national response program. It also establishes a billion dollar federal trust fund to supplement the liability of responsible parties.
The act is likely to result in safer tanker operations and to reduce the threat of oil spills in U.S. waters. These environmental improvements will be paid for by U.S. oil consumers. Other implications include the following:Reassessment of involvement in U.S. oil transportation by both independents and oil majorsEnhanced preparedness by responsible partiesA gradual rise in freight ratesCorporate restructuring to shield liabilityFewer small oil companies and independent carriers in U.S. tradesPotential disruptions linked to new certificates of financial responsibilityPotential shortages of Alaskan trade tonnageHeightened presence of state governments in oil spill incidents, oil spill legislation, and enforcement
Baseline Studies and Risk Analyses in the Baltic Sea
Authors: Bender Klavs , Østfeldt Preben , Bach Hanne 
Published: January 2013

ABSTRACT
In 1986 an oil and gas concession in the Baltic Sea was granted by the Danish Ministry of Energy to a group of oil companies, with Norsk Hydro as operator. A paper describing the goals achieved midway through the program was presented at the 1989 Oil Spill Conference in San Antonio, Texas. This paper presents the final results of the program.
The chemical baseline study has shown that the only parameter that exhibits a marked variation is the total hydrocarbon content, where values are seven to eight times higher in the 1989 samples than in the 1987 and 1988 samples. It is suspected that the reason is seasonal variation, since the 1989 samples were collected in June, while the 1987 and 1988 samples were collected in September.
Even though the total hydrocarbon content varies significantly between some of the sample suites, only biomarkers related to recent organic material or immature petroleum source rocks are present in the samples. Petrogenic hydrocarbons related to spilled crude oil or exploration activities were not found in the area.
The spreading and weathering calculations revealed the zones along the coast where an oil spill was most likely to occur. The transport time for an oil spill to reach the coast was also calculated by the model. In combination with mapping of sensitive resources, the results from the model test runs were used in risk assessments.
The information gained in this study was used in the oil spill contingency plan.
WASTE MINIMIZATION CONCEPTS APPLIED TO OIL SPILL RESPONSE
Authors: Ferriere Dale 
Published: January 2013

ABSTRACT
Lessons learned from past U.S. oil spill response histories show that prudent waste management principles have not been a primary consideration in making decisions for tactical response to major open-water oil spills. Contingency planners (government and industry) consistently choose a mechanical response strategy usually resulting in significant shoreline impact and waste generation (secondary pollution from response actions). Generally, the Environmental Protection Agency's waste minimization hierarchy is not used when managing a major open-water oil spill, subsequent cleanup of oiled shorelines, response to oiled wildlife, and final disposal of oily waste. Contingency plans do not adequately weigh the ecological ramifications from response-generated waste and response-generated pollution when deciding how to protect the environment. This paper shows how the EPA's waste minimization hierarchy should be used during all phases of an oil spill response: strategic planning, tactical planning, and response execution.
OIL SPILL CLEANUP FOR SOFT SEDIMENTS
Authors: Abbott John A. , Tookey David J. 
Published: January 2013

ABSTRACT
A series of experimental trials are in progress to investigate the effectiveness and consequences of oil spill cleanup methods for areas of mud flats and salt marsh.
Trials have shown that wheeled and tracked vehicles have limited utility. Field measurements of the load bearing capacity of the mud can show where such vehicles may be used. Lightweight hovercraft provide a useful means of transport. Shallow-draft boats can have a useful transport role: whether such craft can be used depends on the local topography and tidal regime.
The trials showed that practical problems associated with implementing low-pressure flushing operations (lack of water for flushing, recovery of the flushed oil) can be overcome—although the environmental effects have yet to be assessed. The use of straw matting as a sorbent material was also demonstrated.
The objective of the first two phases of the project, reported here, was to select workable methods with a view to subsequently employing them in larger-scale trials. The environmental consequences of using the selected methods will be examined in the later trials.
Seaweeds and the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill
Authors: Stekoll Michael S. , Deysher Lawrence , Dean Thomas A. 
Published: January 2013

ABSTRACT
A three-year study, initiated in 1989, has evaluated the response of subtidal and intertidal seaweed communities to the Exxon Valdez oil spill and subsequent cleanup activities. The project was part of the coastal habitat injury assessment research sanctioned under the natural resource damage assessment program. A stratified random design was used to select oiled sites for the study. Paired control (unoiled) sites were then matched to the oiled sites.
The most consistent effect found in subtidal populations in Prince William Sound was the higher relative abundance of small-size classes of kelps at the oiled sites, indicating the prior disappearance of larger plants. This disappearance was possibly caused by activities associated with the cleanup operations. Intertidal populations of algae were affected by the spill and cleanup in all three major areas studied: Prince William Sound, Cook Inlet-Kenai, and Kodiak-Alaskan Peninsula. The most obvious effect was a significant removal of the dominant intertidal plant Fucus gardneri from the mid and upper intertidal zones. The limited dispersal of this plant combined with the relatively harsh conditions of the upper intertidal will cause a slow recovery of the upper intertidal zone in the affected areas. Effects of the spill extended to other algal species. Species such as Cladophora, Myelophycus, Odonthalia, Palmaria, and Polysiphonia showed decreases in their percent cover at oiled sites. Only Gloiopeltis populations appeared to increase in percent cover in oiled areas. In both the Cook Inlet-Kenai and the Kodiak-Alaskan Peninsula areas Fucus populations appeared to be enhanced in the lower intertidal zone—between 2 and 3 meters below the high-tide mark—in 1991.
SAVING OILED MANGROVES USING A NEW NON-DISPERSING SHORELINE CLEANER
Authors: Teas Howard J. , Lessard Richard R. , Canevari Gerard P. , Brown Claude D. , Glenn Raymond 
Published: January 2013

ABSTRACT
Mangroves are ranked as one of the most sensitive marine environments. If mangroves are oiled and no further action is taken, the probability of mortality to the trees is high. One of the ways that viscous spilled oil can kill mangroves is by covering the breathing ports, called lenticels (red mangroves) and pneumatophores (black mangroves), and asphyxiating them by preventing flow of oxygen from the atmosphere into the roots.
Mangroves can also be killed by continuous inundation of their prop roots or pneumatophores for a period of ten days to two weeks, but they can survive lenticel covering by water for a few hours at high tide—so there appears to be some grace period during which lenticels can be nonfunctional and the plant can still survive once lenticel function is restored. This suggests that if oil is removed from the breathing ports during the early days after a spill, the lenticels may be able to restore oxygen delivery to the roots and spare the mangroves. Such oils are poorly removed by the washing of tidal waters or by water sprays alone. So a new shoreline cleaner, which was specially developed during the cleanup of the Valdez spill in Alaska, was tested to determine its ability to help loosen the oil so it can be washed away with water.
Laboratory experiments using excised prop roots of red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) were initially conducted to determine the feasibility of the approach. Subsequently experiments were carried out using about a hundred potted red mangroves at a test site in Florida. The prop roots, including the lenticels, were coated with a heavy oil (bunker C). After various periods of time, groups of oiled trees were treated with the shoreline cleaner to loosen and remove the oil deposit and then washed with seawater. The results showed that oiled trees could be saved by cleaning within seven days after oiling, indicating that the grace period after oiling extends for about one week.
The experimental results demonstrate the potential for saving mangroves in real-world oil spills by the use of this shoreline cleaner.
MUTUAL AID IN OIL SPILL RESPONSE: THE ALASKAN NORTH SLOPE MODEL
Authors: McKenzie Bruce , Ingram Norman 
Published: January 2013

ABSTRACT
The Alaskan Arctic Region provides one of the world's most remote and challenging environments in which to mount an oil spill response. To facilitate the timeliness and appropriateness of the response, Alaska Clean Seas (ACS) and the operators of the North Slope oil fields have implemented a mutual aid concept for spill response. The concept is based upon each operator on the North Slope maintaining its own inventory of personnel [a spill response team (SRT)] and equipment that is available on short notice to respond to a spill. If the spill exceeds the responsible operator's resources, additional resources can be obtained from other operators and/or ACS through mutual aid. Individuals from diverse organizations are brought together in a mutual aid event. To allow different organizations to function effectively in a multi-organizational environment, a common management structure was required. The structure chosen for the North Slope was the incident command system (ICS).
A key concern when discussing mutual aid is the provision of indemnification from liability for responders. For the North Slope, ACS and its member companies are indemnified when responding to a spill through provisions in the ACS charter and the ACS response action contract.