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T/V Exxon Valdez

Bligh Reef, Prince William Sound, Alaska
Subject Report - Situation
Posting Date 1989-Sep-08

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS BASED ON THE MOST CURRENT DATA PROVIDED TO NOAA. - EVENING
REPORT  FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8TH  VALDEZ: Situation:  Dick Stewart and Diane Kelly from the
Justice Department visited this morning.  Hammett accompanied them on an orientation
overflight of PWS.  Walker and Field still in Anchorage working on subsistence issues.
Christopherson on the USS Duluth with the SCOT team.  Christopherson headed the last ISCC
meeting.  KODIAK: (Talbott) Situation:  Poor visibility cancelled flight operations for
the second day in a row.  Work continued on the review of agency winter plans and updating
of field records.  Preparations are also underway for VADM Robbins visit to Kodiak on
Monday.  Meetings:  The Kodiak Emergency Services Committee (MAC) meeting is scheduled for
1700 with a short ISCC meeting planned to follow the ESC meeting.  Plans for Tomorrow:
Several flights are scheduled if weather permits. There is an ISCC working meeting
scheduled for 0800.  HOMER (Whitney) Situation:  Exxon is in the final wrap-up stage for
this summer's effort in the Homer zone.  The helicopter transition crew was doing manual
touch up work in Chugach Bay, Windy Bay, and Bootlegger Cove.  An effort was being made to
coordinate the resource agency personnel with the clean-up crew so that the nothing was
being overlooked.  Of the 84 segments in the Homer zone all but seven have been
demobilized and these are the ones that the transition cleanup crew is working on.  These
include BC-2, CB-3, WB-1,2,3, TB- 4 and PD-10A.  Newly discovered oil on an already
demobilized segment on Elizabeth Island, EI-1, needs some additional manual removal of
mouse and will get Exxon's attention depending on the weather conditions.  When the
scatter and light incidences of mouse are removed from all these segments, the Coast Guard
is amenable to demobilizing them.  Overflight/Sightings:  Flew with Cdr. Griswold and
Exxon to examine some of the segments yet to be demobilized, EI-1, CB-2, and WB-3. Weather
is definitely deteriorating on the outer Kenai coast as winter approaches, and, as a
result, some of the destinations (Tonsina Bay) had to be eliminated.  Meetings:  Conducted
the ISCC meeting this morning and was surprised at the lack of controversy regarding the
remaining work proposed by Exxon.  Exxon is quite amenable to the touch-up cleanup on the
remaining undemobilized segments.  Also the ISCC considered pre-proposal from the
volunteer group, cleaning Mars Cove in Port Dick, to test the bioremediation product,
Bioversal.  A consulting firm in Anchorage is conducting a preliminary evaluation of the
product prior to a formal proposal from the volunteer group goes to the Coast Guard.
Plans for Tomorrow:  No pressing activity is planned for tomorrow. On Sunday I may be
involved in a beach inspection tour along with Admiral Robbins.  SEWARD: (McGee) Report
for 9/7 - Situation:  Type A cleaning at Hoof Point continues. EXXON increased the number
of workers on scene to forty-five (45).  Estimated completion and demobilization date is
12 September. The SSC met with the land managers and identified priority habitats that had
'no cleanup' recommendations because of nesting area or pinniped haulout areas. MAC will
recommend reevaluation by EXXON in the spring, winter or summer or when appropriate dates
are established.  OVERFLIGHTS  (McGee) Overflights were cancelled due to weather.
MEETINGS Several informal meetings were held and discussed above.  PLANS FOR TOMORROW VADM
Robbins, USCG FOSC, CDR Smith, USCG AOSC, John Robinson, NOAA and several others are
expected to arrive in Seward on Friday and Saturday to attend MAC and RMAC meetings and to
overfly areas within the Seward zone that have been oiled and treated. PERSONNEL ON SCENE:
Valdez:  Walker, Hammett, Wong, Dale, Van Den Berg, Christopherson, Field.