Encl (1) to COMDTINST 16010.8
PROTECTION OF NATURAL RESOURCES
Goal P1: Eliminate oil discharged into the water from maritime sources.
FY99 Target: Reduce the rate of oil discharged into the water from
maritime sources by 20%, from the FY93 baseline of 7.04 gals
spilled/million gallons shipped to 5.04 gals spilled/million gals shipped.
Measure: Gallons discharged per million gallons shipped.
Measurement Issues: Baseline is established by a regression curve obtained
from several years of data. Performance is measured against a selected
year on the curve which was the most current available when goal was
developed. 1997 number is a projection based on data through OCT. Data
on oil spilled is obtained from the Coast Guard Marine Safety Information
System. Data on waterborne shipments of oil obtained from Army Corps of
Engineers "Waterborne Commerce Statistics." Oil spills of 1 million
gallons or more are excluded from data. These spills are extremely rare
(less than .1% of spills) and would have an inordinate influence on
statistical trends. Only spills from regulated vessels and facilities are
counted. Data obtained from the Coast Guard Marine Safety Information
System is validated by program managers. Confidence in measure is high.
Causal Factors to be Addressed:
Tank barges are the major source of discharged oil, accounting for
approximately 75%.
Strategies to Achieve Target:
Ongoing Strategies:
Partner with industry trade groups to focus efforts on preventing
pollution from tank ships and barges.
Promote recommendations for reducing oil spills during operations such
as oil transfers.
Improve the knowledge, and skills of industry personnel.
Focus on reducing the impact of human error on pollution incidents.
Enforce applicable laws and regulations.
Conduct the Merchant Marine Licensing and Documentation program.
Execute research and development projects to improve prevention
planning, management, and training; and support Interagency Ship
Structure Committee (SSC) research. Application of this research
results in improved design, materials, construction, and maintenance
of ship structures which results in vessels that are less likely to
suffer hull failure and better able to sustain damage, thus reducing
the potential for oil discharge.
New Strategies:
Modernize distress communications to create a fully integrated system
that permits distress, safety, law enforcement interaction between the
Coast Guard and mariners.
Reduce pollution-causing accidents by establishing Vessel Traffic
Services as part of the Ports and Waterways Safety System (PAWSS.)
Pursue regulatory activity to implement provisions of the Oil Pollution
Act of 1990 that require tank vessel and facilities carrying/
transferring bulk hazardous substances to develop and operate in
accordance with an approved response plan.
Pursue regulatory activity to establish a barge numbering system that
would allow identification of barges owners, and help prevent abandoned
barges that become pollution hazards.
Efficiency Strategies:
Employ the "Prevention through People" philosophy to identify the human
causal factors in pollution incidents and focus on education of mariners
and industry to reduce these factors without increasing resources.
Pursue risk management practices to optimize allocation of resources by
prioritizing marine accidents.
Partner with states, industry, and trade groups to improve mariner
knowledge, identify causal factors in accidents. Partnerships promote
industry self regulation. Partnerships include the Passenger Vessel
Association, American Waterways Operators, U.S. Chamber of Shipping,
International Council of Cruise Lines.
PP-22
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