Encl (1) to COMDTINST 16010.8
PROTECTION OF NATURAL RESOURCES
Goal P3: Eliminate oil spills greater
than 10,000 gallons.
FY99 Target: Reduce the total rate of
oil spills over 10,000 gallons by
50%, from the FY93 baseline of 17 gals
spills/billion tons shipped to 8
gals spilled/billion tons shipped.
Measure: Number of spills over 10,000
gallons per billion tons 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. Data on oil spilled obtained from the Coast Guard Marine
Safety Information System. Data on waterborne shipments of oil obtained
from Army Corps of Engineers "Waterborne Commerce Statistics. Only spills
from regulated vessels and facilities are counted. Data obtained from the
Coast Guard Marine Safety Information System is validated by program
managers and corrected to the extent possible, but some error exists.
Confidence in measure is high.
Causal Factors to be Addressed:
Tank barges are the major source of spills, accounting for approximately
40% of incidents, including 5 of 7 major spills.
Tank ship accidents pose a threat of catastrophic pollution.
Strategies to Achieve Goals:
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.
Use research and development to improve 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, and 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.)
Employ risk management and forecasting tools.
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 different types of marine accidents.
PP-26
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