Cook Inlet Navigator June 2018 

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COOK INLET   
Regional Citizens Advisory Council  

ADEC MAKES CHANGES TO DRILL EXERCISE PROGRAM
The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) has made changes to how it conducts oil spill drills, according to the Petroleum News.
 
Changes to the exercise program include clarifying the state's oil spill exercise requirements and DEC's role in exercises, both as a partner in the spill response activities and as an evaluator of what is being done.  
 
CIRCAC regularly participates in oil spill drills, contributing expertise throughout the Incident Command System. This month, we participated in a two-day drill exercise for Hilcorp Alaska LLC and Harvest Alaska at Cook Inlet Spill Prevention and Response Inc. (CISPRI). These drills worked several elements into the exercise scenarios, including the use of drones, the method used for disposing of collected oil, the inclusion of so many agencies, and how best to utilize social media. Staff worked within Unified Command, Operations and Public Information. (Photo below by Vinnie Catalano.) 

MEET Dr. RICHARD PRENTKI
Richard Prentki
CIRCAC depends on the active engagement of citizen volunteers to help us further our mission. As a Public Member of CIRCAC's Environmental Monitoring Committee, Richard "Dick" Prentki is making a difference.
 
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PROPS COMMITTEE TOURS INTERNATIONAL BIRD RESCUE CENTER

The PROPS (Prevention, Response, Operations and Safety) Committee Meeting had a full agenda on June 1. In addition to touring Alaska Chadux's oil spill response facility in Anchorage, the Committee toured the International Bird Rescue Center. Bird Rescue maintains the Alaska Wildlife Response Center (AWRC) in Anchorage where they care for sick, injured or orphaned aquatic birds. There, IBRC Response Services Director Barbara Callahan gave the Committee a demonstration of what happens when an oiled bird arrives at the Center.   
 
Pictured left to right: John Bauer (Public Member), Walt Sonen (Director), Ted Moore (Public Member) Robert Reges (Public Member) Bob Flint (Director), Bob Pawlowski (Public member), Vaito'a Heaven (Staff), Barbara Callahan (IBRC Response Services Director), Rob Lindsey (Director), James McHale (Public member), Carla Stanley (Director).
 
(Left to Right) Barbara Callahan (IBRC Response Services Director) John Bauer (PROPS Public member) Carla Stanley (City of Homer Board Representative) V. Heaven (CIRCAC staff).
 
Demonstration of oiled bird intake.
Barbara Callahan demonstrates an oiled bird intake (with John Bauer, Carla Stanley and Vaito'a Heaven). 

 


Company applies to shut down Drift River Oil Terminal
 
KENAI, Alaska (AP) - The owner of the Drift River Terminal has applied to permanently shut down the facility. Kenai radio station KSRM reported that the Cook Inlet Pipeline Co., a subsidiary of Harvest Pipeline, applied to the Regulatory Commission of Alaska to discontinue use of the terminal.

The company also applied to discontinue the terminal's tank farm, the Christy Lee loading platform, and the portion of pipeline that extends from the Drift River Terminal to the Christy Lee Platform.

The Drift River Terminal holds crude oil in tanks just below Mount Redoubt, an active volcano and is located on the western side of Cook Inlet.

The company last fall announced its plan to decommission the terminal and transport oil through undersea pipeline across Cook Inlet to Nikiski. CIPL want to begin decommissioning activity at the start of 2019.

CIRCAC has long advocated for the closure of the Drift River Oil Terminal due to its proximity to Mt. Redoubt. In a July 11, 2012 Position Paper, CIRCAC promoted the decommissioning of Drift River and construction of a subsea pipeline to reduce tanker traffic transiting Cook Inlet. Hilcorp is moving ahead with the project which consists of constructing new subsea and onshore pipelines as well as repurposing a cross-Inlet gas pipeline into an oil line to feed the refinery at Nikiski. CIRCAC has been in steady contact with industry, state and federal partners and closely monitors these projects.


Coming up
August 17-18 - CIRCAC will have a booth at the Kenai Peninsula State Fair in Ninilchik
August 25 - Visit our booth at Industry Appreciation Day in Kenai
September 7 - CIRCAC Board meets in Kodiak
CIRCAC joins Prince William Sound RCAC staff at Clean Pacific Conference. From left: CIRCAC Board Members Bob Flint and Carla Stanley; Lisa Matlock (PWSRCAC),  CIRCAC Exec. Dir. Mike Munger, Linda Swift (PWSRCAC) and Steve "Vinnie" Catalano (CIRCAC). Photo by Shannon Miller, ADEC.


Cook Inlet Regional
Citizens Advisory Council
[email protected]
http://www.circac.org