Resources
Hypothetical Spill Scenario (Copper River)
Examples of other effective citizen oversight organizations
Hypothetical Spill Scenario (Copper River)
The Copper River Watershed Project (a CO TAPS coalition partner) prepared a GIS illustration of a hypothetical spill scenario on the Tazlina River to make a critical point: even under perfect weather conditions allowing for timely spill response, oil will by then have passed designated containment sites and entered the main stem of the Copper River, traveling 18 river miles downstream. Alyeska’s estimated response time for Containment Site 10-21 and 10 – 20 on the Tazlina River is just over six hours.
Click to download a high resolution version of the above map (18mb PDF)
Click here to download map of Copper River Environmentally Sensitive Areas.pdf
Distances between river pipeline crossings and the Copper River in Region 5 are:
- Gulkana River: 33 river miles
- Tazlina River: 5.1 river miles
- Klutina River: 1.5 river miles
- Tonsina River: 18.8 river miles
- Little Tonsina River: 22.3 river miles
No containment site exists for the Copper River, yet current response times indicate that in several locations oil will likely reach the Copper River before Initial Response Teams arrive at existing containment sites.
Documents, Reports, and Links:
- Peer Review report of Alaska Risk Assessment conducted by the Transportation research Board of The National Academies--download a copy here. Click here to link to project site for Alaska Risk Assessment.
- Fineberg Research --this website includes the comprehensive work of Richard Fineberg, including in-depth reporting on TAPS.
- Opinion Paper on TAPS by James Brady, North Cape Fisheries Consulting--expert opinion on likely impacts of a spill into the Copper River.
- Comparison table of Citizen Oversight Models
- Oil Pollution Act of 1990--link to a website that includes OPA90, the federal legislation resulting in citizen oversight.
- Prince William Sound Regional Citizen's Advisory Council white paper on citizen oversight
- Copper River Watershed Project's white paper on citizen oversight.
- Models of Public Oversight of Government and Industry--article by Richard Steiner
- Outreach Poster in support of TAPS Citizen Oversight. This poster is designed to be printed 36 x 42 inches. For a high resolution file of this poster, please contact Kate at CRWP.
- Spill: The Wreck of the Exxon Valdez. Alaska Oil Spill Commission final report.
- HB110 Report. Establishing a rational foundation for review, formulation and fmplementation of Alaska’s Oil and Gas Fiscal Policy
- TAPS PS9 Spill Report Analysis of Alyeska Pipeline Service Company Pump Station #9 (PS9) Pressure Relief Tank Overflow Spill, May 25, 2010 (Background, Causes and Follow-Up).
- Resolution of support for TAPS Citizen Oversight template.
Other examples of effective citizen oversight organizations include:
- Prince William Sound Regional Citizens Advisory Council
- Pipeline Safety Trust
- Cook Inlet Regional Citizen Advisory Council
- Washington Oil Spill Advisory Council
Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Materials:
- Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council--website that outlines the restoration and research funded by the Council since the 1989 oil spill. Also includes information about the history of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill.
- The Whole Truth--website highlighting economic impacts to commercial fisherman as a result of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill. Also includes information about the history of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill.
Radio Programs
Below you will find a collection KCHU radio programs relating to the pipeline, the effects of oil spills in the region, and the role of regional citizen advisory councils.
2011
2010
2009
Stakeholder Resources (from CO TAPS coalition partner the Copper River Watershed Project)
The documents and files listed below are collected from the Copper River Watershed Project's 2009 and 2010 stakeholder workshops and related web sites. Please let us know if you have any questions, desire further information, or have additional information we can post here for sharing with others.The following links will take you straight to the section:
2010 Stakeholder Workshop
In May, 2010, CRWP convened a gathering of stakeholders and representatives from Alyeska and oversight agencies from the Joint Pipeline Office. The purpose of this workshops was to facilitate the exchange of information among stakeholders along the TAPS corridor, continue a dialogue on citizen concerns, and identify opportunities for engaging citizens in monitoring safe pipeline operations. Below are PDFs of the presentations, as well as the agenda and workshop notes. We hope to make recordings of these presentations available soon.
Workshop Materials
Presentations
- Alyeska Pipeline Service Company, Matt Carle, Alyeska
- Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Jerry Brossia, Joint Pipeline Office (JPO)
- Copper River Area Oil Spill Risk and Preparedness, Bonnie Friedman, BLM, JPO
- Congress Passes Acts Executive Agencies Administer Regulations, Mike Wrabetz, BLM, JPO
- Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration, Bill Flanders
- State Pipeline Coordinator's Office, Anne Browne
- Alaska Department of Fish & Game, Dennis Gnath, Division of Habitat, Joint Pipeline Office
- TAPS Legal Framework: Strengths and Weaknesses, Lois Epstein, LNE Engineering and Poli cy,
- TAPS Today: Trans-Alaska Pipeline System Operations and Management Issues and their Economic Drivers, Richard Fineberg, Fineberg Research
2009 Stakeholder Workshop
CRWP worked with Cascadia Wildlands to host a kick-off workshop in Valdez, March 10-11, 2009, at the Valdez Civic & Convention Center.
Workshop participants met over the course of two days to develop a list of stakeholder concerns regarding TAPS, strategies for engaging citizens in TAPS oversight, and a list of ACTION steps to be taken to engage citizens in the oversight of TAPS.
The following presentations were also included in the workshop:
- Gabe Scott, Cascadia Wildlands Project, review of Alyeska Contingency Plan provisions for the Copper River drainage;
- Dan Gilson, Prince William Sound Regional Citizens' Advisory Council, review of successes of PWS RCAC;
- Richard Fineberg, Fineberg Research, review of maintenance and safety concerns for TAPS;
- Peter VanTuyn, Legal framework for citizen oversight.
Recordings of these presentations are available by contacting Kate Alexander at the Copper River Watershed Project office. We hope to make recordings available on this website in the future.
Following you will find notes from the workshop, as well as background materials on TAPS and Citizen Oversight. Click on the name of the documents you want to download to your computer and downloading should automatically begin.
Workshop Materials:
- Scoping document for 2009 TAPS Stakeholder Workshop
- March, 2009 TAPS Stakeholder Workshop Press Release
- Updated Meeting Goals and Agenda
- Workshop notes
Government Agencies:
The Joint Pipeline Office is a consortium of federal and state agencies with jurisdiction over oil and gas pipeline operations. The JPO oversees the operation and maintenance of TAPS in a risk-based manner through the Comprehensive Monitoring Program (CMP). The CMP verifies compliance with the Grant/Lease and applicable State and Federal Laws and regulations for JPO agencies.
State Pipeline Coordinator's Office
The State Pipeline Coordinator's Office is responsible for the administration and oversight of pipeline right-of-way (ROW) leases issued under Alaska Statute AS 38.35, the "Alaska Right-of-Way Leasing Act". The SPCO Right of Way Section (for all Alaska oil and gas pipelines) includes the Lease Compliance Oversight Team and the Lease Administration Team.
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA):
Mission: "To ensure the safe, reliable, and environmentally sound operation of the Nation's pipeline transportation system." PHMSA verifies compliance with the Federal Pipeline Safety Code, 49 CFR 190-195.
