COAST GUARD. ADEQUACY OF PREPARATION AND RESPONSE TO EXXON VALDEZ OIL SPILL

This report responds to Congressional requests for a review of how well the Coast Guard was carrying out its environmental responsibilities, with special attention to the issues related to the Exxon Valdez oil spill that occurred on March 24, 1989. The spill released more than 10 million gallons of crude oil into Alaska's Prince William Sound. The response was clearly inadequate to contain and recover the spilled oil. Major problems were encountered because no one had realistically prepared to deal with a spill of that magnitude in Prince William Sound, and we may be similarly unprepared elsewhere in the nation. One important reason for this state of national unpreparedness is that there is no single designated leader or authority to ensure that preparations are adequate. The Exxon Valdez and other recent spill experiences have also raised concern about the capability of current oil spill containment and recovery technology. Attention needs to be drawn as well to the risks associated with transporting other types of hazardous cargo over water. Furthermore, the nation's limited ability to deal with a spill of the Exxon Valdez magnitude indicates a need for greater emphasis on the prevention of such spills. Therefore, the improvement of prevention measures needs to be a priority. The multitude of options for preventing and responding more effectively to oil spills that are surfacing since the Exxon Valdez and other recent spills seems to indicate a strong desire to reduce the risks associated with oil spills. As the nation decides on the best course of action, it will be important to provide leadership to avoid a scattered approach that leaves the nation little better than it was before. It will also be necessary to consider various options to increase funding if the nation's level of protection is, in fact, to be raised.

• Record URL:
  • http://www.gao.gov/docdblite/summary.php?recflag=&rptno=RCED-90-44
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Report to Congressional Requesters.
• Corporate Authors:

  U.S. General Accounting Office

  441 G Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20548
• Publication Date: 1989-10

Media Info

• Features: Appendices;
• Pagination: 24 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crude oil; Disaster preparedness; Disasters and emergency operations; Environmental protection; Finance; Financing; Hazardous materials; Hazards; Leadership; Oil spills; Prevention; Risk assessment; Spills (Pollution); Strategic planning; Technology; Water transportation
• Identifier Terms: United States Coast Guard
• Old TRIS Terms: Oil spillage; Spillage
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Environment; Finance; Highways; Marine Transportation; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00490535
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: GAO/RCED-90-44
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 31 1990 12:00AM