Resolution 18-004 Supporting Adjudicatory Hearing Requested by PWSRCAC

CITY OF HOMER
HOMER, ALASKA

Aderhold

RESOLUTION 18-004
 

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF HOMER, ALASKA, SUPPORTING THE REQUEST FOR AN ADJUDICATORY HEARING BY THE PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND REGIONAL CITIZENS’ ADVISORY COUNCIL, PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND AQUACULTURE CORPORATION, AND THE CITY OF VALDEZ, ON THE ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION’S DECISION TO APPROVE AMENDMENTS TO THE VALDEZ MARINE TERMINAL OIL DISCHARGE PREVENTION AND CONTINGENCY PLAN.

WHEREAS, On October 23, 2017, the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) approved the Valdez Marine Terminal Contingency Plan (VMT C-Plan) that included changes to the Decision Matrix for determining whether to deploy protections for the Solomon Gulch Hatchery and Valdez Duck Flats during the early hours of an oil spill from the terminal. These changes make it much more difficult to trigger the deployment of boom to protect these areas early in a spill response; and

WHEREAS, The Prince William Sound Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council (PWSRCAC), the City of Valdez, and Prince William Sound Aquaculture Corporation (PWSAC), have filed for an adjudicatory hearing to request that the ADEC Commissioner reinstate the former Decision Matrix into the plan or modify the new Decision Matrix to require the immediate deployment of protective measures to these environmentally sensitive areas in the event of a spill; and 

WHEREAS, If the 2017 VMT C-Plan decision is not overturned or modified by the ADEC Commissioner during this adjudicatory hearing process, it is believed the commitment in the plan requiring the “immediate and rapid deployment of protective oil spill boom” for the Solomon Gulch hatchery and Valdez Duck Flats during an oil spill at the terminal has been removed; and

WHEREAS, This will put commercial, sport, and subsistence use fishing resources, and a highly productive biological area that provides habitat for a variety of waterfowl, small mammals, and marine mammals, at unnecessary risk of oil reaching these locations and causing both short and long-term damage; and

WHEREAS, While these changes impact the City of Valdez, they could set a precedence that, in time, will impact coastal communities throughout Alaska; and

WHEREAS, The desired outcome is the former Decision Matrix that has been in the plan for the last 20 years be retained, or the new Decision Matrix be modified to require the immediate deployment of protective measures to environmentally sensitive areas in the event of a spill.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of Homer, Alaska, supports the request for an Adjudicatory Hearing by the Prince William Sound Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council, Prince William Sound Aquaculture Corporation, and the City of Valdez, on the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation’s Decision to Approve Amendments to the Valdez Marine Terminal Oil Discharge Prevention and Contingency Plan.

PASSED AND ADOPTED by the City Council of Homer, Alaska, this 8th day of January, 2018.

                                                                                                                CITY OF HOMER

                                                                                                                ___________________________________

                                                                                                                DONNA ADERHOLD, MAYOR PRO TEMPORE

ATTEST:

________________________________

MELISSA JACOBSEN, MMC, CITY CLERK

Fiscal Note: N/A