Attached are existing policy positions and resolutions relating to emergency preparedness.

Below is a copy of the current GLC policy position, with initial edits made by Tom Crane. (To view these edits, please refer the Word document provided under the "Attachments" tab)

Task Force members should use the "Edit" tab above to provide their own edits to the position statement.

Additional comments can be provided using the "Add Comment" at the bottom of this page.

Emergency Preparedness: GLC Policy Position

Issue Overview

The Great Lakes region produces, refines and transports substantial quantities of oil, natural gas and hazardous materials. Extensive development of these energy sources and their transportation creates the potential for a spill with significant consequences. The much-publicized spills in the Gulf of Mexico and in Marshall, Michigan in 2010 have refocused attention on theGreat Lake - St. Lawrence River region's level of preparedness and ability to  respond to and prevent oil and hazardous material spills. The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River are highly vulnerable to spills from both ships and land-based facilities. The Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River are a relatively closed freshwater system; a series of large lakes with long retention times. The basin is a fragile, highly sensitive ecosystem that includes a thriving sport fishery and some of the most productive freshwater wetlands in the world. These facts, coupled with the added difficulties in containing spills under ice or spills of water-soluble toxics, accentuatethe vulnerability of these precious water resources. A spill of any magnitude has the potential to create significant environmental, human health, and economicharm.

GLC Position

In 1989, the Great Lakes Commission formed an Emergency Preparedness Task Force comprised of representatives from state, provincial and federal agencies. This Task Force prepared a report for the Commission in 1990 which presented a policy position statement with findings and recommendations. The recommendations were subsequently adopted by the Commission and included actions that address the individual and collective response capabilities of Great Lakes jurisdictions; U.S. federal role in Great Lakes spill planning/response; data collection and inventory needs; research, technology and education needs; and vessel safety. The Task Force report and policy statement is available online at: http://www.glc.org/policy/documents/EmergencyPreparednessPrograms-Sept1990.pdf.

The Commission, in adopting the Task Force report and recommendations, support continuation and expansion of programs and adequate funding levels at all appropriate levels of government to ensure full and effective implementation of existing planning, regulatory, enforcement, inspection, monitoring and response capabilities. Federal, regional, state and provincial contingency plans should be reviewed and revised, as needed, to ensure that the unique requirements of the Great Lakes - St. Lawrence River system are taken into consideration by these plans.

The Commission supports a Great Lakes Spill Response Network or equivalent mechanism to coordinate planning activities for anticipating, responding to, and preventing oil and hazardous material spills on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River. At least one federally-supported (U.S.) spill response center should be established within the Great Lakes basin. This response center should provide technical information to the response and regulated communities, as well as general information on spill prevention and response.

The Commission supports the improvement of spill risk assessment by enhancing the quality, uniformity and consistency of data collected and maintained by the U.S. federal government regarding the type, mode and volume of spills. To do so, the U.S. EPA and the U.S. Coast Guard, with the advice and assistance of the Great Lakes states and industry, should develop and implement uniform and consistent standards for the data that are currently provided related to oil spill events. This effort must not be viewed as a mandate for additional data collection or reporting requirements for industry.

The Commission endorses federal governments, with the advice and assistance of the Great Lakes states and provinces, taking a leadership role in promoting and funding both the development of new technologies for spill response, and basic research that can help assess and minimize the environmental, human health, fish, wildlife and botanical habitat, and economic damages associated with a spill event. Special attention should be given to technologies to address freshwater, under-ice, and water soluble toxic spills. Means to minimize the use and handling of toxics in situations that pose potential spill threats should also be considered.

The Commission opposes the relaxation of regulations that may compromise the safety of vessel transits and increase the likelihood of spill incidents. The two federal governments, acting through their respective Coast Guards, as appropriate, should continue to review and make recommendations in the areas of construction standards for vessels transporting oil and hazardous materials (e.g. double bottoms); the need for shipboard oil spill response equipment; sources and means to reduce human error factors in spill incidents (e.g. training); and programs for effective drug and alcohol testing and treatment.