The Spill Next Time

Even with almost miraculous cooperation from nature, and the proximity to major port facilities, the early containment and cleanup response to the oil spill from the tanker American Trader was inadequate. The incident dramatized the need for strong state and federal legislation to guarantee adequate contingency plans, establish clear authority and provide for an immediate response with appropriate technology. Such legislation, now before both the Congress and the state Legislature, must be passed.

On Wednesday, the lack of the right equipment and possible poor judgment delayed the sort of action that is so critical immediately following a spill. When the boom that was supposed to contain the oil was finally deployed around the tanker, it was virtually useless. By late Friday, only 7% of the approximately 300,000 gallons of spilled crude had been recovered.

And, state officials say, the skimmers that were supposed to sweep up the oil were not designed to contain the light crude that spilled near Huntington Beach. The proper technology--a Navy fuel-oil skimmer from Stockton--did not arrive for two days.

Further, there seemed to be a critical lost opportunity in getting the ship encircled even though a boom was on hand right there at the mooring point. Deployment was delayed two hours while the American Trader was moved farther out to sea, a state expert said.

Proposed legislation nearing passage in Congress would vastly improve oil-spill planning, cleanup and--most important of all--accident prevention. In Sacramento, a bill sponsored by Assemblyman Ted Lempert (D-San Mateo) would establish a state oil-spill office with clear authority to act, replacing the interagency committee that now has this responsibility. The bill would require contingency plans and frequent testing of those plans. It would make the most modern containment and cleanup equipment readily available and provide for the money to pay for spill-disaster operations.

The Exxon Valdez demonstrated the need for such legislation. Despite the helping hand from Mother Nature this time, the truth is that the American Trader showed there is no more time to waste.