[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 30 (Thursday, February 13, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6793-6794]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-3588]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Office of the Secretary
Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Public Advisory Group Charter
AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Renewal of the Public Advisory Group Charter--Exxon
Valdez Oil Spill.
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SUMMARY: This notice is published in accordance with 41 CFR Part 101-6,
section 101-6.1015(a), Committee establishment, reestablishment, or
renewal.
Following the recommendation and approval of the Exxon Valdez Oil
Spill Trustee Council, the Secretary of the Interior hereby renews the
Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Public Advisory Group Charter to continue for
two years, to October 22, 1998.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Douglas Mutter, Department of the
Interior, Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance, 1689 ``C''
Street, Suite 119, Anchorage, Alaska, (907) 271-5011.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On March 24, 1989, the T/V Exxon Valdez ran
aground on Bligh Reef in Prince William Sound in Alaska spilling
approximately 11 million gallons of North Slope crude oil. Oil moved
into the Gulf of Alaska, along the Kenai coast to Kodiak Island and the
Alaska Peninsula--some 600 miles from Bligh Reef. Massive clean-up and
containment efforts were initiated and continue to 1992. On October 8,
1991, an agreement was approved by the United States District Court for
the District of Alaska that settled claims of the United States and the
State of Alaska against the Exxon Corporation and the Exxon Shipping
Company for various criminal and civil violations. Under the civil
settlement, Exxon companies agreed to pay to the governments $900
million over a period of 10 years.
The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council was established to
manage the funds obtained from the civil settlement of the Exxon Valdez
Oil Spill. The Trustee Council is composed of three State of Alaska
trustees (Attorney General; Commissioner, Department of Environmental
Conservation; and Commissioner, Department of Fish and Game) and three
Federal representatives appointed by the Federal Trustees (Secretary,
U.S. Department of Agriculture; the Administrator of the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and the Secretary, U.S.
Department of the Interior).
The Public Advisory Group was created by Paragraph V.A.4 of the
Memorandum of Agreement and Consent Decree entered into by the United
States of America and the State of Alaska on August 27, 1991 and
approved by the United States District Court for the District of Alaska
in settlement of United States of America v. State of Alaska, Civil
Action No. A91-081 CV. The Public Advisory Group was chartered by the
Secretary of the Interior on October 23, 1992 and functions solely as
an advisory body, and in compliance with the provisions of the Federal
Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App. (1988).
The Public Advisory Group was established to advise the Trustee
Council, and began functioning in October 1992. The Public Advisory
[[Page 6794]]
Group consists of 17 members representing the following principal
interests: sport hunting and fishing, environmental, public-at-large
(5), recreation users, local government, science/academic,
conservation, subsistence, commercial fishing, aquaculture, commerical
tourism, forest products, and Native landowners. Members were appointed
to serve a two-year term.
To carry out its advisory role, the Advisory Group makes
recommendations, to, and advises, the Trustee Council in Alaska on the
following matters:
All decisions related to injury assessment, restoration
activities, or other use of natural resource damage recovery monies
obtained by the government, including all decisions regarding:
a. Planning, evaluation and allocation of available funds;
b. Planning, evaluation and conduct of injury assessment; and
c. Planning, evaluation and conduct of restoration activities.
Trustee Council intentions regarding the importance of obtaining a
diversity of viewpoints is stated in the Public Advisory Group
Background and Guidelines (March 1993, updated June 1994): ``The
Trustee Council intends that the Public Advisory Group be established
as an important component of the Council's public involvement
process.'' The Council continues, stating their desire that ``* * * a
wide spectrum of views and interest are available for the Council to
consider as it evaluates, develops, and implements restoration
activities. It is the Council's intent that the diversity of interests
and views held by the Public Advisory Group members contribute to wide
ranging discussions that will be of benefit to the Trustee Council.''
In order to ensure that a broad range of public viewpoints
continues to be available to the Trustee Council, and in keeping with
the settlement agreement, the Public Advisory Group is being renewed
for another two-year period.
Certification
I hereby certify that the renewal of the Charter of the Public
Advisory Group, an advisory committee to make recommendations to and
advise the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council in Alaska, is
necessary and in the public interest in connection with the performance
of duties mandated by the settlement of United States v. State of
Alaska, No. A91-081 CV, and is in accordance with the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, as
amended and supplemented.
Dated: January 28, 1997.
Bruce Babbit,
Secretary of the Interior.
[FR Doc. 97-3588 Filed 2-12-97; 8:45 am]
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