Fisheries and Conservation News from the Pacific
Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations and the Insititute
for Fisheries Resources
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OIL AND TOXIC SPILL DAMAGE RESTORATION FUNDING AT
RISK IN US CONGRESS -- SUPPORT LETTERS NEEDED BEFORE
MARKUP SCHEDULED JUNE 11TH
The US Congress is now considering major cuts in the 1997 National
Oceans and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) federal budget for its
"Damage Assessment and Restoration Program (DARP)." This program is
responsible for assessing the damage from oil and toxic chemical spills to
inland, coastal and marine resources. The program needs $6 million/year
to function, but was given only $1.2 million in the FY 1996 Congressional
appropriation, with NO specific funding for restoration planning at all.
Now the whole budget for this program is threatened with similar severe
cuts and possible elimination by Congressional interests who are hostile to
its efforts to hold major polluters financially responsible for the damages
they do to natural resources, such as rivers, estuaries and wetlands.
Under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and
Liability Act (CERCLA or "Superfund") and the Oil Pollution Act of 1990
(OPA), NOAA serves as a natural resource trustee for marine and coastal
resources on behalf of the public. NOAA's trust resources include
commercial and recreational fisheries, marine mammals, and all coastal and
marine habitats. The DARP program is directed to ensure that these trust
resources are restored as quickly as possible and the public is compensated
for the loss of natural resources from the time of the injury until
restoration
is completed. DARP often provides technical and legal support and
training to states and other federal agencies in order to make sure
restoration happens as quickly as possible.
This is an extremely cost effective program, returning far more money in
collected damages and restoration payments than its annual budget. It also
ties to work cooperatively with the responsible parties to get speedy
restoration, which helps minimize the economic dislocation to the
recreational and commercial fishing industry and to the general public,
helps eliminate waste and minimizes the need for later ligitation.
DARP CURRENT FUNDING IS NOT ADEQUATE: The lack of
consistent and adequate funding is eating into the program's effectiveness.
The number of sites they can deal with has been sharply reduced. Vitally
important restoration work has been slowed. DARP's ability to provide
needed technical assistance to states has been diminished. Due to budget
constraints, sites where coastal resources have been injured by the release
of oil or other hazardous materials cannot be addressed, and their efforts to
innovate and develop better natural resource damage assessment and
restoration techniques is being compromised. The result is an ongoing loss
of natural resources and the consequent impacts on these ecosystems and
the industries and fishing communities that are dependent upon them.
The FY 1996 Administation Budget proposed $6 million in appropriations
for DARP: $4.5 million funding to support the Damage Assessment Center
and $1.5 to support the Restoration Center in the National Marine
Fisheries Service of NOAA. Unfortunately, the FY 1996 Congressional
appropriation only included $1.2 million for damage assessment, with no
specific funding at all for restoration planning.
For the FY 1997 Budget, the Administration's Budget requests only $3.2
million for damage assessment activities and $1.5 million for restoration
planning. This is not enough for this critical program, and Congress is
likely to cut much or most of that. FY 1997 funding levels should be
restored back to the original $6 million levels of the FY 1996
Administration Budget to keep this important program fully operational.
Without additional funding in FY 1997, these cleanup programs will be
crippled and there is a real risk the whole program will be phased out by
FY 1998.
TIMELINE FOR APPROPRIATIONS: The first stop for this
appropriations is the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce,
Justice, State and Judiciary. SUBCOMMITTEE MARKUP IS
SCHEDULED FOR TUESDAY, JUNE 11TH. LETTERS AND CALLS
ARE URGENTLY NEEDED BY THAT DATE.
EXAMPLES OF DARP CLEANUP EFFORTS: In addition to many
coastal cleanup sites, the DARP program also is dealing with some very
serious problems in the Great Lakes and several Superfund sites inland,
such as pollution from old mining tailings that are threatening Idaho
salmon. The program is truly nationwide, and protects the integrity of all
the waters of the nation as well as all of its fish resources.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP PROTECT CLEANUPS: Letters or
calls (all area codes (202)) should go right away to:
The Honorable Harold Rogers (KY)
Chair, Appropriations Subcommittee on
Commerce, Justice, State and Judiciary
Room H-309, U.S. Capitol Building
US House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202)225-3351 FAX:(202)225-3598
with copies to the other Subcommittee members as follows:
Room Number Phone
Fax
Members: Jim Kolbe (AZ) 205 Cannon 225-2542 225-0378
Charles H. Taylor (NC) 231 Cannon 225-6401 None
Ralph Regula (OH) 2309 Russell 225-3876
225-3059
Michael Forbes (NY) 502 Cannon 225-3826
225-3143
Alan Mollohan (WV) 2427 Russell 225-4172
225-7564
David Skaggs (CO) 1124 Longworth 225-2161 226-3806
Julian Dixon (CA) 2252 Russell 225-7084
225-4091
and to the Appropriations Committee Chairman:
The Honorable Bob Livingston (LA)
Chair, House Appropriations Committee
Room H-218, U.S. Capitol
US House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202)225-3351 Fax: (202)225-3598
with a copy to the Ranking Minority Member of the full Committee:
David R. Obey (WI) 2462 Russell 225-3365 No fax
The purpose of the letter should be stated in the first paragraph and, if
possible, keep the letter to one page. If you know any of the members of
their staff, include a cover letter with a memo of your own to them.
Relating specific experiences is always very helpful.
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SAMPLE LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR THIS FUNDING
The Hon. Representative Bob Livingston 4 June 1996
Chairman, House Appropriations Committee
Room H-218, Capitol Building
US House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Chairman Livingston:
As you know, the Damage Assessment and Restoration Program (DARP)
within NOAA restores coastal and marine resources which have been injured
by accidental spills of oil and other hazardous substances under CERCLA and
the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA). NOAA serves as the natural resource
trustee for coastal and marine resources on behalf of the public. The DARP
program assures that damaged resources are restored as quickly as possible,
thus minimizing job losses and dislocation to our industry and to the many
coastal communities the commercial fishing industry helps support around the
nation. However, in order to protect this nation's fisheries the DARP
program must be adequately funded to remain viable and effective.
The FY 1996 Administration Budget proposed $6 million for DARP: $4.5
million funding to support the Damage Assessment Center and $1.5 million
to support the Restoration Center in the National Marine Fisheries Service.
However, the FY 1996 Congressional appropriation only included $1.2
million for damage assessment and no specific funding for restoration
planning, thus putting many important restoration programs at risk. Lack
of consistent and adequate funding is threatening the program's ability to
accomplish recovery goals quickly, which in turn threatens the economic
future of many of the nation's fisheries.
We therefore ask you to restore funding for this important program
back to levels originally proposed by the Administration in its FY 1996
Budget -- a total of $6 million for DARP distributedas follows: $4.5
million to the Damage Assessment Center and $1.5 million to support the
Restoration Center.
This is an extremely cost effective program which annually recovers far
more in damages than its relatively small appropriation. Furthermore, speedy
resource recovery planning and action, in close cooperation with responsible
parties and both state and federal agencies involved, provides much needed
and timely technical support which actually helps to minimize litigation and
waste.
The U.S. ocean commercial fishing alone is a $50 billion industry
supporting more than 700,000 jobs. Marine and coastal resources are the
lifeblood of our industry and the thousands of commercial fishermen which
PCFFA (as the largest organization of commercial fishermen on the west
coast) represents coastwide from San Diego to Alaska. An active and fully
funded program to restore coastal and marine resources which have been
damaged due to accidental spills is in the national interests and protects
jobs
in every coastal state.
When it comes to the speedy restoration of damaged coastal and marine
resources, Congress cannot afford to be penny wise and pound foolish.
Adequate funding for this extremely cost effective program can help restore
damaged fisheries as quickly as possible, which ultimately will save hundreds
of millions of dollars down the road as well as help avoid endless litigation
and
waste.
Please support this vitally important restoration and recovery program.
Sincerely,
GHS/lt Glen H. Spain
Enc: Similar letters to: for PCFFA
Chairman and Members of the House Appropriations Subcommittee
on Commerce, Justice, State and Judiciary
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Fax a copy also to the DARP Program office at (301)713-4387. For more
information about the DARP Program you can call their number and ask them
at: (301)713-3038 in Silver Springs, MD.
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