Two US experts and a local one in oil spill dispersion have been added to the recently-formed National Environmental Assessment Task Force which is dealing with the December oil spill at La Brea, Environment and Water Resources Minister Ganga Singh said yesterday. The spill occurred in several parts of the area from December 17 to 26, necessitating an emergency response to protect human health and the environment. It was reported that 2,000 barrels of oil were recovered as a result of clean-up efforts.
State-owned Petrotrin was found to be in breach of the Environmental Management Act and was fined $20 million which will be used towards assessment, remediation and rehabilitation of the affected areas. The task force was subsequently launched to assess the impact and current state of the environment as a result of the spill, with emphasis on potential effects in the Gulf of Paria waters.
As well as making recommendations on the situation the force’s 17-point mandate includes establishing a monitoring programme and identifying studies needed to rehabilitate the affected areas. The ten-member force, headed by Dr Allan Bachan, head of the Environmental Management Authority, received instruments of appointment last week. In a statement to the Senate yesterday, Singh said three other experts would supplement the team.
They include a local representative with expertise in offshore transport and fate of oil/oil spill dispersion modelling, as well as an international representative with expertise in restoration and rehabilitation activities related to oil spills. The latter person will come from the US Fish and Wildlife Agency. The third expert will be an international representative with expertise in oilfield safety and management to assist with the development of guidelines for risk mitigation which will enhance the environmental regulatory permitting processes.
That person will come from the US Environmental Protection Agency. Singh said the force’s first report was expected in approximately three months. He added: “Government is very cognisant of the fact that spilled oil poses serious threats to the aquatic environment and affects surface resources and a wide range of sub-surface organisms that are linked in a complex food chain that includes human food resources.
“Spilled oil and certain clean-up operations can cause harm to different types of marine habitats in different ways. “For example, tidal flats usually containing rich plant, animal and bird communities can be adversely affected by the deposited oil which may seep into the muddy bottom of the flats, creating potentially harmful effects on the area’s ecology. “Also mangrove forests, home to a diversity of plant and animal life, have long roots that stick out well above water level.
“These grow very, very slowly and a coating of oil on this will take a very long time to recover, adversely affecting numerous species,” he said.