OPA 90 tasks Cook Inlet RCAC with providing advice and recommendations on policies, permits, and site-specific regulations relating to the operation and maintenance of oil terminal facilities and crude oil tankers. Through the years, Cook Inlet RCAC has reviewed hundreds of documents and provided subsequent recommendations on a wide range of issues including US Coast Guard rule makings, state and federal permits and regulations, environmental impact statements and assessments, lease sales, best interest findings, scientific sampling plans, and many other policies and practices. Several major accomplishments include:
- Reviewed National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits and was instrumental in seeing the requirements for a produced water discharge fate and effects study included for the most recent general oil and gas permit for Cook Inlet.
- Developed on-line database for entry of Discharge Monitoring Report data to provide summaries of pollutant loads entering Cook Inlet via various discharge streams.
- Provided detailed reviews of the Unified Plan – which is the Alaska Federal and State Preparedness Plan for Response to Oil and Hazardous Substance Discharges and Releases, including comments on appropriate Sub-area Contingency Plans.
- Actively participated on committees of the Alaska Regional Response Team to review and revise Dispersant and In Situ Burn Guidelines for Cook Inlet.
