Japan Tsunami Marine Debris

Japan Tsunami Marine Debris

Actions taken by EPA Regions 9 and 10 and our Federal, State, and local partners to prepare for potential impacts

from the tsunami debris

Region 9 RRTJune 28, 2012

EPA Region 9 Marine Debris Strategy

Water Division

Treatment and control of water into waterways Land-Based

Prevention

Ocean Assessment & Cleanup

Land-Based Reduction

Waste Division

Reduce waste generated upstream by promoting source reduction practices

and product stewardship

Superfund Division

Assessment of nature and extent of marine debris in North Pacific

and clean-up

Outreach &

Partnering

US EPA REGION 9- Marine Debris Program

West Coast and Hawaiian Island Tsunami Debris Planning

•Overview of what we know and what we don’t know regarding the nature, location and movement of the Japan tsunami marine debris

•Efforts to date:• Collaboration among Federal and State agencies• Over flight in the vicinity of Midway Atoll• Inter Agency Joint Information Center website

•Development of debris assessment, notification and cleanup guidelines

•Benefits and next steps


9.0 magnitude earthquake

217 square miles inundation

Japanese Ministry of the Environment estimates that 5 million tons of debris washed into the ocean. ~70% sunk leaving ~1.5 mil tons floating debris

March 11, 2011


Tsunami Debris – soon after

Photo of the debris washed out to sea from the Japan tsunami soon after the event. The quantity, type and location of tsunami debris still floating is unknown. Debris washing up on shore may consist of drums, boats, tanks, cylinders, and tires.


Courtesy US Navy Pacific Fleet

After every storm event, a surge of marine debris washes on shore throughout beaches in the Hawaiian Islands and along most beaches in the world. Plastic is estimated to make up 60% to 80% of marine debris. Photo Credit: NOAA

US EPA REGION 9- Marine Debris ProgramLand- and Ocean-based trash

•By the end of April 2011, commercial satellites could no longer find the debris field

•Best estimates of debris movement relied on University of Hawaii and NOAA models, which are models of currentsthat do not account for drag and buoyancy characteristicsof debris and the effect of wind and wave action

•EPA convened multi-agency workgroup in Honolulu in June 2011

•MARAD notice issued in September 2011

• Increased collaboration with USFWS and NOAA at Midway Atoll since October 2011


Hoisting up to the Pallada, a Japanese boat registered to the Fukishima prefecture.The boat was discovered, along with other debris, in the North Pacific 300 miles NW of Midway Atoll

September 21 – 28, 2011 Image courtesy of the Pallada


USCG C-130 Aircraft preparing 01/17/12 for over flight in the vicinity of Midway Atoll. Observers

from USEPA, NOAA and USFWS on board flight.


Approximately 1000 miles: Distance from Sand Island at Midway to anticipated edge of Tsunami Debris estimated in December 2011 and most likely to impact Midway.

Hawaiian Islands

Midway Islandsx

Over flight to search for debris


Over flight to search for debris – debris field est. 1000 miles out from Midway


Midway Atoll on approach to land on 01/17/12

3 mil nesting birds –nighttime landingonly

Recent Tsunami Debris Sighting Areas

404 sightings of potential tsunami debris – 9 confirmed

Inter Agency Collaboration in CA

EPA R9 and Cal/EPA met with NOAA, USCG, NPS and CA State and local emergency response agencies met in February to prepare for potential tsunami debris impacts on CA


• Cal EPA and EPA Region 9 formed a Multi Agency Coordination Group (MAC-G)

• In March, EPA R9 worked with CA State, R10, and USCG to develop guidelines for:

• tsunami debris contamination assessment• notifications • volunteer beach cleanup

• The guidelines have been distributed to first responders for all CA State, county and local agencies and to beach clean up entities.

• Also to R10 states, HI, and BC, as well as NOAA , USCG, Navy, and other inter agency partners. These are posted on the JIC website (next).


Cal Emergency Management Agency, in collaboration with EPA, NOAA, and inter agency partners created a “one-stop shop” website with tsunami debris related information and linked websites.

It’s a collaborative portal for information and resources for CA, HI, OR, WA, AK, BC, NOAA and EPA and can be accessed at http://disasterdebris.wordpress.com/.

Some of the tools on the website:

s

Japan Tsunami Marine Debris Joint Information Center One-Stop Shop for Official Public Information and Helpful Resources from Government Agencies


http://disasterdebris.wordpress.com/






Japanese Cylinder ID Chart

Japanese Boat Identification

• Coordination between R10 Ocean Dumping Program, ER, and USCG in the event of another “ghost ship”

- important for USCG to understand EPA regulatory authorities.


EPA Region 10 JMTD Program

164-foot Japanese “ghost ship” Ryou-Un Maru found 03/21/12 off the coast of British Columbia.

• Region 10 states are developing hazardous debris contingency plans with EPA and USCG input

- Vast and remote shoreline presents challenges- Difficult to protect sparse population


EPA Region 10 JMTD Program

On 04/18/12 a hiker discovered a Harley Davidson motorcycle in a container washed up on Haida Gwaii.

• Cape Disappointment State Park, WA on June 15• Boat was assessed for hazmat and radiation

• Est. 10,000 boats washed away during the tsunami

Japanese Fishing Boat Washed Ashore

The Dock

• Came ashore June 4 on Agate Beach, Newport, OR • Made of concrete, Styrofoam, and steel• 1 of 4 fishing docks swept away (2nd one just found off HI)• 66 ft. long, 19 ft. wide, 7 ft. high• covered with thriving Asian aquatic organisms• tested for radiation and hazmat – none• navigational hazard• should have been able to spot it at sea?

• Guidelines for notification and assessment of potentially hazardous materials and/or radioactive contamination are in place extending along the entire North American West Coast, from Alaska to California, including British Columbia, as well as the Hawaiian Islands.

• These guidelines and the response coordination that has been developed will be useful in the event of any large emergency impacting the Western U.S.


Beyond Tsunami Debris Preparation

• Response has created great opportunities for improved collaboration

• Agencies include EPA, USCG, Navy, DOI (FWS and NPS), State Department, Department of Commerce (NOAA), States, and British Columbia

US EPA REGION 9- Marine Debris ProgramBenefits:

Next Steps: Outreach

• NPS, State, County park agencies, tribes Recon

• Navy and USCG over flights and ship scouting in SPAs

• Coastal Zone Current Monitoring (CODAR)

Response Coordination• Activate the CA MAC-G and other response

coordination entities should the need arise

Region 9

Dan Meer. 415. 972. 3132Anna-Marie Cook. 415.972.3029John Kennedy. 415. 947.4129Bill Robberson. 415.972.3072

Region 10

Chris Field. 206.553.1674Calvin Terada. 206.553.2141Josie Clark. 206.553.6239Dale Becker. 206.553.6235


Contacts

Coastal Zone

• USCG is the lead for OPA and CERCLA response actions in the Coastal Zone

• http://epamap35.epa.gov/jba/default.html

Hawaii, Contaminated Debris Sites

Petaluma Precedent

A Submerged Three Car Garage

Federal Authorities to Address Aquatic Debris

• Rivers & Harbors Act of 1899 (RHA) created the Federal removal authority (Army Corps of Engineers) under Section 19 of the Act, 33 U.S.C. § 414:

• “The Corps” has the authority to remove sunken vessels and other obstructions from “navigable channels” under RHA :

► those waters that are subject to the ebb and flow of the tide and/or are presently used, or have been used in the past, or may be susceptible for use to transport …commerce. …applies over the entire surface of the waterbody... 33 U.S.C. §§ 409, 414 -15.

• The Corps’ authority to remove obstructions from navigable has been upheld by the courts, even from shallow or seldom-used waterways. Generally applied discretion in authority to “federally maintained channels”.

EPA & Coast Guard NCP Duties & Jurisdiction

• CERCLA 104 and CWA 311 response authority is delegated to USCG OSCs (Captains of the Port or COTPs) and EPA Federal On-Scene Coordinators. Under Section 311(c)(2) of CWA, if the discharge or threat of discharge poses a substantial threat to the public health or welfare, the FOSC shall direct all actions to remove the discharge or to mitigate or prevent the threat of discharge.

• The USCG is responsible for the removal of oil discharges and hazardous substance releases that occur in the coastal zone. EPA is responsible for the emergency removal of oil, pollutants, hazardous materials and their containers from inland zones.

• Two limitations on the Coast Guard OSC’s delegated authority: (1) The OSC may not “summarily remove or destroy a vessel;” and (2) The OSC may not take “any other action that constitutes intervention under CERCLA.” 33 C.F.R. § 1.01-70(g)(1) and (2) (CG commandant must authorize).

Marine Debris Writ Large

Federal Pollution Response Authorities are a Solution to Addressing Marine Debris

• MD should be addressed at Sites where debris poses an imminent threat human health and the environment in U.S. Waters.

• “Environmental” authorities that come through the NCP should be applied to the problem as appropriate.

• At least 3 Federal Agencies, including EPA, have authority and capability to remove and Marine Debris as defined. Some State authority as well.

► Precedents include off-shore debris in 1987 NJ coast and 2006 Hurricane Katrina

• Enhanced Federal, State and Local response coordination in CA on this issue is a success waiting to happen.

Japan Tsunami Marine Debris

Documents