International Expert Concludes Rapid Assessment of Lebanon Oil Spill ٍExtensive injury, requires serious response and in depth damage assessment
Beirut, 23 August 2006
As a result of a rapid assessment mission over the past 10 days, an environmental scientist from Alaska has concluded that the Lebanon Oil Spill has caused extensive injury to the near shore environment of Lebanon. Rick Steiner, a professor at the University of Alaska Marine Advisory Program and Member of the Commission on Environmental Economic and Social Policy of IUCN, who has been in Lebanon to conduct a rapid assessment of the spill, was also advising the Lebanese Ministry of Environment (MoE), on behalf of the World Conservation Union (IUCN) and Green Line. “It appears that the marine and coastal ecosystem is more contaminated than first thought” said Steiner, who has advised on several oil spills throughout the world, including the Exxon Valdez (Alaska), Braer (Scotland), the Niger Delta, and Tasman Spirit (Pakistan). Contrary to early computer models regarding how the spill might spread, it is now apparent that much of the oil actually sunk to the near shore seabed, much beached, some is still floating offshore of Lebanon, and some drifted north towards the Syrian and Turkish waters. The environmental damage from this spill will be assessed by a methodical Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) programme, directed by the MoE and the National Center for Marine Sciences of the National Council for Scientific Research. Steiner drafted the Phase I NRDA Plan, which has been approved by the Minister of Environment. As well, Professor Steiner was asked to draft the Spill Cleanup Plan which was approved by the Minister of Environment yesterday. The Cleanup plan calls for a rapid response phase (remainder of August) focusing on shoreline cleanup on several sandy beach segments (Jbeil, Ramlet el Baida, Jiyeh, and Palm Island Nature Reserve). The mid-term / long-term plan (remainder of 2006 / 2007) calls for expanded beach cleanup including rock washing, an offshore response to remove any recoverable concentrations of oil on the sea surface, and a sea bed assessment and response effort. ‘This may be the first attempt in history to mount a significant recovery effort on sea bed oil, but it seems not only possible, it seems very necessary.’ Steiner has recommended a full underwater survey of the Lebanese coast with towed Remote Observing Vehicles (ROVs) to assess the extent of sea bed oiling. “The priorities at this point are to minimize further environmental damage as much as possible by recovering as much oil as possible; assess the environmental injury; and then to formulate a restoration programme that will provide long-lasting environmental benefit to the marine and coastal environment of Lebanon and the eastern Mediterranean Sea”, said Steiner. From its side, Green Line emphasized on the urgency of the cleanup operations especially after a delay of about one month. Huge quantities of spilled oil formed layers within the sand and thick crusts on rocky beaches. Despite significant international efforts, little direct input in terms of funds and cleanup operations came out. It is imperative that the government puts together an operational task force from the relevant ministries i.e. Ministries of Environment, Public works and Transport, Agriculture, Health, Finance and Scientific Authorities such as the National Council for Scientific Research and provide it with enough financial and human resources. While NGOs are a driving force and a supporter in such actions, it is strictly a governmental relief task against a disaster that affects directly some 30,000 families in their livelihoods, besides the health of the citizens who frequently go the sea and consume its products. The fact that the large quantities of oil have settled on the seabed renders the impact on fisheries even worse and thus the impact on human health. At this point Green Line will continue to monitor the situation and contribute to the cleanup within the available resources.
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