Reestablish the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Advisory Committee

Testing the agency’s case

What the agency argues, and whether its own record backs it

1

Holds up

5

Not backed yet

• Purpose and needNot backed yetNo other advisory body or federal source can give the Trustee Council the advice this committee gives.

  The Supplementary Information section says the 1991 Consent Decree that created the Trustee Council also required a public advisory group to advise it. The Public Interest Determination calls this committee the Trustee Council's sole advisory body. Its ten seats cover a specific mix of interests, from commercial fishing to subsistence and native land ownership. The committees in item 4 are listed only as Interior advisory committees. None is described as advising the Trustee Council, which also includes the Department of Agriculture, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and three State of Alaska trustees. The notice doesn't compare those committees to this one directly, but nothing in the text suggests any of them could meet the decree's requirement.

  The agency’s words, the record +Hide the words

  The agency says

  “There is no equivalent body of advisers empaneled to address the specific set of issues the Committee is tasked with, or to assist the Trustee Council with the specific subject matter by providing consensus, group advice.”

  Public Interest Determination

  Elsewhere in the same document

  “The Committee serves the public interest as the sole advisory body to the Trustee Council by providing expertise and professional knowledge essential to the Trustee Council in decisions regarding administration of these funds.”

  Public Interest Determination

• Purpose and needNot backed yetOver more than 30 years, the committee has successfully advised the Trustee Council on funding, injury assessments, restoration, monitoring and research.

  The October 1992 start date supports the claim of more than 30 years of service. But the notice only names broad topics. It gives no specific recommendation, meeting count, or decision the Trustee Council made because of the committee's advice, so this text doesn't show that the advice succeeded.

  The agency’s words, the record +Hide the words

  The agency says

  “Specifically, the Committee has successfully advised the Trustee Council in decisions regarding planning, evaluation and allocation of available funds; planning, evaluation and conduct of injury assessments; restoration activities; long term monitoring; and research activities.”

  Public Interest Determination

  Elsewhere in the same document

  “The Committee has provided consistent expertise and consolidated advice to the Trustee Council for over 30 years.”

  Public Interest Determination

• Purpose and needNot backed yetThe Trustee Council's management of the spill funds for resource recovery, research and monitoring greatly benefits the public.

  The notice explains that the Trustee Council manages the civil settlement funds and names its six federal and state members. It gives no figures on how much money remains, what restoration has done, or which injured resources have or haven't recovered. That leaves the claim of tremendous public benefit without data in this text.

  The agency’s words +Hide the words

  The agency says

  “Trustee Council administration of Exxon Valdez oil spill funds dedicated to the recovery of resources injured by the oil spill, as well as long term research and monitoring, are of tremendous public benefit.”

  Public Interest Determination

• Show 2 more claims +Show fewer

  • AuthorityNot backed yetThe 1991 Consent Decree requires this committee, and it obligates Interior to recruit members and run the meetings.

    The Supplementary Information section says the Consent Decree that set up the Trustee Council also required a public advisory group to advise it, and that the committee began in October 1992. The Public Interest Determination says Interior is obligated to solicit members and facilitate meetings. The decree and the charter themselves aren't in this text, but every section describes the requirement the same way.

    The agency’s words, the record +Hide the words

    The agency says

    “The Committee is a requirement of the Consent Decree, and the Committee Charter identifies the Department of the Interior, Alaska, as the Designated Federal Officer.”

    Public Interest Determination

    Elsewhere in the same document

    “The Department of the Interior is obligated by the Consent Decree to solicit Committee members and facilitate meetings.”

    Public Interest Determination

  • ProcessNot backed yetThe way members are chosen ensures the committee has a balanced range of perspectives and expertise.

    The notice lists ten seats for ten named interests, from commercial fishing to subsistence and native land ownership. It describes a 30-day open call in the Federal Register, requests for names from federal and state agencies, and ads on the Trustee Council website and social media. The detailed balance rules are said to be in the Committee Charter, which isn't in this text.

    The agency’s words, the record +Hide the words

    The agency says

    “This membership model for the Committee assures a range of perspectives and expertise reflecting the breadth of its responsibilities as identified in the Committee Charter.”

    Public Interest Determination

    Elsewhere in the same document

    “The Committee consists of 10 members representing the following principal interests: aquaculture/mariculture, commercial fishing, commercial tourism, conservation/environmental, native land ownership, recreation, sport hunting/fishing, subsistence, science/technology, and public-at-large.”

    Supplementary Information

    “The call for nominations is also announced on the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council website and the Trustee Council advertises vacancies on social media sites.”

    Public Interest Determination