For Industry
For Industry: What to Expect in the Event of an Oil Spill
What to Expect
This information is provided to the Unified Command (UC) and the Responsible Party (through the UC) in the event that California's Oiled Wildlife Care Network (OWCN) is activated during an oil spill event. Its intent is to provide a description of the OWCN for informational purposes, clarification of questions or concerns, and list resources for you to contact should your questions not be answered in the information provided.
Background
In response to the potential risk to California from oil spill events, the Lempert-Keene-Seastrand Oil Spill Prevention and Response Act was passed in 1990. This Act required the Administrator of the California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG), Office of Spill Prevention and Response (OSPR) to establish rescue and rehabilitation stations for aquatic birds, sea otters, and other marine mammals. This legislative mandate for addressing the problems of oiled wildlife care was reaffirmed in 1993 with the passage of Senate Bill 775, which allowed OSPR to use the interest accrued from the State's Oil Spill Response Trust Fund to build at least six major centers to care for oiled wildlife, and was further refined by the legislature in 1995 (Assembly Bill 1549) and 1996 (Assembly Bill 748).
What is the Oiled Wildlife Care Network?
The Oiled Wildlife Care Network (OWCN), established by the OSPR in 1994, is a California-wide collective of wildlife care providers and regional facilities interested in working with oil-affected wildlife. The mission of this legislatively-mandated program is to strive to ensure that wildlife exposed to petroleum products in the environment receive the best achievable treatment by providing access to professionally-trained personnel and permanent wildlife rehabilitation facilities that are maintained in a state of readiness for oil spill response.
Currently, 25 participating organizations and 12 fully-equipped facilities exist along the California coastline from Crescent City to San Diego. Each facility is stocked with emergency medical equipment to be used in treating and rehabilitating oiled wildlife. In addition, each facility maintains a list of trained volunteers to assist in these efforts. During oil spill response, the OWCN is directly responsible to OSPR operating within the Unified Command (see enclosed ICS diagrams). Management of the OWCN is a collaborative program with the Wildlife Health Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, and is currently funded by interest generated from the state’s Oil Spill Response Trust Fund. This relationship provides professional input from the veterinary community into the program to ensure that wildlife affected by oil spills receive the best achievable treatment. Ongoing administration of the OWCN is handled through the Wildlife Health Center, and questions regarding administrative issues should be directed there.
Why are we here?
As a trustee agency for wildlife in California, CDFG and its allied groups within the OWCN are mandated to care for all affected wildlife by responding as quickly as possible to provide the best possible treatment to the State's trustee wildlife resources impacted by the oil and to allay public concerns.
As a result of this current spill event, it has been reported to OSPR and confirmed that oiled wildlife are present. Oil affects wildlife in several different ways. Oiled wildlife often die as the result of hypothermia. Oiled feathers and fur no longer provide a protective barrier from cold water. Animals who attempt to groom themselves may ingest large amounts of the toxic substances in oil. In addition to the mechanical effects of oiling, petroleum is directly toxic to the skin, respiratory, gastrointestinal and detoxifying systems of wild animals. For additional information detailing the effects of oil on wildlife, please see the accompanying Media Kit.
Now that we're here, what can you expect and how long will it last?
In most cases (depending on the location and size of the spill), an OWCN Response Veterinarian will be the first OWCN representative on the scene. The veterinarian will quickly evaluate the wildlife situation, contact the OWCN administration, and the necessary personnel and equipment will be dispatched to the spill site. Most often, the OWCN facility nearest to the spill will be informed/activated and volunteers alerted. All personnel resources involved will be approved by and accounted for through the Unified Command.
In addition and in most cases, International Bird Rescue Research Center (IBRRC) and other local rehabilitation organizations (see enclosed map) will be notified and their employees will assist with aquatic bird capture, care, and rehabilitation, as necessary. If marine mammals are involved, members of the California Marine Mammal Stranding Network will provide assistance. If necessary, additional OWCN/OSPR mobile equipment will be dispatched so veterinarians and staff can more readily capture and care for wildlife prior to being transported to the OWCN facility. For more detailed information of the OWCN organization charts (and how they relate to and interact with, the ICS), please see the enclosed information.
Normally, birds will be stabilized and transported as quickly as possible to the primary OWCN facility, where they will be evaluated, documented, further stabilized, cleaned, conditioned for release, and, in most circumstances, released within two to three weeks (although this timeline depends on the location of the spill, product involved, species, preexisting injuries, and other logistical concerns).
What's it going to cost?
Of course cost is dependent upon the extent of impact on wildlife. However, costs also depend on the scale of the necessary search and collection effort, the number of wildlife captured, the spill product involved, and the requirements of the cleaning and rehabilitation process. The OWCN takes care to minimize associated costs related to the rehabilitation effort, while maximizing animal care and release capabilities. For specific response rates for personnel and equipment rates, please see the enclosed information. If you have special forms requiring completion for reporting or billing purposes, please submit them to the Wildlife Branch Director or the OWCN Response Supervisor at the spill site.
The Wildlife Health Center at the University of California, Davis will compile all the costs associated with wildlife response. Costs will be reviewed and approved by the Program Director and forwarded to the responsible party for payment. Invoices must be paid within 60 days after which time they will be turned over to CDFG-OSPR for collection and 17.3% CDFG overhead will be added.
For questions regarding the OWCN or wildlife care, please contact:
Dr. Michael Ziccardi
Program Director, OWCN
Wildlife Health Center
University of California
Davis, CA 95616
Office: (530) 754-5701
Pager: (530) 792-7803
For questions regarding billings for oiled wildlife care, please contact:
Kathy Collins
Manager
Wildlife Health Center
University of California
Davis, CA 95616
Office: (530) 752-4167
FAX: (530) 752-3318