SMART (?)

1. SMART(?) Putting the cart before the horse… RRT 3 1/2010

2. What is SMART? • SMART (NOAA) • Special (not scientific) Monitoring of Applied (never say alternative) Response Technologies (SMART) • “cooperatively” designed monitoring program for in situ burning and dispersants. • relies on small, highly mobile teams that collect real-time data using portable, rugged, and easy-to-use instruments during dispersant and in situ burning operations. • data are channeled to the Unified Command (UC) (representatives of the spiller and the state and federal governments who are in charge of the spill response) to address critical questions:

3. The SMART program is a “joint” project of these agencies: • U.S. Coast Guard • NOAA • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention • Minerals Management Service

4. In-situ burn and dispersants • Are particulates concentration trends at sensitive locations exceeding the level of concern? • Are dispersants effective in dispersing the oil? • But wait that’s not all EPA (ERT) asked it to be

5. Why monitor? • Having monitoring data can assist the UC with decision-making for dispersant and in situ burning operations (NOAA) • EPA- Data feeds into Area Planning efforts and NCP Subpart J • What data?

6. The SMART WayDispersants (NOAA) • To monitor the efficacy of dispersant application, SMART recommends three options, or tiers. • Tier I: A trained observer, flying over the oil slick and using photographic job aids or advanced remote sensing instruments, assesses dispersant efficacy and reports back to the Unified Command. • But EPA Oil Program and ERT wanted more…

7. Tier II: • Provides real-time data from the treated slick. • A sampling team on a boat uses a monitoring instrument to continuously monitor for dispersed oil 1 meter under the dispersant-treated slick. • The team records and conveys the data to the Scientific Support Team, which forwards it, with recommendations, to the UC. • Water samples are also taken for later analysis at a laboratory • Where? How fast can the data feed back into the process? • Data?

8. Tier III: • By expanding the monitoring efforts in several ways, Tier III provides information on where the dispersed oil goes and what happens to it. • Never happened • CG said that SMART would never be a fate and effects process and should never get in the way… • Yes We Can with proper communication and readiness? • EPA and states would like it to be something just like that

9. How is it supposed to work? • Two instruments are used on the same vessel to monitor at two water depths. • Monitoring is conducted in the center of the treated slick at several water depths, from 1 to 10 meters. • A portable water laboratory provides data on water temperature, pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, and turbidity.

10. Why the ? • Never happened….Why? • Weather, time, lack of equipment, will… • What can we all do to ensure we have the data? • EPA OEM gave NOAA $?k to make the guide more user friendly • Status • alpha version due Feb 1, beta version due March 1, and final version to be provided to NOAA by March 31.

11. Commandant United States Coast Guard 2100 Second Street, S.W. Washington, DC 20593-0001 Staff Symbol: G-MOR-3 Phone: (202) 267-0448 COMDTINST 16470.1 MAR 17 2000 • Subj: USE OF SPECIAL MONITORING OF APPLIED RESPONSE TECHNOLOGY (SMART) PROTOCOLS • 1. PURPOSE. This Instruction provides guidance on the use of the Special Monitoring of Applied Response Technology (SMART) protocols. SMART establishes a monitoring system for rapid collection of real-time scientifically based information to assist the FOSC with decision making during dispersant and ISB. • ACTION. Area and district commanders, commanders of maintenance and logistics commands, commanding officers of headquarters units, assistant commandants for directorates and commanding officers of marine safety units shall consider the SMART protocol as the minimum monitoring standard for dispersant and in-situ burn operations.

12. RRT/AP role • Area and district (m) offices should ensure the SMART protocols are incorporated by reference in Regional Contingency Plans. Captains of the Port (COTPs), in localities that have the opportunity to use dispersants and/or in-situ burning, should ensure SMART is incorporated by reference in the operations section of their Area Contingency Plans. • Is this the case?

13. So what is an RRT to do(EPA)? • FACTS: • Every region has pre-approved dispersants without any real time Tier 2(R6 has some?) or Tier 3 data on a spill in U.S. waters • No monitoring for fate and effects • None for impacts to benthic community • None for re-floating of the dispersed oil

14. 2009 CG CAPS rule says a vessel has to have dispersants available and be able to monitor their use… • However, the rule does not mention SMART Tier 2 or 3. • It only says visual monitoring (like Tier 1) • ASTM and NOAA job aids • Leaves the rest up to the RRTs/APs So the new CG rule will certainly increase demand for dispersant use from the RPs…

15. Are we ready?COMDTINST 16470.1 • The Commander, National Strike Force shall ensure the Strike Teams maintain the capability to carry out the SMART protocols and be able to coordinate the additional federal resources needed to deploy complete SMART monitoring groups. • The Strike Teams shall be the primary points of contact for providing and coordinating SMART resources. • The National Strike Force, in concert with the District Response Advisory Teams, shall assist the FOSC in their planning efforts for SMART. • Monitoring requirements in excess of that prescribed by the SMART protocol is beyond the capability of the National Strike Force. • Resources to support additional RRT or individual state monitoring requirements will have to be acquired from other sources or provided by the requesting agency. • How can we work together?