In the wake of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the Florida Legislature (under Section 496 of Chapter 2011-142, Laws of Florida) charged the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund (Board) with establishing the Commission on Oil ...

 

BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT TRUST FUND

The Commission on Oil Spill Response Coordination announces a public meeting to which all persons are invited.

DATE AND TIME: August 22, 2012, 9:00 a.m., CST

PLACE: Emerald Coast Convention Center, 1250 Miracle Strip Parkway S.E., Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548

GENERAL SUBJECT MATTER TO BE CONSIDERED: In the wake of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the Florida Legislature (under Section 496 of Chapter 2011-142, Laws of Florida) charged the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund (Board) with establishing the Commission on Oil Spill Response Coordination (Commission) to identify ways to ensure that the health and welfare of Florida’s citizens and natural resources are best protected in the future from potential disasters. The Commission is required to prepare a report for review and approval by the Board which:

• Identifies potential changes to state and federal laws and regulations which will improve the oversight and monitoring of offshore drilling activities and increase response capabilities to offshore oil spills;

• Identifies potential changes to state and federal laws and regulations which will improve protections for public health and safety, occupational health and safety, band the environment and natural resources;

• Evaluates the merits of the establishment of a federal Gulf-wide disaster relief fund;

• Evaluates the need for a unified and uniform advocacy process for damage claims;

• Evaluates the need for changes to interstate coordination agreements in order to reduce the potential for damage claims and lawsuits; and

• Addresses other related issues as determined by the Commission.

This will be the inaugural meeting of the Commission to begin the process of creating the report that is due to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection, and the Executive Director of the Department of Economic Opportunity by January 1, 2013.

This meeting will set the operating structure and process of the Commission and set a timeline for actions. Six sub-reports will be discussed by the Commission – one addressing each task of the final report. Draft outlines will be provided and discussions will include goals and expectations for the full reports, expected content and data gaps, and the schedule and process for each sub-report.

If you would like to submit comments about the Commission meeting please email them to floilspillcommission@ tetratech.com.

A copy of the agenda may be obtained by contacting: Amber Siegel at [e-mail].

Pursuant to the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, any person requiring special accommodations to participate in this workshop/meeting is asked to advise the agency at least 2 days before the workshop/meeting by contacting: Amber Siegel at [e-mail]. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact the agency using the Florida Relay Service, 1(800)955-8771 (TDD) or 1(800)955-8770 (Voice).