Myrtle Beach oil spill contingency plan community response handbook

[From the U.S. Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov]

MYRTLE BEACH OIL SPILL CONTINGENCY PLAN

v~ - -- :SC Lfiftaxyj

COMMUNITY RESPONSE
HANDBOOK

Prepared By:
The S.C. Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism
in cooperation with
The City of Myrtle Beach
and
The Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE NOAA
COASTAL SERVICES CENTER
cs--- ~ 2234 SOUTH HOBSON AVENUE
'~j CHARLESTON, SC 29405-2413

Funding Assistance
This study was funded in part by the Coastal Zone
Management Act of 1972, as amended, administered by the
Office of Coastal Zone Management, National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, through the cooperation of
the S. C. Governor's Office, Division of Natural Resources.

0 ~~~ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The project staff wishes to thank the many public officials,
businessmen and tourists who responded to the surveys
necessary for the development of this plan. Without their
cooperation this study would not have been possible. A
special thanks goes to the officials of the several
communities which have experienced the disaster of a
major oil spill and were willing to share with us their
insights gained from that experience.

Project Coordination Staff
Dr. William K. Marsh - Project Director
Ralph B. Eckles - Recreation Planner

Contract Consultants
The Research Planning Institute
in association with
Wilbur Smith & Associates - Rogers, Golden & Hapern

MYRTLE BEACH OIL SPILL CONTINGENCY PLAN
INTRODUCTION
The officials of Myrtle Beach recognized that an oil spill
in the area could close the beaches and create a major
economic problem for their business people who have
invested millions of dollars in hotels and other tourist
support facilities. It was obvious that the local economy
could not long endure the loss of public beaches during a
peak season.
They, therefore, felt the need for an Oil Spill
Contingency Plan that would help reduce the time required
for beach cleanup and which would be designed to minimize
financial losses while the beach might be unusable. An
application for a grant was filed with the Coastal Energy
Impact Program (CEIP) through the Governor's Office.
This application was approved and the funds were used by
the S. C. Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism in
the development of the Plan and the publication of this
"Handbook for Community Response"
Despite the desirability of a "eLocal Oil Spill Contingency
Plan," to our knowledge, the Myrtle Beach Plan is the first
such plan in South Carolina and one of the few local plans
in the United States.

FURTHER INFORMATION
Inquiries concerning Sections I, II and III should be
addressed to: PRT, Office of Grant Coordination, Edgar
Brown Bldg., Suite 110, 1205 Pendleton St., Columbia, S.C.
29201.
Section III was abstracted from a research report
prepared under a sub-contact by the Research Planning
Institute, Inc. and their associates. Inquiries concerning
their findings, research and survey methodology or the
Tables should be referred to R.P.I., 925 Gervais Street,
Columbia, S. C. 29201.
is ~~For additional copies of this Handbook, while the limited
supply lasts, please contact PRT at the address shown
above.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
SECTION I
Executive Summary of Findings
and Conclusions
Oil Spill Contingency Plans ..1....
Oil Spill Potential ..1........
Potential Economic Impact .......2
Media Coverage and Promotion .....3
Attractive Beach Alternatives . ..... 4
Inter-Community Cooperation..... 5
Updating Handbook ..........6
Financing Oil Spill Cleanups ......7
Summary of Findings and....... 8
Conclusions
SECTION II
Myrtle Beach Contingency Plan Proposal
0 ~~~~Plan Objectives ...........10
Relationship to Other Plans ......10
Oil Spill Sighting Responses ......11
State Response Procedures.......11
State-Local Relationships .......12
Myrtle Beach Response Team......13
State Information Needs........14
Media Relations ...........15
Promotion Efforts ..........16
Mutual Assistance Agreements .....17
Plan Implementation Actions......18
Procedures in the Event of an .....18
Oil Spill
SECTION III
Official Agencies and
Special Interest Groups
Federal Agencies...........20
County Agencies...........20
S ~~~~Myrtle Beach Officials.........20
Special Interest Groups ........21

TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION IV Page
Survey and Research Findings
I. Oil Spill Research
Oil Spill Risk ..........22
Physical Effects of Oil Spills. ...23
Response Measures........24
II. Tourism's Vulnerability to an
Oil Spill
Discussion............26
Myrtle Beach Visitor Survey. ...26
Myrtle Beach Business Survey .... 27
Ill. Experiences of Other Communities.
Purpose of Survey ........28
Santa Barbara, California .....29
Nantucket, Massachusetts .....31
South Padre Island, Texas.....34
Is ~~~Nags Head, North Carolina.....36
Discussion............37
IV. Survey of Adjacent Communities
Survey Purpose .........38
Results of Adjacent........38
Community Survey

LISTING OF TABLES
Page
Table I Potential Shoreline Impact ... 40
Table 2A Oil Spill Impact by Type Oil .41
Table 2B (Continued).........42
Table 3 Oil Spill Cleanup Procedures .43
Table 4A Beach Access Points .....44
Table 4B (Continued).........45
Table 4C (Continued).........46
Table 5 Business Survey Response ... 47
Table 6 Mutual Assistance . .....4.8
Response

SECTION I
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF FINDINGS AND
CONCLUSIONS
Oil Spill Contingency Plans
The State of South Carolina has an "Oil and Hazardous
Substance Contingency Plan" administered by the S. C.
Department of Health and Environmental Control. Once
DHEC is notified of an oil spill, it is required to initiate
immediate response action to assist at the spill site and to
notify all persons, agencies and/or industries with water
intakes throughout the state who could be affected by the
spill.
In implementing the state plan, DHEC can call on the
resources and expertise of a number of state agencies. It has
some cleanup equipment located at its various district
headquarters and additional equipment is located in the
central office.
Their State On-Scene Coordinator has the primary
responsibility for all state activities relating to the oil spill
clean up. In accordance with the provisions of the National
Contingency Plan, the federal government will assist in
coordination of spill containment and cleanup involving
navigable waters.
The State Contingency Plan recognizes the desirability
of local Oil Spill Contingency Plans. The On-Scene
Coordinator will need a considerable amount of
information and cooperation from local officials and special
interest groups. A local plan that has already developed the
required information and identified the officials and
organizations whose cooperation will be required can serve
to reduce the critical lag time between the sighting of a spill
and the beginning of the cleanup operation.
Oil Spill Potential
The risk of oil spills to Myrtle Beach is from the tanker
and barge transportation of petroleum off its coast. This
Is* traffic is increasing and the completion of the proposed

refinery at Georgetown would create an even more
significant increase.
Fortunately, due to the prevailing winds and currents,
the probability of a major oil spill impact on Myrtle Beach is
extremely low. However, despite the low statistical
probabilities, the -possibility does exist. With an almost
constant flow of petroleum carriers along this coast, an
unfortunate happenstance of weather conditions and/or
human error could deposit large quantities of oil on the
Myrtle Beach shoreline. (See Table 1.)
Potential Economic Impact
Figures developed by the Horry County Development
and Tourism Commission indicate that tourism accounts
for 73 percent of the Grand Strand's economic activity. In
1980, tourists spent more than $700,000,000 in the area
and during the summer months, they added over five
million dollars a day to the economy.
These are vast sums of money but their true significance
cannot be realized until the multiplier effect is taken into
consideration. It is a well established fact that tourist
money represents "enew dollars" in a local economy and
will generate four additional dollars in economic activity
before it loses its identity. Thus, the actual value of tourism
along the Grand Strand is five times the figures cited above.
The broad expanse of fine, unspoiled beach is for the
entire Grand Strand area and for the City of Myrtle Beach,
the major tourist attraction. While golf and other
recreation activities represent a substantial attraction, the
beach is the "backbone"~ of the tourist economy during the
summer months.
Based on interviews with local Myrtle Beach officials and
business people in the area, an oil spill that closed the
beaches for less than a week during the peak season would
hurt business but would not have a significant impact on
the economy. In their opinion, it would be comparable to an'
extended period of rainy weather.
Is ~~However, should the cleanup time extend beyond a week,

there would be a serious problem with cancelled
reservations and a general exodus of the tourists. Overall,
the business community felt that 80 to 85% of the visitors
would leave after the first week that the beaches were
closed.
Every business person interviewed indicated that their
business could not financially withstand the loss of
business resulting from a two or three week closing of the
beaches during the peak season. For a number, the time.
span was considerably shorter. In the words of both
officials and the business community, the results would be
"disastrous." (See Table 5.)
It is obvious that the key to minimizing economic loss
lies in reducing the cleanup time required. To emphasize
this point, if we reduce the $5,000,000 a day in tourist
expenditures on a peak day by 85% and multiply this by the
accepted multiplier effect and then divide the results by the
24 hours in a day, we come to realize that after the first
* ~~week of beach closing, an oil spill will cost the Grand Strand
economy $885,416 per hour.
Media Coverage and Promotion.
As a part of this study, four coastal communities which
had experienced oil spills in the recent past were contacted.
Fortunately, for these communities, in three out of the four
cases, the spill occurred during the non-peak tourist season
and had only a minimum of impact on their visitors. South
Padra Island, Texas, however, was the recipient of the
largest oil spill in history and suffered a severe loss of
tourist trade.
In all four cases, the communities felt that the way in
which the media covered the event resulted in a greater
tourist loss than was necessary. Exaggeration as to the
effects of the oil spill on the beaches and failure to mention
nearby clean beaches and other alternative available
activities were the major complaints. South Padre Island
tourist representatives feel that it unnecessarily lost a
major portion of its potential winter trade due to negative
Is ~media reporting.
3

Each of the communities was forced to resort to paid
advertising and promotion campaigns to offset negative
media coverage. These promotional efforts, plus hot lines
to respond to visitors and potential visitor concerns were,
in each case, funded by the Chamber of Commerce.
These campaigns were developed after the fact and after
negative reporting had already harmed the industry. Myrtle
Beach, however, has the advantage of being able to design
their promotional efforts beforehand, and by recognizing
the problem in advance, may be able to encourage the media
to do a better job of reporting on the total picture.
Under the State Contingency Plan, as administered by
DHEC, it is deemed advisable that the State On-Scene
Coordinator write the official releases and hold the press
conferences. These releases are to be made after contacting
local officials. It is at this point, even on the first release,
that the Myrtle Beach officials should be prepared to see
that the release contains positive information and not be
* ~~totally negative in substance.
Attractive Beach Alternatives
It was believed at the beginning of this study that
economic losses could be reduced by designing a package of
attractive land based alternatives to beach use to hold the
tourists in Myrtle Beach during an extended oil spill clean-
up operation. While such alternatives must be made a part
of the plan, based on the facts as they have evolved, such
alternatives will play a relatively minor role in minimizing
economic impact in the event of a major spill during the
peak season.
During the peak season, the beach is "the" resource that
attracts the visitors to the area. Further, presently existing
land based recreation facilities are already extensively used
during this period and are in no way capable of carrying the
extra user load generated by closed beaches. Given the low
statistical probability of a major spill, there would not be
adequate economic justification for over-building such
* ~~land based facilities as part of a contingency plan.

* ~~While limited in relationship to the volume of potential
users, it is critical that the visitors be constantly reminded
during the oil spill cleanup that there are attractive
alternatives to the beach available to them. Such
alternatives include, among other things, plantation and
other historic tours of nearby areas, shopping, golf,
amusement centers, sunbathing by a pool, the state park,
deep sea fishing, and Myrtle Beach night life.
Much the same problem exists with the development of
special events that exist with the construction of
contingency facilities. While the possibility of a major spill
exists, the low statistical probability does not warrant the
cost and effort involved in predesigning and maintaining a
program of special events that might or might not be needed
for a decade.
The local plan, however, needs to recognize the value of
such events and as soon as it appears that a spill might
require more than a three or four day cleanup period,
* ~~efforts should be made to institute a series of special events
and other activities. Activities of special interest to
children, such as fireworks displays, parades, sky and air
shows, etc. could be organized and presented with only a
minimum of advanced planning.
Many of the tourists on vacation, especially those with
children, really have only two alternatives in the case of a
major oil spill-stay or pack up and go home. Their choice
may well be based on how well the Myrtle Beach
community meets the needs of the children.
Inter-Community Cooperation
A number of public officials of communities in the Grand
Strand area were surveyed to determine if there was any
interest on their part in participating in a mutual assistance
program in the case of an oil spill in the area. An effort was
made to determine the level of interest that might exist in
the sharing of facilities, manpower and equipment and the
participation in cooperative programs for tourists affected
is by the spill.

All of the 16 communities contacted responded in the
affirmative as to the value of such a program. Nine of the
communities were willing to go so far in response to this
informal survey as to develop an inventory of the
manpower and equipment that could be available to assist
another community. (See Table 6.)
Time will be a critical element in reducing economic
losses during an oil spill cleanup. Any time that can be
saved in the transporting of equipment or the recruiting of
cleanup teams through local cooperation can be translated
into significant economic terms.
While it was beyond the scope of this project to organize
a mutual assistance program among the various entities in
the Grand Strand area, such arrangements would greatly
strengthen the Myrtle Beach Oil Spill Contingency Plan.
Therefore, as part of this plan's implementation, the City of
Myrtle Beach should take a leadership role in bringing the
Grand Strand's officials together to work out at least some
informal arrangements for mutual assistance.
Updating of Handbook
The probable delay between the writing of this plan and
the time when it will eventually be used dictates the need
for a well defined procedure to keep the plan current and
meaningful. Over a period of time, organizational
responsibilities and personnel will change, new laws and
regulations will be adopted and technological
advancements may well outdate certain sections of the
contingency plan.
The need for maintaining the plan is comparable to the
need for a maintenance program for fire extinguishers. The
probability of either ever being used is low, no one ever
wants to see them used and yet they are the insurance
against a major disaster. This plan, like the fire
extinguisher, unless checked periodically could become
inoperable and give a false sense of security.
It is strongly recommended that an official of City
Government be given the responsibility to review the plan

on an annual basis. To make the updating of the plan easier,
and to provide for necessary changes, it has been published
in looseleaf form so that outdated material can be removed
and replaced with current information.
Further, the first 50 copies have been numbered and
should be registered as to the holder and distributed only to
those individuals and organizations which have
implementation responsibilities. Since the plan may not
have to be implemented for a number of years, the
numbered copies have been punched for use in a loose leaf
book. This will permit the exchange of pages as new
material is added or other changes are made.
Financing Oil Spill Cleanups
The ultimate financial responsibility for the cost of an oil
spill cleanup lies with the one causing the spill and his
insurance company. Therefore, the business people and
property owners who suffer financial losses due to an oil
spill should carefully document their oil spill financial
losses and costs related to such spills. As is explained below,
at this time it may not be possible to recover all such losses,
but without property documented records, there would be
no possibility of recovery.
In the case of small spills, when the spiller is unable or
unwilling to do so, the state assumes the responsibility for
the cleanup and looks to the spiller for reimbursement. In
the case of larger spills, the state will request federal
coordination, technical assistance and the use of the
"Federal 311K Fund".
Under the current National Contingency Plan, federal
funding is available only for cleanup and spill response
activities approved by the U.S. Coast Guard. It does not
provide funding for economic losses of business or
government which are related to anticipated revenue.
The Coast Guard office charged with oil spill response
will, however, receive petitions for compensation and will
advise petitioners as to the best possible recourse available
Is ~under the specific circumstances of the spill. Federal

government representatives suggest the best policy for
determining sources of economic assistance is to contact
the Coast Guard representatives at the time a spill occurs.
A revised National Contingency Plan is expected in
December of this year. The new plan, if approved, should
provide for a greater variety of economic considerations.
Whoever is designated to maintain this Handbook should
acquire a copy of the Plan and analyze it for the use of
registered Handbook holders.
Summary of Conclusions
To put this contingency plan in its proper perspective, it-
is necessary for the community and its public officials to
recognize several very significant facts:
1. While there is a possibility of a major oil spill in the
Myrtle Beach area, the statistical probability is low.
Therefore, the community must be willing to prepare for
something that, hopefully, will never occur.
2. While a major spill may never take place, should one
occur during the peak season, it would be disastrous to the
tourist industry, and result in a multi-million dollar loss to
the local and state economies. With such an occurrence as
even an "'outside" possibility, the time and cost preparing
for it is more than warranted.
3. The oil spiller has the legal responsibility for cleanup
and the payment of damages. However, both the state and
federal governments are available with technical assistance
and, if necessary, they can assume responsibility for the
cleanup activities.
4. The speed with which the community is able to
provide the spiller or government response teams with the
necessary information and required support can he a
significant factor in the lag time between the spill and the
actual start of cleanup, and will have a direct bearing on the
degree of the spill's economic impact.
5. Negative reporting by the media has adversely
is affected tourism in other coastal communities which have

O ~~suffered oil spills in the past. The community's ability to
influence positive media coverage and the quality of its own
public relations efforts can be significant factors in the
economic impact on tourism during an oil spill cleanup.
6. In summary, while the local community, has little or
no formal control over the actual cleanup operation, it can,
through advanced planning and research, put itself in a
position to expedite the cleanup and reduce lag time. If it is
prepared in advance, it can influence the way in which the
media perceives and reports on the occurrence and can,
through its own public relations efforts, reduce the adverse
economic impact on tourism generated by an oil spill.

SECTION II
PLAN PROPOSAL
Plan Objective
It is the objective of this plan to reduce the adverse
economic impact on the Myrtle Beach tourist industry
should the ocean beach ever become unusable for public
recreation due to an offshore oil spill. For this purpose, the
plan has been designed to:
1. Reduce the time lag between the oil spill sighting and
the start of actual cleanup by publishing in advance
information required by the state to start an oil spill clean
up through the development and establishment of a local
response team and the procedures for cooperating with and
supporting state cleanup efforts.
2. Provide a package of public relations activities and
efforts to assure fair coverage by the media and a system of
hot lines, special events and promotional efforts to fully
inform visitors andf potential visitors as to attractive
alternatives to beach use.
3. Enhance Myrtle Beach's capability to deal with a
major oil spill through cooperative and mutual assistance
agreements with other communities in the Grand Strand
area.
Relationship to Other Plans
To take advantage of the many benefits which can be
derived from existing federal and state financial and
technical assistance legislation, the "~Myrtle Beach Oil Spill
Contingency Plan" has been designed to be used as an
integral part of South Carolina's "Contingency Plan for
Spills of Oil and Other Hazardous Materials". This state
plan makes provision for state emergency response to oil
spill situations and for activating a federal response should
it be necessary.
Nothing can be gained by trying to duplicate at the local
* ~~community level an already organized and funded statewide

0 ~~response system administered by the S. C. Department of
Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) with the
cooperation and support of a number of other involved
state agencies. Therefore, the thrust of the Myrtle Beach
plan is to capitalize on the state plan and to expedite its
implementation through local cooperation and support.
Oil Spill Sighting Response
In all cases of offshore oil spills, the spiller is required to
contact the Coast Guard. The spiller will work directly with
the Coast Guard in all matters relating to containment,
salvage and the minimization of resulting environmental
damages and economic losses.
When an offshore spill is sighted in the Myrtle Beach
area by others, they should immediately contact either the
Coast Guard office in Charleston or the DHEC office in
Columbia (the telephone numbers and contact persons are
given in the "Oil Spill Contact Section" of this plan). It is
immaterial which office is contacted as the one will
* ~~immediately alert the other and they will coordinate their
efforts.
In the event of an oil spill sighting, as much pertinent
information as possible should he relayed to the
authorities. Any and all of the following information would
be of value to them in making an administrative
determination as to the level of response that might be
necessary:
Location of the spill
Source of the spill
Time of the spill
Volume of the spill
Nature and potential danger of the spilled material
Anticipated movement of spill
Responsible party (address, phone number, etc.)
Action already taken
Weather conditions at spill site
State Response Procedures
0 ~~When the Columbia DHEC office receives information

concerning an offshore oil spill, it will contact the U. S.
Coast Guard and one of its twelve Environmental Quality
Control District Offices. For the Myrtle Beach area, this
would be the Waccamaw District Office located in Myrtle
Beach, S. C. This district includes the counties of
Georgetown, lorry and Williamsburg. Each district office
has a Director and technical personnel who make up the
District Response Team.
In response to an oil spill sighting call from Columbia,
the district office will designate an On-Scene Coordinator
(OSC) who will be responsible for directing the initial
investigative effort. Such an investigation will include
verification of the reported spill and an assessment of the
general environmental damage or potential damage. He will
then provide the Columbia office with such information,
advice and assistance as is necessary to formulate the most
effective course of action for combatting the spill.
The District OSC will remain in charge unless the
situation warrants the assignment of a State OSC. In either
case, the On-Scene Coordinator is in charge of the
operation and is responsible for coordination of:
Source control and containment of the oil spill
Protection of the environment, public safety and
welfare
Cleanup and recovery
Proper disposal of recovered material
Providing communications between the spiller,
clean up and containment parties, and
appropriate federal, state and local officials
Protecting the interest of all parties concerned
State-Local Relationships
The State Oil and Hazardous Substances Contingency
Plan in no way infringes on the rights and legal
responsibilities of local officials. However, the plan does
provide for a system of cooperation and coordination
designed to produce maximum efficiency with a minimum
is of lost time and cost.

One of the objectives of the state plan is "the
development of local contingency plans and mutual
assistance groups so that the spiller can take prompt,
effective action." It is recognized that it is essential to have
maximum participation by those agencies, groups and
individuals who would be most directly involved with, and
affected by, a spill situation.
The state plan also provides for DHEC to establish
contact with appropriate offices of local government prior
to a spill incident and to explain the need for certain
information they would have to have. In the event of a spill,
the State OSC will make his initial contact with local heads
of government before the media has had an opportunity to
disseminate the information concerning the incident to the
public.
The state plan recognizes the value of the input that
might be made by a number of special interest groups, such
as the Chamber of Commerce, representing the business
community, and groups representing environmental and
historical interests. The state plan recommends that these
local groups be identified in the local contingency plan with
appropriate phone number and cognizant contact
individual.
Myrtle Beach Response Team
A procedure for the establishment of a local response
team will be essential to state efforts in the eventuality of a
major spill. The standing membership of this team should
consist of the:
City Manager
City Planner
Fire Chief
Director of Public Works
Executive Vice-President-of the Myrtle Beach Area
Chamber of Commerce
The State On-Scene Coordinator (SOSC) shall make his
initial contact with the City Manager, who will then
assemble such members of the response team, to meet with

O ~the SOSC, as he feels is warranted by the particular
situation.
The state plan provides that the SOSC will meet with the
local response team at least once a day during the
emergency and that the first meeting will take place prior to
any dissemination of information to the media or public.
In the event that it is deemed desirable, the City Manager
will appoint one of the response team members or some
other qualified individual to serve as the city's OSC. This
coordinator will have the responsibility of providing the
communication linkage between the State On-Scene
Coordinator and the various members of the city's response
team.
The Manager may, at his discretion, or at the request of
the State On-Scene Coordinator, expand the response team
membership to include individuals or representatives of
special interest groups whose technical knowledge may
* ~~prove to be of value to the cleanup effort.
The standing members of the response team should be
issued registered copies of this handbook and assembled
sometime in the near future to be briefed on their
responsibilities under the plan. As new information is
included or there are changes in the plan, the team
members' handbooks should be updated.
The S. C. Department of Health and Environmental
Control plans to hold several response drills a year
throughout the state. To thoroughly familiarize the local
response team as to what might take place in the event of a
major spill, it is recommended that the City of Myrtle Beach
request that such a drill be held in their city.
State Information Needs
In the event of an offshore oil spill, the SOSC will need
certain local information before he can properly perform
his duties. Much of the information that will be required is
contained in appropriate sections of this handbook. Such
information, however, can become outdated and, as part of
is ~this plan, a city official needs to be appointed by the City

Manager to revise the handbook at least once a year and to
send such changes as are necessary to the registered holders
of the book.
This study was limited to developing a plan relating to
off-shore oil spills. However, the state plan also covers land
spills of oil and other hazardous materials which requires
the need for other information than was developed under
this study.
Since such hazardous material spills are more likely than
major offshore oil spills, this plan could be made more
valuable to the community by expanding the plan to
include such spills. This would involve merely the
collection of some additional information which is readily
available. It is recommended that whoever is assigned the
responsibility of updating the handbook should contact
DHEC and cooperate with them in the development of the
additional information.
Media Relations
Under the state plan, the SOSC is responsible for
coordination of official news releases and press
conferences. It is highly desirable to limit the flow of
official information to one source. However, past
experience has shown that releases from OSC's are inclined
to contain only technical information, such as volume of
oil, weather conditions, the pounds of dead fish collected,
etc.
Releases containing only technical information result in
negative type news stories and media coverage that has an
adverse effect on tourism and the local economy. To offset
the negative effects of such releases, a provision must be
made to assure that they contain some positive information
that the press can report to the public.It is for this reason
that the Executive Vice-President of the Myrtle Beach
Chamber of Commerce is included on the response team.
While no effort should ever be made to mislead the
public, or to suppress any significant piece of information,
it is vital to the community's economic well being that the

response team insist on input into the SOSC's releases and
formal press conferences. All releases should be balanced
with information concerning usable beaches and attractive
alternative recreation opportunities available in the
community. The press cannot report what it does not know.
The Chamber of Commerce should identify an area that
can be cleared and established as a press room in the
eventuality of a major oil spill which would attract a large
number of media people. Such a room should be set up with
desks, telephones, etc. as soon as it is certain that there will
be extensive media coverage. The press room should be air
conditioned, contain adequate restrooms, good lighting,
parking and janitorial services. Seeing to the comfort and
needs of the press would be one of the best investments the
business community could make.
All news releases and press conferences should take place
in this area. Having the press all working together in one
place would give the Chamber personnel an opportunity to
* ~~expose them to the kinds of information which would be
needed to offset some of the adverse publicity resulting
from the oil spill.
Promotion Efforts
In other communities which have experienced oil spills,
they found that toll free hot lines were extremely cost
effective. A special effort should be made to see that these
hot line numbers are included in all news releases and
mentioned at all news conferences. Through these phones,
it is possible to talk to people who are worried about coming
to Myrtle Beach during the spill and to visitors who need
information about activities that are going on.
Since the plan may not be used for some time, it is not
possible, at this point, to develop the series of pre-packaged
special events and activities needed to help maintain the
interest of the tourist during the cleanup period. However,
as soon as it is determined that the beaches will be unusable
for a period of five days or more, a Chamber of Commerce
* ~~Committee should be appointed to develop a series of

0 ~~special events that would be attractive to the visitors and
which might be referred to in news releases.
It is important that the Chamber, through paid
advertising, public service time and its own news releases,
constantly remind the visitors of alternative recreation
opportunities available in the area. More extensive
advertising campaigns outside the local area need to be held
off until the impact of media coverage can be accurately
evaluated. Two of the four other communities involved in
oil spills felt they had started their out-of-the-area
promotion campaigns too early.
As part of this plan, if the Myrtle Beach Chamber of
Commerce should request assistance during a major oil
spill, the S. C. Department of Parks, Recreation and
Tourism will make a temporary assignment of writers and
special events specialists to assist the Chamber in its
promotion efforts.
Mutual Assistance Agreements
An offshore oil spill of a volume to affect the Myrtle
Beach economy will affect many, if not all, of the
communities on the Grand Strand. These communities
share not only the beach but also the same common tourist
market and, to a large degree, their economies are tied
together.
In the time of such an emergency, a prearranged
agreement of mutual assistance and cooperation would be
of great value. Preliminary investigations during this study
indicated a strong interest in cooperative contingency
planning. (See Table 6.) -
The City of Myrtle Beach should take the leadership in
such an effort. Using the Myrtle Beach Plan as a model, it
will be feasible to expand it into a Grand Strand Area Plan.
These communities are assured that if they choose to
develop such an area wide plan, they will have the full
support and backing of the S. C. Department of Parks,
Recreation and Tourism and the S. C. Department of
is Health and Environmental Control.

Plan Implementation Actions
*Distribute copies of plan to all persons who might be
affected.
eHold a briefing session with designated members of the
standing response team.
cAppoint a city official to maintain and update handbook.
*Request DHEC to hold an oil spill drill in Myrtle Beach
area.
*Contact DHEC to determine what additional information
they need in the event of other hazardous substance spills.
eCall a meeting of representatives of the other Grand
Strand communities to work out mutual assistance
understandings in the event of a major oil spill.
eIdentify likely spaces for use as a press room should the
need ever arise.
Procedures in the Event of an Oil Spill
* Oil spill reported to Columbia DHEC office or Charleston
Coast Guard
eCoast Guard and DHEC coordinate their activities
Columbia DHEC alerts District Office
�District office investigates and reports to Columbia DHEC
office
eDHEC On-Scene Coordinator contacts City Manager
*City Manager alerts appropriate members of standby
response team
*Myrtle Beach response team meets with SOSC to
determine actions to be taken
*Myrtle Beach OSC appointed if situation warrants
*Myrtle Beach response team and SOSC formulate news
releases
*Myrtle Beach response team and SOSC meet at least daily
s* in the event of a significant spill, to formulate plans and

* ~~develop news releases
*Chamber of Commerce implements staged public relations
plan as situation warrants
In the event of a major spill:
.SOSC requests federal assistance
*Inter-Community mutual assistance agreements put into
effect
*Chamber of Commerce sets up press room
*Chamber of Commerce requests PRT tourism writers and
special events assistance.

SECTION III
OFFICIAL AGENCIES AND
SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS
Federal Agencies
U.S. Coast Guard
Charleston Office (24 hr.) ....................(803) 722-4861
Environmental Protection Agency
Atlanta, Georgia (24 hr.) . -......................(404) 881-4062
State Agencies
S.C. Dept. of Health & Environmental Control
Emergency Response Team
Columbia, S. C. (24 hr.) ------------------------(803) 758-5531
Office phone during working hours ....(803) 758-5496
S. C. Dept. of Health & Environmental Control
Waccamaw District Office
Myrtle Beach, S. C- - ........................(803) 448-8400
County Agencies
Horry County Civil Defense Agency
Horry County Court House
Conway, S. C.
E. F. Harrison, Jr., Director (803) 248-6247 (ext 225)
Horry County Sheriffs Office
Horry County Court House
Conway, S. C.
M. L. Brown, Jr., Sheriff - ----- (803) 248-6247 (ext 225)
Horry County Police Chief
Conway, S. C.
Gordon Harris, Chief ..............................(803) 248-6241
Civil Air Patrol
Conway, S. C.
Second Lt. W. E. Steinbrecker --------------(803) 245-9175
Myrtle Beach City Agencies
City Manager - Carey F. Smith --------------(803) 448-2430
City Planner - Jim Tolbert ....................(803) 448-2437

Chief of Police - J. Stanley Bird - ------(803) 448-3111
Public Works Director - Ron Andrews (803) 448-2437
Fire Chief - Fernie Faulk - .............(803) 448-3656
Special Interest Groups
Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce
Myrtle Beach, S. C.
Ashby Ward, Executive Vice-President (803) 448-5135
South Carolina Environmental Coalition
(No chapter in Myrtle Beach,
Columbia Office will designate the most
knowledgeable person in the area at the
time of a spill)
Columbia, S. C. - Rill Frye -----------(803) 799-0321
National Audubon Society
Southeastern Regional Office
(No chapter in Myrtle Beach,
Regional Office will designate the most
knowledgeable person in the area
at the time of a spill)
Charleston, S. C. - Carlyle Blakeney .. (803) 723-6171
Sierra Club
(No chapter in Myrtle Beach, a
knowledgeable person in the area
will be designated at the time of a spill)
Camden, S. C. - Richard Watkins-.....(803) 425-3138

' ~ SECTION IV
SURVEY AND RESEARCH FINDINGS
I. OIL SPILL RESEARCH
Oil Spill Risks
The major risk of oil impacts on Myrtle Beach is
associated with the tanker and barge transport of petroleum
products. Future risks, however, may include those
connected to offshore drillings on the continental shelf.
Ports of entry for petroleum products lying adjacent to
Myrtle Beach include Georgetown (approximately 40 miles
away) and Wilmington (approximately 80 miles away).
Charleston is also a major petroleum facility but lies over 90
miles from the study site. A refinery is currently proposed
for Georgetown; its completion would double the number
of ship calls and triple the quantity of oil handled by
Georgetown. (See Table 1.)
Explicit oil spill risk analyses for tanker traffic have not
been published for Myrtle Beach. However, due to
prevailing winds and currents, projected impacts on Myrtle
Beach resulting from spills at these port entrances is likely
to be very low. Data generated by the U. S. Geological
Survey as part of the outer continental shelf studies
program reveal more specific information (Lanfear and
Armstutz, 1981; Ray et al., 1980; and Slack and Smith,
1976). The probability of oil impacting Myrtle Beach from
the proposed lease sites (see Table 1) or pipeline routes, for
the life of the basin and including spills from existing
tanker traffic, is near zero for oil floating for less than 10
days and only 1 percent for impacts within 30 days after the
incident (Samuels and Lanfear, 1980). Areas to the north
and south are much more likely to be impacted 6 and 9
percent within 30 days.
However, the low statistical occurrence of impacting oil
spills should not be a signal for complacency. The washing
up of 650 oiled birds onto Myrtle Beach during February
1981 (Schultz, pers. com.), as well as a ship collision just off
is Nags Head (North Carolina) with resulting shoreline

pollution, indicate that oil spills do continue to occur in
spite of low statistical probabilities.
The Physical Effects of Spill Impact by Oil Type
Petroleum products are transported in a variety of forms
from crude oil to gasoline. Each form of oil has a specific set
of chemical and physical properties which affect their
interaction with water and sediments. Weathering
processes, water/sediment residence time, environmental
damage, and ultimately cleanup and recovery methods vary.
greatly with each type of oil. A list of oil types and the
effects each would have on the shoreline environments
present at Myrtle Beach is shown in Tables 2A and 2B.
Light, volatile oils (Category I, Table 1A) tend to spread
over the water surface very rapidly. Almost immediately,
evaporation and photooxidation begin to "weather" or
break down the oil, eliminating as much as 25 percent of the
volume in 24 hours. Lighter oils also tend to be more
soluble and the oil is easily mixed into the water column. As
a result, oil reaching the beaches often appears as a light
multicolored sheen. It may penetrate into sandy sediments
if large enough quantities are present, but will be removed
quickly by agitation from wave activity. Aesthetically, at
least, a spill of this type would probably be less damaging to
the Myrtle Beach shoreline. Depending on the amount of
petroleum spilled, it may go largely unnoticed visually and
may take only a few hours to a few days for the beaches to be
free of oil accumulation.
Heavier oils (Categories II and III, Tables 2A and 2B)
create a more complex impact problem for the Myrtle Beach
shoreline. When oil is spilled into seawater, it can form
either an oil-in-water (o/w) or a water-in-oil (w/o)
emulsion. The o/w emulsion (more common with lighter
petroleum products) is distributed throughout the water
column and is exposed to degradation processes.
Conversely, w/o emulsion (called "mousse") generally
forms from heavier petroleum products and is more
resistant to weathering. The emulsion floats and is viscous
enough to retard evaporation. Further, the emulsion has

twice the volume of the original oil, is very stable, and
assumes a rather sticky, taffy-like viscosity that readily
adheres to most substrates.
With heavier oils, impact to the Myrtle Beach area
shoreline is potentially far worse aesthetically and
physically than lighter oils. In smaller spills, oil would tend
to accumulate along the upper beach face where it may
percolate into the sediment. With larger spills where vast
quantities of oil may be deposited on the shoreline, the oil
will accumulate in both the upper and lower intertidal
zones. There is a greater likelihood that oil would become
more deeply incorporated into the beach face as sediment
reaches saturation levels. In either case, once spilled Ai
impacts on shoreline, it renders the beach unusable to
tourists until it has been removed.
Response Measures
An integral part of oil spill contingency planning is the
selection of cleanup techniques for oil-impacted shorelines.
In Myrtle Beach, especially during peak tourist months,
rapid and effective cleanup is imperative to insure a
minimal loss of tourist dollars. The selection of the proper
cleanup techniques should he based on the following
parameters:
1. Substrate type and grain size (i.e., seawalls or fine-
grained sand beaches).
2. The amount and type of oil.
3. Physical effects of cleanup (e.g., removal of sand in
an erosional area).
4. Cost versus benefit of the selected benefit.
For the purpose of this study, oil can be separated into
two broad types:
1. Heavy fuel and crude oils
2. Light, more volatile oils.
Both types react differently with various shoreline
is environments and require different cleanup procedures.

General cleanup strategies for each major oil type are
discussed below. Specific cleanup procedures
recommended for Myrtle Beach are presented in Table 3.
Cleanup of heavier oils is best conducted after all spilled
oil has come on shore. This reduces labor costs and, more
importantly, it minimizes the amount of sand that would be
removed from the beach. The specific cleanup techniques
shown in Table 3 all apply to heavier oils. The selection of
the best technique is dependent upon a host of variables
present at the time of the spill and the type of substrate to
be cleaned.
Unless lighter oils form an emulsion in the seawater,
they generally do not require the extensive cleanup
procedures (depending on the amount spilled) of heavier
oils. Light oils impacting the shoreline will typically
penetrate more deeply into the sediment, but normal
agitation by wave activity will remove a large percentage of
this oil naturally. The greatest problem in cleaning up spills
of lighter oils may be the removal of dead organisms (fish,
polychaetes, crabs, etc.) because lighter oils tend to be
more toxic. Emulsion will adhere to most substrate and, in
many cases, must be treated in the same manner as heavier
oils.
With either type of oil, the use of heavy equipment such
as road graders and bulldozers is not recommended for
cleanup. While machinery of this kind offers a swift and
effective way to remove spilled oil, it concomitantly
removes tons of much needed sand. The end result is a
cleaner but more severely eroded beach.
A much better (albeit slower) method of cleanup is the
use of manual (shovels and rakes) labor and vacuum
trucks. This technique has been applied at two major oil
spills, the BURMAH AGATE and IXTOC I, with good
success. Additionally, the use of pressure spraying and
sorbent materials are generally recommended for final
aesthetic cleanup and usually have a negligible effect on the
surrounding environment.

* ~~To facilitate a rapid cleanup response in the Myrtle
Beach area, a list of beach access points has been prepared
(Tables 4A, 4B and 4C). The list gives a description of each
recommended access road and provides information
concerning equipment deployment and temporary storage
of collected oil at each site.
II. TOURISM'S VULNERABILITY TO AN OIL
SPILL
Discussion
The vulnerability of Myrtle Beach's tourism industry to
an oil spill is directly related to the dependence of the
industry on beach and water-oriented activities. The
critical factors include the extent of beach which may be
affected by an oil spill, the vulnerability of. the local
economy, and the seasonableness of the tourist trade. The
potential extent of beach affected by a spill has been
discussed previously.
Tourism is the area's most important economic activity;
indeed, it is the economic base of the community.
According to figures provided by the Horry County
Development and Tourism Commission, tourist spending
accounted for 73 percent of the Grand Strand's economic
activity in 1980. In fact, Grand Strand tourist spending
exceeded $700 million during 1980.
Total visitors to the Grand Strand in 1980 numbered
7,000,000. Per capita spending totaled approximately $100.
There were 47 million overnight accommodations through
1980, with over 60 percent taking place during the summer
season. The average length of stay per tourist was 4.3 days
resulting in an average daily tourist expenditure of $23.26.
During the summer season of 1980, the peak overnight
accommodations for transient persons totaled 228,000.
This resulted in expenditures exceeding five million dollars
on these peak days of tourist activity.
Myrtle Beach Visitor Survey
Surveys were conducted to gather information on the

following points of interest:
A general background on visitor trips including the
annual number, average length, and motive;
Visitor reaction to an oil spill.
The visitor survey provided a good sample of annual
visitation frequencies and average lengths of stay.
However, there was a contrast between responses of
visitors and area businesspersons regarding expected
reactions to an oil spill. The majority of tourists said their
activities would continue uninterrupted, whereas
businesspersons believed a maximum stay of 2-3 days could
be expected before an appreciable tourist outflow would
occur.
The survey indicated two important visitor reactions if
an oil spill occurred:
i. A major percentage (67%) of the tourists surveyed
said it would be highly probable that they would remain for
the entirety of their visit regardless of an oil spill.
2. There are one or more alternative activities in the
area that the tourists would enjoy if restricted from beach
use.
Myrtle Beach Business Survey
A survey of businesses located in the Grand Strand area
was undertaken with the survey's purpose being twofold.
One purpose was similar to that of the visitor survey-that
is, to predict what effect an oil spill may have on visitors.
The assumption made was that persons who are in the
business of serving tourists would have some insight into
tourist behavior and attitudes by exposure and because it is
a part of the nature of their business to predict tourist
behavior.
The second purpose was to determine the effects of a
short-term decline of tourism on specific types of
businesses, facilities, or activities. The businesses were
asked to establish the seasonal pattern of their business as it
relates to dependence on tourism. They were also asked to

O ~~estimate the percentage of tourists they felt could be lost
for a brief period of time as a result of an oil spill without
imposing financial hardship on the business.
The majority of the businesses felt that tourists would
react negatively to an oil spill. The general consensus was
that the tourists' reaction to a 2-3 day beach cleanup period
would be similar to the reaction to several days of rain. That
is, visitors would go to the various shopping areas and
amusement centers for a couple of days and take advantage
of the activities offered by these places. However, if the
cleanup was not accomplished within the 2-3 day period, a
high percentage of tourists would begin an exodus from the
affected area. See Table 5.
Summary of the Business Survey
In summary, Myrtle Beach businesses produced a
concensus: businessmen are somewhat frightened by the
prospect of a spill. This is particularly the case when the
possibility of one occurring during the peak summer season
* ~~is considered. A number of the people surveyed felt that an
oil spill could be devastating. Their primary concern is with
the handling of the incident by the news reporting media. It
is felt to be of the utmost importance that the media be kept
constantly abreast of what occurs during and after an oil
spill since the type of publicity that the area receives can
make or break the business community.
Other points brought out in the survey include the
following:
Most businesses are heavily dependent upon tourists as
customers, at least during the spring, summer, and fall
seasons.
Very little of this tourist business can be lost.
The businessmen do not believe that tourists will stay in
the area for very long if an oil spill occurs.
III. EXPERIENCES OF OTHER COMMUNITIES
Purpose of Survey
To determine what strategies other beach communities

* ~~impacted by an oil spill have used to minimize the impact on
the tourist industry, inquiries were made to beach
communities across the nation. Communities investigated
included Santa Barbara, California; Nantucket,
Massachusetts; South Padre Island, Texas; and Nags Head,
North Carolina. Questions about past impacts, strategies,
and plans for future emergencies were addressed through
telephone interviews with key informants at local and state
levels.
Santa Barbara, California
In January 1969, a blowout occurred in the Santa
Barbara Channel, spilling approximately 77,000 barrels of
oil. The oil contaminated and damaged beaches, boats, and
marinas as well as wildlife, fish, and shellfish habitats.
Although the spill occurred during the nonpeak tourist
season, tax losses after the spill were estimated at
$1,862,000 from lost tourism. Although the beaches were
cleaned in a relatively short period of time, reports from the
* ~~media did have an impact on the tourist centers.
After the beaches were cleaned, the oil companies
developed an advertising campaign to bring people back to
the beaches. Although the Chamber of Commerce in Santa
Barbara was pleased with the effort and the results of the
advertising, the Santa Barbara County Offices felt that the
campaign was started too soon. A similar situation
involving the oil company and an advertising campaign was
not found in any other coastal community impacted from a
spill. The Chamber of Commerce was pleased with the
effort in 1969, and in the event of another spill, it
anticipated that the oil company would repeat the effort;
however, no formal arrangements were made.
In the aftermath of the spill, the state developed an Oil
Spill Contingency Plan denoting the Department of Fish
and Game as a liaison between local and state governments
and the federal government and industrial personnel
involved in the spill response. The majority of oil spill
containment and recovery equipment is owned by private
is ~companies, individually or through cooperatives. Santa

Barbara, Los Angeles and Long. Beach are some of the areas
in which the cooperative's equipment is stored. The County
of Santa Barbara has no equipment of its own. The
emphasis in oil spill emergency planning has been
containment and, if necessary, fast and efficient cleanup.
Plans to alleviate impacts on tourism have not been made,
reported Brian Baird of the California Coastal Commission.
Recently, counties have begun to develop oil spill
contingency plans. Los Angeles County has such a plan,
developed by the Department of Beaches, providing a
framework of action by local government in cooperation
with the Coast Guard and private contractors. The
advantage of this plan is the familiarity of local government
with public safety, shoreline access, safety hazards,and
crowd control (the county has a population of 7 million, the
majority of which would be interested in a spill). Santa
Barbara is beginning to develop a local response team, to
clearly define duties during a spill.
The tourism of the area was affected by the last spill and
would be affected by another spill, especially at a more
popular vacationing time. Although tourists are attracted
by the beaches and water-related activities, visitors are also
drawn by the mountain scenery, historical sites and
cultural events. There are no plans to encourage other
forms of tourism, but the Chamber of Commerce and the
Santa Barbara County office would communicate with the
public on when the beaches were cleared up and on what
other activities were available.
The California Coastal Commission is involved with
Coastal Energy Impact Programs throughout the state.
Funding from CEIP is devoted to a variety of projects and
investigations. Concerning oil spills, three projects are
involved with the effects of spills: investigation of the oil
spill cooperatives and their ability to handle a spill; four
bird-cleaning centers placed strategically along the coast;
and a mapping of the coastline, which indicates sensitivity
to oil. No projects are involved with the effects on tourism.
The emphasis in California in planning for a spill

emergency is preventive in nature, through legislation and
assurances that oil companies operate with at least a
minimum of cleanup equipment. Although in the past
reliance has been totally on U.S. Coast Guard and private
response teams, counties are now developing oil spill
contingency plans and becoming more involved in the
response effort. Long-range planning, including plans to
lessen the impact on tourism, has not been undertaken.
Nantucket, Massachusetts
In December 1976, the ARGO MERCHANT ran aground
30 miles southeast of Nantucket. The first leak occurred on
December 17 and the ship broke apart on December 21,
spilling 7.5 million gallons of oil. The accident occurred in
rough weather with no response efforts made and no
dispersants used at the site. The oil that washed ashore on
the Nantucket beaches was old and broken apart, and it was
easily raked up. Oily wastes were disposed of in the
Nantucket landfill.
Because the spill occurred in December, the tourist
industry was not immediately affected. An active campaign
by the Chamber of Commerce to assure the public of clean
beaches resulted in no noticeable drop in tourism. Cleanup
efforts by the Coast Guard were generally viewed as
satisfactory to good. However, the impact on the fishing
industry may in fact have long-lasting effects. Although no
baseline data exist, fishermen report lower than normal
lobster catches near the site of the wreck.
If a major oil spill occurred in the spring or summer
months, the effect on the tourist industry could be
substantial. The majority of visitors to Cape Cod and the
Islands (Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket) are drawn to
the beaches and the water-related activities. Aside from
impacts on tourism, a major oil spill would affect the
critical and sensitive beach and wetland areas found here.
Key informants from the Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard,
and Nantucket Chambers of Commerce and Planning
is Commissions recognized the threat of an oil spill on their

tourist industry. No plans to alleviate the negative impact
on the tourist industry have been developed as yet,
although all agreed that certain steps would be taken. A
visitors' hotline would be developed to truthfully answer
questions about beach, swimming and boating conditions.
Press releases would include descriptions of not only the
affected areas but also the clean, nonaffected areas. It was
felt by all informants that the reporting of a spill by the
media may give an erroneous view of the situation.
Informants felt that little or no attention had been paid in
the past by the media to other clean beaches and other
available activities. Both clean beaches and other activities
would be described by the Chamber of Commerce in their
media releases. Funding for such projects often comes from
an emergency fund. The Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce
would use money from its Hurricane Emergency Fund for a
media and hotline campaign. Furthermore, fund drives
were made for a media campaign in 1979 to encourage
visitors to come to the Cape despite the gas crisis, and the
director did not discount a similar project in case of an oil
spill.
Although the area's main attraction is its waterfront and
water-related activities, other types of recreation exist.
Press releases by the Chamber of Commerce on the Islands
or Cape Cod would include descriptions of the alternatives.
Nantucket has plans to diversify its tourist industry and
economic base, although plans are not to appease visitors in
case of a spill. The island is trying to diversify its economy
(promoting fishing) to provide jobs for young adults on the
island and to take some emphasis off development.
Emphasizing preparedness in case of a spill, the state is
encouraging coastal townships to prepare oil containment
and cleanup plans. Oil Spill Contingency Plans in
Massachusetts contain information on and contracts with:
1. Available federal, state, county, local and private
equipment organizations useful in containing or cleaning
up a spill;
2. Scientific and technical personnel;

3. Lodgings, hospitals and emergency centers;
4. Type and location of beach access (footpath, dirt
road, paved road);
S. Beaches in the township including U.S. Geological
Survey maps and maps color-coded by beach type (least and
most sensitive to oil); and
6. The oil spill response coordinator for the township.
On Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, the Oil Spill.
Contingency Plans formalize duties in cleaning up a spill
and encourage towns to work with one another. The Oil
Spill Contingency Plans are especially important for the
Islands because their primary energy source is #2 oil,
brought in by tanker. These plans are the first line of
defense in case of a spill. Nantucket, because of the past
spill, is a particularly vocal community anxious to become
involved and prepared.
Besides the Oil Spill Contingency Plans, the state's oil
* ~spill program involves training town employees to use
containment equipment and eventually purchasing small
amounts of equipment for townships. Although originally
conceived for the hundreds of small spills that occur off the
coast, it is generall'T agreed that these plans may aid federal
and state efforts in a very large spill.
The State of Massachusetts, through its Office of Coastal
Zone Management, implements a Coastal Energy Impact
Program. The state's primary emphasis with its CEIP is oil
spill mitigation efforts. Several coastal communities have
applied for funds through CEIP to develop other forms of
recreation in the event of a spill. The towns of Beverly,
Lynn and Quincy, anticipating poor swimming conditions
at the time of a spill, have plans to upgrade marinas and boat
launches to encourage boating.
Because of the ARGO MERCHANT and increasing
numbers of small spills, coastal communities on Cape Cod
and the Islands are planning a course of action in case of a
* ~spill. Primary emphasis is on preventing the oil from

coming ashore. Oil Spill Contingency Plans aim to contain
spills and protect beaches. Speedy cleanup may become a
more difficult and costly problem as oily wastes become
more difficult to dispose of. In anticipation of damaged
beaches, some federal money is being used to promote other
forms of recreation; however, the majority of efforts are
preventive in nature.
South Padre Island, Texas
The Campeche Bay offshore well blowout caused the
largest oil spill in history from any source. The IXTOC I
Number 1 well, drilled by a Mexican national oil company,
spilled an estimated 10,000-30,000 barrels of oil per day
from June 3, 1979, until March 23, 1980. The oil slick and
tar moved 700 miles north, reaching the Texas coast in
early August. With a change in the wind direction and the
ocean currents in early fall, the slick moved back south.
Although no figures are available, South Padre Island's
tourist industry was hurt severely. Two possible reasons
why South Padre Island lost as much tourism as it did are:
the major role beaches and water-related activities play on
the island; and the reporting by the media on the extent of
the spill. In the past year, South Padre Island has
diversified its recreation activities to include an 18-hole
golf course, but the diversification is not solely in
preparation of another spill. To counteract the media's
reporting for the spill, the South Padre Island Convention
and Tourist Bureau spent over $100,000 promoting the
cleaning of the beaches in "The Coast is Clear" campaign.
It is felt that the media and their reporting were the major
factors in losing tourist trade. The tourist bureau felt that
the situation improved much more rapidly than the media
led people to believe. Radio, TV and newspaper ads written
by the tourist bureau all described the cleanup process and
clear available beaches. Despite the efforts of the tourist
bureau, the spill affected almost 60 days of winter trade.
No emergency planning for the next spill has been
undertaken by the tourist bureau. Similar reliance on the
Coast Guard and private corporation cleanup response was

repeated by cities that did not own cleanup equipment.
In Corpus Christi, similar reliance on the Coast Guard
for cleanup leaves the city and county without any
equipment of its own. The Corpus Christi Convention and
Tourist Bureau reported that although some tourist
business was lost to the spill, many people came to the area,
just to see the spill. The Chamber of Commerce had a
telephone hotline set up to explain to visitors the extent of
the problem and the locations of oil-free beaches.
In Galveston, partly as a result of the oil spill, the city has
developed a strong cleanup campaign in case of a spill. The
city felt that part of South Padre Island's difficulty in
dealing with the spill was not having a cleanup plan.
Galveston's goal is to get the area cleaned up as quickly as
possible. The media would also be used to describe problem
areas as well as clean areas and other attractions and
activities. The room tax levied on hotel rooms provides
some of the money intended for such a media campaign.
The Galveston Convention Center also described the
Galveston area's diverse recreation attractions as compared
to limited water-based recreation activities on South Padre
Island.
The state's Oil Spill Contingency Plan deals primarily
with notification and legal requirements for spillers. An
updated plan is scheduled to include source data,
equipment suppliers and sensitivity ratings for beaches.
The state also relies on the Coast Guard and the industrial
cooperatives for cleanup. Towns and counties do not have
any equipment of their own and often rely on county
highway departments and their equipment (bulldozers,
front-end loaders). The state's CEIP has no projects
directly related to oil spills. Some local, coastal parks are
getting funds for improvements through CEIP, and access
for fishermen is being improved after parts of the shoreline
are developed for oil terminals and tanker ports.
Texas had done very little emergency planning up until
this point, with heavy reliance on Coast Guard and industry
cleanup capabilities. More thorough planning is anticipated

in the near future, with major emphasis on efficient
cleanup and recovery. The impact on tourism has not yet
entered state or local planning considerations.
Nags Head, North Carolina
On May 6, 1981, the ARGO CARRIER collided with
another vessel 11 miles off the coast of Nags Head. Of the
150,000 gallons of oil spilled, 10,000 gallons washed up on
the shore at Nags Head. The ship causing the accident
contracted with a private firm for cleanup while the Coast
Guard coordinated the efforts. The effects of the spill were
cleaned up in approximately three days.
The media reported the incident, and tourists planning to
visit the area called the Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce
to determine the extent of the damage. As with individuals
in Massachusetts, the Chamber of Commerce for Nags Head
felt that the media failed to tell the entire story and mention
the beaches untouched by the spill. Tourists calling the
Chamber of Commerce were told the extent of the problem
and location and names of oil-free beaches. In addition,
nonwater-recreation activities were described, including
historical and cultural attractions.
The Nags Head area has two features that lessen the
impacts of oil. The type of beach on the Outer Banks is an
exposed, sandy beach that cleans itself rapidly. Efforts by
the private contractor and the Coast Guard, in addition to
the type of beach, produced a quick response and relatively
clean beaches in a short period of time. In addition, the
Outer Banks and the barrier beaches act to protect Pamlico
Sound and boating, fishing and swimming activities there.
If activities on the barrier islands are curtailed because of
oil spills, additional activities, including water-based
recreation, are available.
There is no specific plan to alleviate the negative impact
an oil spill would have on the tourist industry. Towns on
the Outer Banks have no cleanup equipment of their own.
The Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce would follow a
*� plan of action similar to other incidents of oil spills,

including telephone hotlines and press releases. The
Chamber of Commerce tries to send out as much positive
information as is possible without distorting the truth.
Visitors would be alerted to the problem, but they would be
given a list of alternatives. Because the beaches are cleaned
so quickly and Pamlico Sound offers alternative water
recreation, a major plan for tourism has not been
implemented. Furthermore, the coastline extends 90 miles
and only a portion (at most one-third) has been unusable at
any time. The Chamber of Commerce contends that there
has always been a clean beach available to visitors.
The Chamber of Commerce often cites other activities in
the area when trying to interest tourists in the Outer Banks
area. Cultural and historical sites are within a reasonable
distance. However, there are no plans for additional
diversification of the tourist industry. Townships in the
barrier islands refused opportunities to expand recreational
activities. The usual description of attractions around the
Outer Banks includes alternative recreation activities,
including historical and cultural sight-seeing.
Because of beach conditions, barrier islands and a huge
expanse of coastline, oil spill impacts on the tourist
industry have not been especially severe. An oil spill
occurring in 1981 had no substantial effect on the tourist
industry. Towns and counties, with no equipment of their
own, rely on state and federal cleanup efforts.
Discussion
In conclusion, of the communities interviewed, no local
plans have been made by oil-spill-experienced communities
to lessen the impact to the tourist industry. The line of
defense taken in the past to encourage tourists to return to
the beaches was found to be satisfactory and would be
repeated. If planning was undertaken by a community,
county or state, it was primarily preventive in nature,
emphasizing fast and efficient cleanup if the oil did impact
the beach. It is anticipated that with a more organized
planning system for the spill itself, more long-range

planning, including tourism impacts, can be implemented
in the future. There are no plans to lessen impacts on
tourism at the present. The effect of media reporting of the
oil spill incident seemed to have the most detrimental effect
on the tourist industry, and efforts by the coastal
communities would be to balance the reporting.
IV. SURVEY OF ADJACENT COMMUNITIES
Survey Purpose
This survey was conducted in order to determine interest
in the Grand Strand area relative to the development of
cooperative agreements for sharing facilities, manpower
and equipment to assist in cleanup of an oil spill, as well as
the promotion of cooperative programs to accommodate
tourists who may be unexpectedly affected by a spill. No
attempts were made to actually negotiate any agreements,
but the idea was posed as a means of assessing possibilities
for mutual assistance.
Those interviewed for this survey were public officials
for the municipal and county governments of Georgetown
and Horry Counties. The questionnaire included three
principal questions:
1. Would your government be interested in agreeing to
cooperative efforts for an oil spill cleanup?
2. What could your government contribute to the effort
in terms of facilities, manpower and equipment?
3. What programs could be developed to take care of
tourists (i.e., entertainment) that might be forced from the
beach until the cleanup was completed?
Results of the Adjacent Communities' Survey
The general consensus of the county and municipal
officials interviewed was that their particular government
would be interested in putting together some cooperative
plan with which to respond to an oil spill emergency.
However, some of the officials noted that their ability to
contribute to a cleanup would be greatly restricted by their
Is limited budgets.

* Sixteen of the responses indicated a definite interest in
assisting with cleanup. Nine were able to determine the
manpower and equipment which they would be willing and
able to contribute to a cleanup effort. The officials'
responses are shown in Table 6.

TABLE 1

POTENTIAL SHORELINE IMPACT

I ~~~~~~0

PLEASE FOLD OUT

TABLE 1

POTENTIAL SHORELINE IMPACT

C P Petroleum Products Flow(Barrels)
jji Commercial Port 300,000,000
Petroleum Products
18,584,655 Movement,1974 (Barrels) 200,000,000

Petroleum Products 1974 flow only
(11,275,250) Movement, 1977(Barrels) 100,000,000

Flow within a Principal A,999,99 1,ooo0ooo
Harbor or Port and its ' 999,999 500,000
Vicinity < 50000

Wz Proposed Offshore Local Traffic Flow
Lease Sites ---

WILMINGTON 33,775,246
33,864,611)

/6~~ | is l Caribbe
America
South America
Europe
GRAND STRAND Middle East
Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands

CHARLESTON

38 t~3,4,6Caribbean
Central America
Sout America
f a n a/ - V---' E Euroope
Middle East
Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands

24'356'7z
(26,500,291 /
earlbbon
Ce ntrai America
South America
Europe
uerto Rico and Virgin Islands

Diagram showing the potential for shoreline impact by spilled oil,
oil transport traffic, and proposed effective lease sites (modi-
fied from Ray et al., 1980).

TABLE 2A

DESCRIPTIONS OF OIL IMPACT BY OIL TYPE

PLEASE FOLD OUT

(CONTINUED NEXT PAGE)

TABLE 1

POTENTIAL SHORELINE IMPACT

Petroleum Products Flow(Barrels)
I Commercial Port 3

Petroleum Products
8,584,655 Move ment,1974 (Barrels) 200,000,000

Petroleum Products 1974 flow only
(11,275,250) Movement, 1977(Barrels) 00,000,000

Flow within a Principal A , 999,- loooooo
Harbor or Port and its . 999,999 500,000
Vicinity < 500,000

Proposed Offshore Local Traffic Flow
Lease Sites 4

WILMINGTON 33,775,246
(33,864,611)

,,-=Ce ntr al
America
South America
Europe
GRAND STRAND Middle East
Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands

CHARLESTON
/,39,433,684

enAmerica
Aut merica
Middle East
Puer'o Rico and Virgin Islands

24,356,71
(26,500,291 /
Carlbbeon
Central America
South America

uerto Rico and Virgin Islands

Diagram showing the potential for shoreline impact by spilled oil,
oil transport traffic, and proposed effective lease sites (modi-
fied from Ray et al., 1980).

TABLE 2B

DESCRIPTIONS OF OIL IMPACT BY OIL TYPE
(CONTINUED FROM PRECEDING PAGE)
i

PLEASE FOLD OUT

i
42

TABLE 211 DESCRIPTIONS OF OIL IMPACT BY OIL TYPE
(CONTINUED FROM PRECEDING PAGE)

OIL TYPE EXAMPLES PHYSICAL/CHEMICAL PROPERTIES EFFECTS ON SHORELINE BY BEACH TYPE

(3) Asphalt, Bunker - Form tarry lumps at ambient FINE-GRAINED SAND BEACH - oil would not penetrate very
Residual C, No. 6 fuel temperatures deeply into substrate and would tend to accumulate
oils oil, waste oil - Nonspreading on the upper beach face. When large quantities of
- Relatively nontoxic due to oil are present, oil may cover entire beach face.
substrate COARSE-GRAINED SAND BEACH - Oil may penetrate a few
- May soften and flow when centimeters. Accumulation would be greatest along
stranded in sun the upper beach face. Burial may occur near the
- Difficult to recover from beach.
water surface using most MIXED SAND AND SHELL BEACHES - oil would penetrate
cleanup equipment deeply into substrate. Dependent on the sediment
- Easily removed manually coarseness and oil type. Burial is likely. Heav-
from beaches iest accumulations would be on the upper beach
face. oil would tend to coat sediment, particu-
larly large shell fragments to form tarry aggre-
gates.
SEAWALLS AND RIPRAP - Accumulation would be light and
residence time short on vertical seawalls and
bulkheads. Oil would adhere to riprap, and nerco-
late well into the structure. Residence time
would be lengthy.
EXPOSED BEACH ROCK - Oil would tend to adhere to the
surface of the outcrop, would accumulate in scour
pools and small crevices. Residence time would be
lengthy.
EXPOSED PEAT OUTCROPS - Oil would probably not adhere
very well to neat outcrops but would accumulate in
scour pits. Residence time would be relatively
short.

TABLE 3

OIL SPILL CLEAN UP TECHNIOUES

PLEASE FOLD OUT

~~~~~~~43~
43

TABLE 2B DESCRIPTIONS OF OIL IMPACT BY OIL TYPE
(CONTINUED FROM PRECEDING PAGE)

OIL TYPE EXAMPLES PHYSICAL/CHEMICAL PROPERTIES EFFECTS ON SHORELINE BY BEACH TYPE

(3) Asphalt, Bunker - Form tarry lumps at ambient FINE-GRAINED SAND BEACH - oil would not penetrate very
Residual C, No. 6 fuel temperatures deeply into substrate and would tend to accumulate
oils oil, waste oil - Nonspreading on the upper beach face. When large quantities of
- Relatively nontoxic due to oil are present, oil may cover entire beach face.
substrate COARSE-GRAINED SAND BEACH - Oil may penetrate a few
- May soften and flow when centimeters. Accumulation would be greatest along
stranded in sun the upper beach face. Burial may occur near the
- Difficult to recover from beach.
water surface using most MIXED SAND AND SHELL BEACHES - oil would penetrate
cleanup equipment deeply into substrate. Dependent on the sediment
- Easily removed manually coarseness and oil type. Burial is likely. Heav-
from beaches iest accumulations would be on the upper beach
face. oil would tend to coat sediment, particu-
larly large shell fragments to form tarry aggre-
gates.
SEAWALLS AND RIPRAP - Accumulation would be light and
residence time short on vertical seawalls and
bulkheads. oil would adhere to riprap, and nerco-
late well into the structure. Residence time
would be lengthy.
EXPOSED BEACH ROCK - oil would tend to adhere to the
surface of the outcrop, would accumulate in scour
pools and small crevices. Residence time would be
lengthy.
EXPOSED PEAT OUTCROPS - Oil would probably not adhere
very well to neat outcrops but would accumulate in
scour pits. Residence time would be relatively
short.

TABLE 4A

ACCESS POINTS
FOR PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT

PLEASE FOLD OUT

(CONTINUED NEXT PAGE)

TABLE 2B DESCRIPTIONS OF OIL IMPACT BY OIL TYPE
(CONTINUED FROM PRECEDING PAGE)

OIL TYPE EXAMPLES PHYSICAL/CHEMICAL PROPERTIES EFFECTS ON SHORELINE BY BEACH TYPE

(3) Asphalt, Bunker - Form tarry lumps at ambient FINE-GRAINED SAND BEACH - Oil would not penetrate very
Residual C, No. 6 fuel temperatures deeply into substrate and would tend to accumulate
oils oil, waste oil - Nonspreading on the upper beach face. When large quantities of
- Relatively nontoxic due to oil are present, oil may cover entire beach face.
substrate COARSE-GRAINED SAND BEACH - Oil may penetrate a few
- may soften and flow when centimeters. Accumulation would be greatest along
stranded in sun the upper beach face. Burial may occur near the
- Difficult to recover from beach.
water surface using most MIXED SAND AND SHELL BEACHES - oil would penetrate
cleanup equipment deeply into substrate. Dependent on the sediment
- Easily removed manually coarseness and oil type. Burial is likely. Heav-
from beaches iest accumulations would be on the upper beach
face. Oil would tend to coat sediment, particu-
larly large shell fragments to form tarry aggre-
gates.
SEAWALLS AND RIPRAP - Accumulation would be light and
residence time short on vertical seawalls and
bulkheads. Oil would adhere to riprap, and perco-
late well into the structure. Residence time
would be lengthy.
EXPOSED BEACH ROCK - Oil would tend to adhere to the
surface of the outcrop, would accumulate in scour
pools and small crevices. Residence time would be
lengthy.
EXPOSED PEAT OUTCROPS - Oil would probably not adhere
very well to peat outcrops but would accumulate in
scour pits. Residence time would be relatively
short.

TABLE 4B

ACCESS POINTS
FOR PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT
(CONTINUED FROM PRECEDING PAGE)

PLEASE FOLD OUT

(CONTINUED NEXT PAGE)

TABLE 4B ACCESS POINTS FOR PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT
(CONTINUED FROM PRECEDING PAGE)

E = Excellent G = Good F = Fair, Marginal N = Not Available

TEMPORARY
LOCATION ACCESS EQUIPMENT OIL COMMENTS
STAGING STORAGE

10. 6th Avenue South G F F Good access way only; no room for
equipment or oil storage.

11. North Street F N N Not a good access point, but only one
close to pier (south).

12. 2nd Avenue South E G G Mouth of pier - very good area for
cleanup activity.

13. 8th Avenue North G F N Best access point along this part of
beach.

14. South of 14th Avenue E F N Erosional area, may require preparation.
North by Pier

15. 18th Avenue North G F N Access point needs minor preparation -
drainage pipe on upper beach face.

16. South of 19th Avenue E G G Erosional area, may require preparation.
North Adjoins large vacant lot.

*17. 24th Avenue North E E G City of Myrtle Beach parking area - ex-
cellent for cleanup activity.

18. 31st Avenue North E F F Narrow passageway, wooden bench struc-
ture not to be disturbed.

19. 52nd Avenue North E F F Very little room for storage or equip-
ment staging.
(CONTINUED NEXT PAGE)

TABLE 4C

ACCESS POINTS
FOR PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT

(CONTINUED FROM PRECEDING PAGE)

PLEASE FOLD OUT

I i