[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 30 (Thursday, February 13, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6793-6794]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-3588]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of the Secretary


Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Public Advisory Group Charter

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Renewal of the Public Advisory Group Charter--Exxon 
Valdez Oil Spill.

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SUMMARY: This notice is published in accordance with 41 CFR Part 101-6, 
section 101-6.1015(a), Committee establishment, reestablishment, or 
renewal.
    Following the recommendation and approval of the Exxon Valdez Oil 
Spill Trustee Council, the Secretary of the Interior hereby renews the 
Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Public Advisory Group Charter to continue for 
two years, to October 22, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Douglas Mutter, Department of the 
Interior, Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance, 1689 ``C'' 
Street, Suite 119, Anchorage, Alaska, (907) 271-5011.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  On March 24, 1989, the T/V Exxon Valdez ran 
aground on Bligh Reef in Prince William Sound in Alaska spilling 
approximately 11 million gallons of North Slope crude oil. Oil moved 
into the Gulf of Alaska, along the Kenai coast to Kodiak Island and the 
Alaska Peninsula--some 600 miles from Bligh Reef. Massive clean-up and 
containment efforts were initiated and continue to 1992. On October 8, 
1991, an agreement was approved by the United States District Court for 
the District of Alaska that settled claims of the United States and the 
State of Alaska against the Exxon Corporation and the Exxon Shipping 
Company for various criminal and civil violations. Under the civil 
settlement, Exxon companies agreed to pay to the governments $900 
million over a period of 10 years.
    The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council was established to 
manage the funds obtained from the civil settlement of the Exxon Valdez 
Oil Spill. The Trustee Council is composed of three State of Alaska 
trustees (Attorney General; Commissioner, Department of Environmental 
Conservation; and Commissioner, Department of Fish and Game) and three 
Federal representatives appointed by the Federal Trustees (Secretary, 
U.S. Department of Agriculture; the Administrator of the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and the Secretary, U.S. 
Department of the Interior).
    The Public Advisory Group was created by Paragraph V.A.4 of the 
Memorandum of Agreement and Consent Decree entered into by the United 
States of America and the State of Alaska on August 27, 1991 and 
approved by the United States District Court for the District of Alaska 
in settlement of United States of America v. State of Alaska, Civil 
Action No. A91-081 CV. The Public Advisory Group was chartered by the 
Secretary of the Interior on October 23, 1992 and functions solely as 
an advisory body, and in compliance with the provisions of the Federal 
Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App. (1988).
    The Public Advisory Group was established to advise the Trustee 
Council, and began functioning in October 1992. The Public Advisory

[[Page 6794]]

Group consists of 17 members representing the following principal 
interests: sport hunting and fishing, environmental, public-at-large 
(5), recreation users, local government, science/academic, 
conservation, subsistence, commercial fishing, aquaculture, commerical 
tourism, forest products, and Native landowners. Members were appointed 
to serve a two-year term.
    To carry out its advisory role, the Advisory Group makes 
recommendations, to, and advises, the Trustee Council in Alaska on the 
following matters:

    All decisions related to injury assessment, restoration 
activities, or other use of natural resource damage recovery monies 
obtained by the government, including all decisions regarding:
    a. Planning, evaluation and allocation of available funds;
    b. Planning, evaluation and conduct of injury assessment; and
    c. Planning, evaluation and conduct of restoration activities.

    Trustee Council intentions regarding the importance of obtaining a 
diversity of viewpoints is stated in the Public Advisory Group 
Background and Guidelines (March 1993, updated June 1994): ``The 
Trustee Council intends that the Public Advisory Group be established 
as an important component of the Council's public involvement 
process.'' The Council continues, stating their desire that ``* * * a 
wide spectrum of views and interest are available for the Council to 
consider as it evaluates, develops, and implements restoration 
activities. It is the Council's intent that the diversity of interests 
and views held by the Public Advisory Group members contribute to wide 
ranging discussions that will be of benefit to the Trustee Council.''
    In order to ensure that a broad range of public viewpoints 
continues to be available to the Trustee Council, and in keeping with 
the settlement agreement, the Public Advisory Group is being renewed 
for another two-year period.

Certification

    I hereby certify that the renewal of the Charter of the Public 
Advisory Group, an advisory committee to make recommendations to and 
advise the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council in Alaska, is 
necessary and in the public interest in connection with the performance 
of duties mandated by the settlement of United States v. State of 
Alaska, No. A91-081 CV, and is in accordance with the Comprehensive 
Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, as 
amended and supplemented.

    Dated: January 28, 1997.
Bruce Babbit,
Secretary of the Interior.
[FR Doc. 97-3588 Filed 2-12-97; 8:45 am]
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