[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 224 (Friday, November 20, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64517-64518]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-30994]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of the Secretary


Notice of Renewal of the Public Advisory Group Charter--EXXON 
VALDEZ Oil Spill

AGENCY: Department of the Interior, Office of the Secretary.

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.

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 continued 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 provisons 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 
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, commercial 
tourism, forest products, and Native landowners. Members were appointed 
to serve a two-year term.
    To carry out its advisory role, the Public Advisory Group makes 
recommendations to, and advises, the Trustee Council in Alaska on the 
following matters:

[[Page 64518]]

    All decisions related to injury assessment, restoration activities, 
or other use of natural resource damage recovery monies obtained by the 
governments, 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 and August 
1996): ``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 continuation of the Public Advisory Group 
for another two-year period is recommended.

    Dated: November 6, 1998.
Bruce Babbitt,
Secretary of the Interior.
[FR Doc. 98-30994 Filed 11-19-98; 8:45 am]
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