The meeting was held at the Masonic Hall in Cordova, Alaska

Board members present:

Barbara Moore, Dept. of Commerce
Doug Mutter, Dept. of Interior
Capt. Buzz Rome, Dept. of Transportation
Virginia Adams, Fishing industry representative
R.J. Kopchak, Fishing industry representative
Grant Vidrine, Oil and gas industry representative
Kevin Meyers, Oil and gas industry representative
Larry Dietrick, Alaska Dept. of Environmental Conservation
Claudia Slater, Alaska Dept. of Fish & Game
Carol Fries, Alaska Dept. of Natural Resources
Gail Evanoff, Native representative
Glenn Ujioka*, Native representative
Governor Steve Cowper, At-large representative
Marilyn Leland, At-large representative
Mead Treadwell, non-voting representative, Prince William Sound Science Center
John Goering, non-voting representative, Institute of Marine Science, Univ. of Alaska Fairbanks

*Present on Sept. 30

Staff and visitors: Gary Thomas, Penny Oswalt, Nancy Bird, Tom Kline, Shari Vaughan, Vince Patrick, and Liz Senear (PWSSC and OSRI staff); Rob Frazier, Ken Adams, and Kelley Weaverling.

Advisory Board Chair Barbara Moore called the meeting to order at 4:40 p.m. and asked everyone present to introduce themselves. The two new members, Governor Steve Cowper and Marilyn Leland were introduced.

Approval of minutes

Motion by Kopchak, seconded by Mutter to approve the minutes of May, 1997 and September, 1997. Motion passed.

Public comments

None.

Financial report

The FY97 expenditures report and the proposed FY98 budget were reviewed (Federal fiscal year from October through September). Penny Oswalt detailed the line item expenditures and budgets showing the breakdown among categories. She noted that in FY97, OSRI underspent by $122,000 and requested that this money be carried over into FY98.

The PWSSC has signed an investment contract with Dean Witter Reynolds for management of the OSRI assets through Salomon Brothers Asset Management. The PWSSC Board is revising its investment policy at a meeting next week. Salomon Brothers is currently investing one million dollars, and a second deposit in FY98 will be made. It is primarily invested in U.S. Government backed securities, with a 25% limit on investment in triple A rated bonds. Federal legislation establishing OSRI states that the PWSSC is administrator for the OSRI funds; the PWSSC Board administers the money as advised to by the OSRI Board. Rome expressed concern that there might be a conflict of interest between OSRI investments and PWSSC investments. Thomas and Treadwell say there is not.

Treadwell said it is his understanding that implicit in the motion to accept the financial report is acknowledgment of the investment policy being revised by the PWSSC Board. Thomas stated that as fiduciaries, the PWSSC Board would like to hear any concerns that OSRI Board members might have about the investment policy.

Motion

Motion by Leland, seconded by Meyers to accept the report as presented. Motion passed.

Action item

Moore asked that a copy of the proposed revised PWSSC investment policy be made available to the OSRI Board during the next day's meeting.

Motion

Motion by Dietrick, seconded by Kopchak that a description of the fiduciary responsibilities of the OSRI Board be added to the bylaws, with the staff to provide this to the Board by the next meeting. Motion passed.

Director's Report

by Gary Thomas

Legislative review

Thomas traveled to Washington D.C. to discuss with the Alaska Congressional delegation an extension of the life of OSRI past the 10 year period authorized by the enabling legislation. Congressional staff looked for possibilities to do this and decided the timing is not right this year.

Thomas called attention to the legislation passed related to monies received by the Federal government settling a long-standing state/federal dispute called "Dinkum Sands." About $160 million of this settlement will be set aside for a permanent trust fund for marine research in the North Pacific. Copies of this legislation will reportedly be available on the Internet within a day and copies will be made for OSRI Board members. The initial legislation passed by the Senate gives the OSRI Director a voting seat on the Board for this fund. Cooperation between OSRI, the Minerals Management Service, the Regional Citizens Advisory Council, the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council, and the PWSSC can have a big impact on how these funds are spent.

Thomas also noted that there is intense interest in the marine ecosystem of the Bering Sea. Of particular interest to OSRI could be the development of nowcast/forecast models for circulation. There is interest from the oil industry in using this type of modeling to provide better current, wave, and wind projections, and to provide better spill trajectory modeling.

Annual Work plan

The work plan consists of three components: technology, ecology, and education. Technology includes technology service tools (cleanup and restoration), measurement tools (detection) and information/prediction (now/forecasting) tools. Ecology includes oceanographic programs and watershed programs. Education includes R&D dissemination, fellowships and internships, and workshops.

Technology research for small spills would relate primarily to prevention improvement through implementing improved on water fuel transfer technologies, and practices to minimize small spills in harbors. It could also include an evaluation of the magnitude of non-point source spills. Local fishermen/boat owners could be involved in this.

Large spill technologies would be prevention of spills (better predictions of ocean surface conditions, navigation tools, training of operators, facility designs) and response improvement (developing better oil spill trajectory models and refining response strategies such as dispersants, bioremediation, in situ burning, and subsurface oil removal).

Ecology research would be looking at the assessment of large spills (toxicology, eco-toxicology, population dynamics, trophic dynamics, and ecosystem dynamics), and recovery and restoration from these impacts. Much of this work requires prediction models which don't exist as yet.

The work plan for education includes circuit writer projects, internships and fellowships, and workshops. Suggestions for workshops are monitoring and modeling natural changes in an ecosystem, technologies for now/forecasting navigation hazards and oil spills, technologies for clean-up and restoration, oil in ice, and a 10-years after (the 1989 oil spill) workshop in conjunction with the EVOS 10-years after meeting.

Thomas suggests that OSRI focus its efforts along the oil transportation corridor in Alaska, i.e. Prince William Sound, Kodiak, Cook Inlet, and the northern Gulf of Alaska.

It was noted that the EVOS Trustee Council would like to coordinate their efforts in environmental modeling through the restoration reserve fund with OSRI's efforts.

Sound Ecosystem Assessment (SEA) Program

The SEA program is a GLOBEC sort of approach which starts by looking at the physical forcing of the system and its effects up the trophic chain through phytoplankton/zooplankton to marine mammals. Physical forcing affects each trophic level directly in addition to the effects which have propagated up the food chain. This approach ties people interested in the physics of systems to those interested in biological conditions. The basis of this approach is the development of a science plan by bringing together the public, agencies, and researchers in a region, and establishing principal goals, an approach, and an implementation plan. There needs to be a central hypothesis or theme everyone is working with. OSRI can take a leadership role in getting the players together and developing these sorts of science plans for areas other than Prince William Sound.

OSRI draft brochure

Nancy Bird distributed a mock-up of an OSRI brochure to all Board members and asked for their critiques and corrections.

Meeting recessed

Barbara Moore recessed the meeting at 6:00 pm. It will reconvene Thursday at 8 a.m.

Meeting reconvenes

The meeting was reconvened by Advisory Board Chair Barbara Moore at 8:20 a.m., on Thursday, September 30, 1997 in the Masonic Hall.

Advisory Board Members and others present

Board members present were the same as the previous day, with the addition of Glenn Ujioka, who was not present on September 29, but was present on this day.

Staff and visitors: Gary Thomas, Nancy Bird, Penny Oswalt, Nora Foster, Vince Patrick, Tom Kline, Kathy Hough, John Williams, Shari Vaughan, Kenric Osgood and Liz Senear (PWSSC and OSRI staff); Rob Frazier.

Agenda revision

Moore suggested skipping to a discussion of the proposal process while awaiting materials to be used in the Annual Work Plan discussion. There were no objections.

Proposal Process

Vertical & horizontal integration of proposals

Thomas noted that because funds available to OSRI do not have to be spent in the same year they are received, OSRI has tremendous flexibility to award long term grants. He

suggests looking for team proposals rather than individual proposals, particularly for the larger grants. He also would like proposals that have vertical integration, including researchers, users, and regulators/managers in the project. He suggests using a systems approach in developing monitoring projects modeled after the GLOBEC approach. This approach will require matching funding from other agencies and sources. Slater questioned why vertical integration has not been incorporated into the ecology approach, and said she felt it is very important that it be incorporated. Treadwell suggested including ecology along with technology on page II-3 in paragraph two in the draft work plan. The Board felt it was extremely important to include managers as part of the process in study designs and policy planning.

Approval process for new technologies

There was a discussion of the approval process for new technology. There is a federal review process for chemicals with the burden of getting approval falling on the vendor/manufacturer. There is no review process for other technologies though the state has developed some testing protocols. It is up to the spill responder to choose the products to use.

Payback policy

The payback policy for grantees who receive for profit grants was discussed. A question was raised on the legality of OSRI accepting profit from a project funded with federal monies. Frazier agreed to check into this. The NSF payback policy was discussed and Frazier stated that the staff would review the NSF policy and decide which components to include in the OSRI policy manual.

Reporting requirement

Moore requested that a reporting requirement be included in the policy manual.

Selection criteria

General selection criteria for proposals are listed on page II-13 of the policy manual. These are primarily geared to the technology section but can apply to ecology though probably in a different order. Slater suggested that if the criteria are different this should be made clear in the policy manual. The policy manual can provide a general list of criteria, but specific criteria will be listed in each broad area announcement (BAA). These are generally different for different projects and are established by a scientific and technical committee along with the staff prior to issuing a BAA.

Once a BAA has been issued, the staff will review proposals based on the criteria listed in the BAA. They will then ask for final proposals for projects that meet those criteria. The scientific and technical committee will review the final proposals using a numerical process. They will produce a short list, including comments, to the Board for review.

Dissemination and confidentiality issues

Treadwell said that he thinks that a description of dissemination plans should be a requirement of grant proposals. He also suggests that confidentiality procedures should be established. Frazier says this is covered extensively in the grant policy manual, but it will be reviewed and pared down.

Advisory Board's role in approval of grants

The role of the board in grant approval was discussed. The Board has already established a general policy of a 40:40:20 split between technology, ecology, and education grants. It was generally agreed that the Board would directly approve large grants but let the staff award small grants. Leland requested that a history of related projects that OSRI has funded be presented to the Board along with new proposals.

Motion

Motion by Adams, seconded by Treadwell to define the Board's roles to include (1) program management (long-term allocation of resources), (2) annual review of the science plan/annual plan and progress update on projects, (3) approval of grants $100,000 or larger (whether multi-year or not), and (4) serving as an appeals process. Motion passed.

Direction to staff

Frazier asked for clarification on what the Board would like to see in terms of portfolio review. He was asked to describe the main study areas, what allocation will be maintained between them, and what the program make-up will be between large grants, small grants and workshops, and providing an outline of what the work plan is for the next year. At every meeting, the Advisory Board would review progress against that plan.

Annual Work Plan

Large and small spill prevention & response

Technology Program

Frazier described the technology area as consisting of two categories: the large spill category which usually encompasses larger projects and grants, and the small spill category. Within those two categories, the Board decided at the last meeting to focus on prevention and response.

Circulation model development

Thomas and Frazier suggest the Board consider focusing on the development of circulation models for nowcasting/forecasting. They suggest continuing the PWS effort and expanding it to include a model for the Cook Inlet area. These would be large grant projects, and would probably require matching funding. These models have application both to biological models and oil spill response, and are also useful for risk assessment and contingency planning.

Vince Patrick gave a brief summary of the PWS model. It currently covers all of PWS, extending to Hinchinbrook Entrance. It is a 3D model on a 1.2 km. scale. It is now being run on actual circulation, and average wind and inflow conditions. Actual wind and inflow inputs are currently being added. The goal by the end of 1998 is to have a now/forecast on a daily basis of currents, available to anyone. The next goal is to extend the model 100 km into the Gulf of Alaska, but to achieve this would take 1-2 years longer than the SEA plan is funded.

Board comments

Board comments included finding out what RCAC has done in Cook Inlet, including Kodiak in a Cook Inlet model, looking for matching funds, finding an operating partner, and having a workshop to focus on developing a broad area announcement for this. It was pointed out that EVOS is currently taking public comments on how to use the Restoration Fund.

Other technologies

Other technology areas discussed were prevention, including human design, facility design and soft prevention, remote sensing of oil on the surface, oil in ice, oil spill tracking, bioremediation, dispersants, in situ burning, and prevention of small spills.

Potential workshops

One way in which OSRI might contribute would be to assimilate information being gathered by a wide variety of agencies on a topic, such as in situ burning, and to contribute to or host workshops on the topic. A dispersant workshop is already scheduled for early in 1998; OSRI could contribute and/or become a co-sponsor. There is also an oil-on-ice workshop being planned.

Broad Area Announcement (BAA)

There was an extensive discussion of what type of BAA to put out. It was suggested that the BAA include a specific request for proposals about circulation modeling along with a general request for proposals in the areas discussed above.

Monitoring resources at risk

In the area of toxicology, Thomas said there is a lot of interest in doing research into long-term effects (ecotoxicology). There have been solicitations from Environment Canada and people doing EVOS research to continue some long-term monitoring projects There hasn't been as much interest in continued research into short-term effects.

Short time impacts on the population level have been fairly well-covered, Thomas said. The more controversial area is long term impacts, and effects on the trophic structure and the ecosystem. Thomas recommends OSRI move in the direction of developing science plans like the SEA program to provide a framework in which to address these problems. He suggests OSRI consider organizing a workshop to address this.

Thomas estimates the execution of these plans will cost about one million dollars each for Prince William Sound, Cook Inlet, and the Northern Gulf of Alaska, but he believes matching funds are available on the order of 20:1.

Further discussion.

Consensus

Consensus was reached accepting the predictive ecology work plan Thomas presented including the addition of a bullet to the BAA soliciting proposals in the area of ecotoxicology with specific interest in long-term impacts, and the organization of workshops to develop science plans with specific area and species focus.

LUNCH BREAK (12:30-1:30 p.m.)

During lunch, Thomas presented a slide show titled "A new paradigm for marine fisheries management: the use of in-season acoustic biomass estimates to protect spawning stocks."

Communications and Education

The Education work plan, as presented by Thomas included three components for FY98 all of which would be in the small grant category. These included the (1) the use of circuit writers to do things such as produce a brochure for OSRI, (2) scientific education outreach by awarding internships, fellowships, and contributing to rural science education in Alaska, and (3) being involved in any relevant workshops, including those on dispersants and oil-on-ice.

Work Plan Summary

As summarized by Thomas, the FY 98 work plan consists of four components. The first is a BAA soliciting proposals in the broad areas of ecology and technology as discussed above, with specific issues highlighted such as ecotoxicology. The BAA would include a specific request for circulation modeling proposals. The second component would be organizing a workshop to develop science plans, and participating in workshops on dispersants and oil-on-ice. The third component would be education/outreach. The fourth component would be to develop a business plan.

Business Plan Review

Moore asked for volunteers to be part of a group to review drafts of the business plan which the staff produces. Dietrick, Kopchak, Leland, Rome, Meyers, and Vidrine volunteered.

Elements of the plan

The business plan was discussed. It should be a 3-4 page document including estimates of money to be expended next year, what categories the money will be spent in, the types of grants funded, and the amount of the grants.

Meyers suggested that as a matter of policy each year a business plan should be presented to the Board and accepted before grants are funded, but he doesn't have a problem with the staff awarding small grants this year while it is being developed.

Direction to staff

The staff is directed to go ahead with a work plan as described above and to spend money as necessary while the business plan is being put together.

Written comments from Board members

Thomas requested that Board members submit written comments on the work plan by the end of next week so they can be included in the revision of the plan.

Revised plan and business plan deadline

The revised work plan and the business plan will be sent out to all Board members by Dec. 1. Members with comments on these plans should contact Thomas soon thereafter. Later in the meeting, an Executive Committee was established and agreement was reached to have this committee meet in early December to review the Business Plan and the BAAs prior to their release to the public.

Proposed FY98 Budget

The FY98 budget proposal as outlined in the Meeting Packet, Section 4, was presented by Penny Oswalt

A discussion ensued about the merits of using consultant services at this time for the coordinator position rather than hiring a full-time coordinator. Thomas felt that there wasn't the money available presently to hire a full-time coordinator and that it will also take time to find someone with the right credentials who wants to live in Cordova. Treadwell pointed out that OSRI does not have strong in-house technology capability and needs this. Kopchak is concerned that there is not enough consulting money budgeted to get the job done.

Direction

Oswalt is directed to add $20,000 to the consultant category. Thomas is encouraged to look at filling the full-time coordinator position.

Motion

Motion by Kopchak, seconded by Dietrick to approve the FY98 budget as amended (with additional $20,000 for consulting services). Motion passed.

Election of officers

Nominating committee recommendation: Kopchak spoke on behalf of the committee (which includes Kopchak, Evanoff and Thomas). He said they were unable to complete the task of determining of a slate of officers to nominate. He noted that Treadwell has indicated interest in

continuing to serve as Vice-chair.

Moore noted that the Chair's position is reserved for the Department of Commerce's representative. She invited nominations for the other officer positions of Vice-Chair, Secretary and Treasurer. Nominations were opened to the floor. Treadwell was nominated as Vice-Chair. Mutter was nominated as Secretary. Kopchak was nominated as Treasurer.

Motion

Motion by Kopchak, seconded by Rome that the slate of Vice-Chair: Mead Treadwell, Secretary: Doug Mutter, and Treasurer: R.J. Kopchak be approved. Motion passed.

Appointment of committee members

Scientific & Technical Committee

a. Scientific and Technical Committee

Two new members were proposed, Dan Graham of Bristol Environmental, and Paul Provinsio of ARCO Alaska, Inc. Both have a technology/industry link. This would increase the committee to 7 members, plus the Chair who is Dr. John Goering. Action was postponed until the resumes of these prospective members have been submitted.

Executive Committee

b. Executive Committee

Moore invited discussion on the purpose that this committee might serve. After discussion, there was general agreement that the executive committee could in the formative years of OSRI's development, serve to check on its progress (more often than the twice yearly Advisory Board meetings), assist in developing better partnerships with private industries and other public entities, and generally help keep the momentum for programs going. Kopchak suggested it have more depth in membership than just the officers. Rome commented that the Board needs to develop indicators of success and suggested that these might be developed by the Executive Committee or such indicators could be factored into the business plan.

Motion

Motion by Kopchak, seconded by Cowper that the Executive Committee function for at least 18 months until OSRI is up and running, and will include the officers and any other members who wish to volunteer. Motion passed.

Volunteers to join the Executive Committee include Meyers and Rome. It was noted that all Advisory Board members will be given notice of Executive Committee meetings (time, place and teleconference numbers) and are welcome to participate.

Moore asked Treadwell to take charge of the Executive Committee when she is unable to participate. Meyers suggested that the group who previously volunteered to review the Business Plan be asked to participate in the initial Executive Committee meeting (see above in these minutes). This committee's first meeting will be scheduled in early December to give approval to the Business Plan and the BAAs to be issued. Other agenda items may include developing partnerships regarding Bering Sea research and other programs.

Action Items:

There is a Bering Sea meeting early in December, the EVOS deadline for comments on the Reserve Fund is coming up, and there is a RRT meeting in November (Dietrick can get OSRI on the agenda). The Executive Committee needs to start investigating partnerships with these and other agencies.

Finance Committee

c. Finance committee

Formation of this committee was not discussed.

Calendar for next meeting

The last week of March was agreed to as the tentative date for the next meeting to be held in Prudhoe Bay. This will be a minimum 2-day meeting which Nancy Bird must coordinate with Kevin Meyers. Bird will send out calendars to all Board members asking for their preferred and unavailable dates. Meyers asked for suggestions on what Board members are interested in seeing in the Prudhoe Bay area.

The second meeting in 1998 is tentatively scheduled for August.

Public Comments

None.

Board member closing comments

Thomas has approval of the Board to go ahead with the work plan and a BAA with documents to be provided to the Board for review.

PWSSC investment policy

Treadwell passed out documents detailing the current and proposed revisions for the investment policy of the PWSSC. He asked for any comments OSRI Advisory Board members may have.

Dinkum Sands legislation

Bird distributed copies of the final legislation approved by Congress related to the Dinkum Sands settlement and creation of a research fund for marine ecosystem and fisheries research in the North Pacific, Bering Sea and Arctic Ocean. All Board members are encouraged to forge cooperation between their own organizations and the new Board to be established for this new research fund.

Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 3:15 p.m.

These minutes were reviewed and approved by the Advisory Board on

.

Doug Mutter, Secretary

Prepared by N. Bird
posted 6/5/98WEBMASTER