MFSA OIL PROGRAM 2022 YEAR IN REVIEW

April

On April 20th MFSA held their year-one tabletop exercise at the Port of Kalama office. The drill simulated a response to a small release from a ship receiving bunker at the Kalama anchorage. Clean Rivers and NRCES/US Ecology staffed the command post. Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) was able to send participants and Washington Department of Ecology attended virtually via MS Teams. A tabletop exercise to test our capabilities to manage a response is an annual requirement.

June

MFSA held their first of two mandatory equipment deployment drills on June 29th. The original plan had been to test a specific Geographic Response Plan (GRP) requested by Oregon DEQ, but the water was too fast and high to safely perform that work. Instead, we tested a different GRP in the same area. Clean Rivers and NRCES/US Ecology provided the equipment and manpower for the drill.

For more information, please visit our website: www.mfsa.com Holly Robinson, General Manager: robinson@pdxmex.com Mason Sullivan, Administrative Coordinator: sullivan@pdxmex.com

MFSA held their second of two equipment deployment drills on September 20th. The focus of this drill was to simulate a “real time” deployment. This meant that no equipment was pre-staged. Responders were not scheduled in advance; they were instead called out per MFSA’s notification process. This allowed for an accurate determination of response times as well as verification of staging area and boat ramp.

The assets for this drill were deployed to simulate mid-river, enhanced skimming using a shallow water recovery barge (SWRB) being maneuvered by two workboats and one fast response vessel (FRV). The drill was very successful and met all objectives.

October

The vessel agent for a bulk cargo vessel covered by the MFSA Plan called and activated the plan on October 24th. The vessel experienced a hydraulic spill on deck while loading scrap steel while at berth on the Willamette. Because of a unintentional delay by the vessel in making notifications, when Clean Rivers responders arrived on scene there was nothing remaining that could be recovered.

November

MFSA’s Vessel Response Plan, as approved by both Oregon DEQ and Washington Ecology, requires an annual review to ensure it is kept up to date. The plan updated was submitted to both states on November 13 and approved.

Although not an MFSA hosted drill, US Ecology had their annual deployment exercise of the Vessels of Opportunity (VOO) that MFSA has access to under contract. This was completed on November 1st in conjunction with personnel from Columbia Pacific Bio-Refinery near Clatskanie. The vessels practiced enhanced mid-river skimming.