Page 10: of Marine News Magazine (September 2012)

Andrew Altendorf is the CEO and majority owner of Acme Environmental Inc. Acme?s history spans almost 50 years and the  rm is recognized as a pioneer in the manufacture of oil spill containment booms and other oil spill recovery items. A U.S. Coast Guard classi ed OSRO, Acme and Altendorf support numerous customers in Oklahoma and the Midwest with their emergency response. He has been the President of the Spill Control Association of America since November of 2010. Prior to taking the reins as President, he served on the SCAA Board of Directors for 5 years. In this issue of MarineNews , Altenfdorf updates readers on the intricacies of spill response, the missions of SCAA and what that means to the  rms that they serve, and mostly importantly, the environment itself. FOR READERS NOT NECESSARILY FAMILIAR WITH THE SPILL CONTROL ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA AND WHAT IT STANDS FOR, CAN YOU BRING US UP-TO-SPEED ? The Spill Control Association of America (SCAA) was organized in 1973 to actively promote the interests of all groups within the spill response community. Headquartered in Alexandria, VA and acting as the ?Voice of Spill Response Professionals?, SCAA represents a broad coalition of emergency responders, manufacturers and environmental  rms who collectively address industry challenges, and work to strengthen and improve our nation?s response community. SCAA?s stated values include:  Make health, safety and environmental considerations a priority in the planning and implementation of our operations; Provide quality products and reputable service, while responding safely and efÞ ciently; Participate with Government, customers and other stakeholders in creating responsible laws, regulations and standards to safeguard the community, workplace and environment; and  Recognize and support programs and services that have a direct impact on the quality of the global environment. SCAA members include spill response contractors - Oil Spill Removal Organizations (OSROs), hazardous materials responders, companies that transport, store and dispose of oil and hazardous materials, remediation and site restoration services providers, manufacturers and distributors of response equipment and materials, spill managers and consultants, insurers, and government and training institutions.DESCRIBE THE PROCESS OF SPILL RESPONSE TODAY . WHAT , IF ANYTHING CAN BE TWEAKED TO IMPROVE IT? It?s a good system, but there are always opportunities and challenges for improving the relationship. The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90) holds the spiller of oil or hazardous material responsible and accountable for mitigation, containment, recovery, and proper disposal. Our spill response industry is an essential component of that equation. Vessels and facility owners and operators who are required to have spill response plans and routinely exercise and tweak those plans, must identify their spill responders in the plans, under contract or other approved means. Improving spill response preparedness through training, drills and exercises help tweak the client-responder relationship, sharing knowledge and building trust and con dence in the client?s needs and responders? capabilities. Every drill or exercise serves to prove or improve a spill response plan?s effectiveness. When a spill incident occurs, seeing a familiar face come walking through the door amid crisis and chaos can be very reassuring. Responder immunity is a very important aspect of OPA 90 that was severely tested during and after the 2010 Gulf of Mexico, Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The ensuing lawsuits against spill responders and manufacturers necessitate legislative changes to Responder Immunity that will support immediate and decisive response to future spill incidents. Without legislative change, the relationship between spill responders and their responsible party client is at risk of liability concerns and hesitation to respond immediately. INSIGHTSAndrew Altendorf President, Spill Control Association of America10 MNSeptember 2012MNSept2012 Layout 1-17.indd 10MNSept2012 Layout 1-17.indd 108/30/2012 2:58:26 PM8/30/2012 2:58:26 PM