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KUWAIT OIL FIRES - U.S. POLICY OBJECTIVES AND
ACTIVITIES

REF: A) KUWAIT 3123, B) MANAMA 3255

INTRODUCTION
------------

1. REFTELS RAISE QUESTION OF WHETHER USG ACTIVITIES IN
RESPONSE TO OIL FIRES REPRESENT AN "OPEN-ENDED
ARRANGEMENT" WITH GOK THAT MAY NOT BE IN OUR INTERESTS.
WE REALIZE THAT A GREAT MANY ACTIVITIES HAVE TAKEN PLACE
VERY RAPIDLY, CHALLENGING THE ABSORPTIVE ABILITY OF OUR
EMBASSIES. THE PACE OF EVENTS AND THE UNUSUALLY HEAVY
DEMANDS ON TIME, RESOURCES AND MANAGEMENT SKILLS IN
RESPONDING TO A DISASTER OF THIS MAGNITUDE AND
COMPLEXITY HAVE ALSO MADE FULL CONSULTATION WITH GULF
POSTS DIFFICULT. FOR THIS REASON, WE WELCOME EMBASSY
KUWAIT'S CALL TO REVIEW U.S. POLICY AS WELL AS TO LAY
OUT THE FUTURE SCOPE OF WORK. WHILE PLANNED USG
ACTIVITIES ARE SUBJECT TO A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF CHANGE AS
THE OIL FIRES ARE EXTINGUISHED AND IF THE PLUME BEHAVES

DIFFERENTLY, THEY ARE NOT EXPECTED TO CONTINUE
INDEFINITELY. THE DEPARTMENT INTENDS TO CLOSELY REVIEW
AND MONITOR ANY PROPOSED EXPANSION OR EXTENSION OF THESE
ACTIVITIES. END INTRODUCTION.

BACKGROUND
----------

2. INITIAL INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS TO ASSESS THE IMPACT
OF THE OIL FIRES WERE NECESSARILY IMPROVISED BECAUSE OF
THE UNPRECEDENTED NATURE OF THE EVENT AND THE MAGNITUDE
OF THE POTENTIAL DAMAGE. THE ORIGINAL U.S. RESPONSE
PLAN, PARTS OF WHICH WERE INCORPORATED INTO VARIOUS
LOCAL INITIATIVES, WAS THE BASIS FOR THE WMO PLAN
DEVELOPED AT A MEETING IN GENEVA APRIL 27-30. THE WMO
PLAN RECOGNIZED THE NEED TO OBTAIN DATA AT VARIOUS TIMES
AND LOCATIONS IN ORDER TO PREDICT THE LONG AND SHORT
TERM EFFECTS OF THE SMOKE ON THE ENVIRONMENT.

3. THIS DELIBERATELY PRODUCED DISASTER CAN PROVIDE
INFORMATION ABOUT THE EFFECTS OF EXTREME POLLUTION,
WHETHER PRODUCED BY NATURAL DISASTERS SUCH AS A VOLCANIC
ERUPTION OR BY NUCLEAR WAR, ON CLIMATE, VEGETATION, FOOD
CHAIN, RAINFALL ECOLOGY AND PUBLIC HEALTH. WHILE
INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS ARE FOCUSED ON THE IMMEDIATE AND
FUTURE EFFECTS OF THE FIRES AND OIL SPILLS ON THE PEOPLE
AND REGION AROUND KUWAIT IT IS ALSO SCIENTIFICALLY
RESPONSIBLE AND PRUDENT TO SEEK TO LEARN FROM THIS
DISASTER AND TO OBTAIN INFORMATION THAT COULD BE
EXTRAPOLATED TO OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES.

U.S. POLICY
-----------

4. AS POSTS ARE AWARE, U.S. SCIENTISTS POSSESS A HIGH
LEVEL OF EXPERTISE AND SOPHISTICATED EQUIPMENT WHICH ARE
INVALUABLE RESOURCES IN SUCH A SITUATION. IT IS U.S.
POLICY TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO THE
GOVERNMENTS IN THE REGION, CONSISTENT WITH AGENCY
RESOURCES AND THE ACTION PLANS DEVELOPED BY THE UN AND
ITS SPECIALIZED AGENCIES.

5. PRESIDENT BUSH ASKED EPA ADMINISTRATOR REILLY, AFTER
HIS RECENT TRIP TO THE REGION, TO PROVIDE BROAD
INTERAGENCY COORDINATION OF U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL EFFORTS
IN THE AREA. EPA HAS ESTABLISHED AND CHAIRS A
HIGH-LEVEL COORDINATING COUNCIL, COMPOSED OF U.S.
AGENCIES WORKING IN THE REGION, THAT WILL PROVIDE

GUIDANCE TO ALL EFFORTS AND REVIEW OVERALL PROGRESS.
EPA IS DRAFTING A REPORT TO CONGRESS, AS REQUIRED BY THE
D1RE EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION ACT,
DESCRIBING U.S. RESPONSES TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE IN
THE GULF. EPA IS ALSO WORKING ON A DRAFT PROGRAM TO
COORDINATE USG ACTIVITIES, WHICH WILL INCORPORATE NOAA'S
AIR MONITORING RESPONSIBILITIES. THE WHITE HOUSE HAS
ALSO ASKED EPA TO PREPARE INFORMATIONAL MATERIAL FOR
PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION ON THE U.S. RESPONSE TO THE OIL
FIRES AND OIL RELEASES. THIS IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT
BECAUSE OF PUBLIC CONCERN ABOUT THE REGIONAL AND GLOBAL
EFFECTS OF THIS ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER AND ABOUT THE
PEOPLE DIRECTLY AFFECTED INCLUDING U.S. CITIZENS.

6. POLICY GUIDANCE IS PROVIDED THROUGH A POLICY
COORDINATING COMMITTEE (PCC) CHAIRED BY STATE/OES AND
INCLUDING REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE WHITE HOUSE AND
NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL, DEFENSE COMMERCE (NOAA),
ENERGY, AND HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (PUBLIC HEALTH)
EPA, COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AND OMB, AMONG
OTHERS.

DATA MANAGEMENT
---,-----------

7. LARGE-SCALE SCIENTIFIC PROJECTS ARE NORMALLY
DEVELOPED OVER A PERIOD OF SEVERAL YEARS BEFORE BEING
IMPLEMENTED. DATA ARE ALSO PROCESSED AND STUDIED OVER A
CONSIDERABLE PERIOD OF TIME. THERE IS LEGITIMATE
CONCERN THAT A RUSH TO PREDICT THE EFFECTS OF THE OIL
FIRES AND SPILL COULD BE MISLEADING OR EVEN INACCURATE.
THERE IS ALSO CONCERN ABOUT DATA MANAGEMENT, QUALITY
CONTROL, SOFTWARE FOR PROCESSING ALL THE DATA OBTAINED,
AND ACCESSIBILITY OF THE DATA. AN INTERNATIONAL
WORKSHOP JUST HELD IN BOULDER IS DESIGNED TO DISCUSS
WAYS TO COORDINATE AND SHARE THIS DATA.

8. NOAA HAS OFFERED TO PURCHASE EQUIPMENT FOR DATA
CENTERS ESTABLISHED IN GENEVA, KUWAIT AND THE U.S. THIS
SOPHISTICATED COMPUTER SYSTEM INCLUDES SOFTWARE THAT
WILL ALLOW MULTIPLE PROGRAMS TO RUN SIMULTANEOUSLY ON
ONE MONITOR SO THAT DATA SETS FROM EACH MONITORING
EFFORT CAN BE PLUGGED INTO THE SYSTEM WITH THE
SIMULTANEOUS DISPLAY OF ALL DATA COLLECTED AT GROUND
LEVEL AND AT VARIOUS ALTITUDES AT A SPECIFIED FIXED TIME
OR OVER A SPECIFIED PERIOD. THE SIMULTANEOUS
MANIPULATION OF DATA WILL SHOW HOW THE PLUME COMPOSITION
WAS ALTERED OVER ITS COURSE.

U.S. ACTIVITIES
---------------

9. AS EMBASSY KUWAIT NOTES, THE KUWAITI AIR MONITORING
SYSTEM, WHICH IS CRUCIAL TO MAINTAINING A PUBLIC HEALTH
SYSTEM, IS BEING RESTORED BY NOAA/EPA TEAMS USING U.S.
EQUIPMENT. ON JUNE 24, THE EARLY WARNING SYSTEM CAME
INTO OPERATION. NOAA ORIGINALLY INTENDED TO RETURN SOME
TOWERS TO THE U.S. BUT HAS NOW DECIDED TO LEAVE THEM IN
KUWAIT. NOAA IS WORKING ON POSSIBLE REIMBURSEMENT. THE
UPPER AIR MONITORING SYSTEM IS ALSO BEING RESTORED.
NOAA IS TRAINING KUWAITI PERSONNEL TO RUN THESE
STATIONS; NOAA EXPECTS TO BE ABLE TO PULL OUT ITS
PERSONNEL INVOLVED IN THIS ACTIVITY BEFORE THE END OF
OCTOBER. THE EXACT DATE DEPENDS ON THE SEVERITY OF THE
PLUME PROBLEM IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS AND THE ABILITY OF
THE KUWAITIS TO OPERATE THE EARLY WARNING SYSTEM.

10. NEAR-SOURCE DATA ARE TO BE OBTAINED BY THE
SAUDI/NASA/EPA AND PERHAPS KUWAITI HELICOPTER OPERATION
WHICH IS TO BEGIN SHORTLY. THIS AREA OF DATA COLLECTION
IS VITAL TO MODELLING BUT HAS BEEN DELAYED DUE TO
LOGISTICAL DIFFICULTIES.

11. FIXED WING FLIGHTS HAVE ALSO BEEN EMPLOYED TO STUDY
THE SMOKE PLUME. A SERIES OF DEPARTMENT CABLES HAS
EXPLAINED THE OBJECTIVES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
AND NCAR FLIGHTS. THE U.S. DATA ARE BEING SHARED WITH
SCIENTISTS IN THE REGION, E.G. AT THE MANAMA DEBRIEFING
AND THE BOULDER DATA MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP. A DEPARTMENT
OF ENERGY/PACIFIC NORTHWEST LAB PLANE IS TO OPERATE IN
CONJUNCTION WITH THE SAUDI/EPA/NASA HELICOPTER. THE
BRITISH AND GERMANS ALSO SENT SPECIALLY EQUIPPED FIXED
WING PLANES FOR SHORT PERIODS. THERE ARE FEW SUCH
PLANES AVAILABLE. THE ORIGINAL INTENTION OF THE WMO
MONITORING PLAN WAS TO HAVE PLANES IN THE AIR EVERY
MONTH. THE U.S. WAS TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED TO SEND
ANOTHER FLIGHT IN THE LATE FALL. WE WILL KEEP POSTS
INFORMED.

12. NOAA, EPA AND THE DEPARTMENT HAVE ATTEMPTED TO
INSTITUTIONALIZE COUNTRY CLEARANCE PROCEDURES FOR TRAVEL
TO THE GULF REGION BY U.S. TECHNICAL EXPERTS, BOTH
GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES AND PRIVATE CITIZENS, WHO ARE
RECEIVING USG FUNDING. WE WILL ALSO ENDEAVOR TO LET
POSTS KNOW WHEN USG EMPLOYEES WORKING UNDER UN AUSPICES,
(E.G. WHO) WILL BE IN THE REGION.

FUTURE U.S. ACTIVITIES UNDER THE WMO/WHO PLAN
---------------------------------------------

13. REQUESTS FOR U.S. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IN A NUMBER
OF AREAS HAVE NOW BEEN MADE BY KUWAIT AND SAUDI ARABIA
THROUGH INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS. THESE REQUESTS ARE
TIED TO THE WMO-WHO PLANS TO DEAL WITH AIR MONITORING
AND THREATS TO PUBLIC HEALTH. AGENCIES ARE WORKING TO
FILL REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS:

-- SOLID WASTE: KUWAIT HAS ASKED THROUGH WHO, FOR EPA
ASSISTANCE IN ASSESSING SOLID WASTE AND HAZARDOUS WASTE
SITUATIONS RESULTING FROM THE WAR. AN EPA TEAM WOULD BE
BASED IN KUWAIT FOR THREE WEEKS TO WORK UNDER WHO/KEPD
AUSPICES. AT THE END OF THREE WEEKS, THE PROJECT WOULD
BE TURNED OVER TO TRAINED KUWAITI PERSONNEL.

-- GROUND WATER POLLUTION: KUWAIT HAS ASKED, THROUGH
WHO, FOR EPA ASSISTANCE IN ASSESSING THE GROUND WATER
POLLUTION SITUATION AND IN DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING A
MONITORING PROGRAM. AN EPA TEAM WOULD BE IN KUWAIT FOR
THREE WEEKS WORKING WITH KEPD AND WHO.

-- DRINKING WATER: KUWAIT HAS ASKED, THROUGH WHO, FOR
EPA ASSISTANCE IN ASSESSING THE POSSIBLE POLLUTION OF
DRINKING WATER. THERE IS CONCERN THAT DRINKING WATER
PIPES MAY HAVE BEEN CONTAMINATED AS A RESULT OF RUPTURED
DRINKING WATER AND SEWAGE LINES. AN EPA TEAM WOULD
ASSIST IN SETTING UP A MONITORING PROGRAM WORKING WITH
KEPD AND WHO.

-- TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IN THE PUBLIC HEALTH FIELD:
THE US PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE (PHS) AND EPA HAVE BEEN
ASKED BY KUWAIT AND SAUDI ARABIA, AGAIN THROUGH THE WHO,
FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING IN TOXICOLOGY,
EPIDEMIOLOGY, FOOD SAFETY, AND PUBLIC HEALTH
INFRASTRUCTURE. AN EPA/PHS TEAM WOULD BE BASED IN
DHAHRAN AND KUWAIT FOR SIX MONTHS. THE EPA TEAM WOULD
BE IN DHAHRAN WORKING WITH KFUPM/WHO, WHILE THE PHS TEAM
WOULD BE IN KUWAIT WORKING WITH KEPD/WHO.

-- AIR MONITORING: SAUDI ARABIA AND KUWAIT HAVE ASKED,
THROUGH THE WMO, FOR EPA ASSISTANCE IN TRAINING LOCAL
PERSONNEL IN ORDER TO SUPPORT THE ACTIVITIES OF THE GULF
REGION AIR MONITORING PROGRAM (GRAMP). GRAMP REQUIRES
THE SUPPORT OF AN ADVANCED ANALYTICAL LABORATORY
STRUCTURE. EPA TEAMS WOULD SPEND SIX MONTHS IN DHAHRAN

AND KUWAIT. IN DHAHRAN, THE TEAM WOULD BE WORKING WITH
MEP/KFUPM/WMO. IN KUWAIT, THE TEAM WOULD WORK WITH
KEPD/WMO.

-- BIO-SYSTEMS: SAUDI ARABIA HAS ASKED FOR A TEAM,
WHICH WOULD BE MAINLY FROM EPA, TO ASSIST IN CLEANUP AND
REMEDIATION OF THE EFFECTS OF THE OIL RELEASES. THE
TEAM WOULD ALSO PUT INTO EFFECT A PROGRAM FOR CLEANING
UP THE RECOVERED OIL WHICH IS ON LAND. THE TEAM WOULD
BE TRAINING BOTH SAUDI AND KUWAITI TECHNICIANS AND WOULD
BE BASED IN DHAHRAN FOR SIX MONTHS WORKING WITH MEPA AND
KFUPM.

-- SPILL RESPONSE: U.S. COAST GUARD ASSISTANCE HAS
BEEN REQUESTED BY SAUDI ARABIA, THROUGH THE IMO, TO WORK
WITH THE IMO IN PROVIDING TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND TRAINING
ON CONTAINMENT AND MITIGATION OF SPILLS AND ON REGIONAL
OIL SPILL EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS. THE TEAM WOULD BE IN
DHAHRAN FOR SIX MONTHS WORKING WITH THE IMO AND MEPA.

14. WHILE THE AFOREMENTIONED PLANS ARE TENTATIVE, AND
WHILE FORECASTING FUTURE USG ACTIVITIES WITH PRECISION
IS VERY DIFFICULT FOR OBVIOUS REASONS, SOME LEVEL OF USG
INVOLVEMENT IN RESPONSE TO GULF ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE CAN
THUS BE FORESEEN FOR THE NEXT YEAR OR SO.

15. WE SHARE POSTS' CONCERNS ABOUT THE IMPACT OF ALL
THESE PROGRAMS ON LIMITED RESOURCES. ALL FUTURE
PROGRAMS, WITH THE POSSIBLE EXCEPTION OF ANOTHER AIR
MONITORING FLIGHT BY A FIXED WING AIRCRAFT, ARE EXPECTED
TO REQUIRE MINIMAL POST SUPPORT. THE U.S. TEAMS WILL BE
WORKING WITH LOCAL INSTITUTIONS WHICH CAN HANDLE THE
LOGISTICS OF THEIR OPERATIONS. WE DO NOT INTEND TO
REQUEST CLEARANCES FROM POSTS UNLESS WE ARE ASSURED THAT
THE TEAMS ARE ABLE TO OPERATE WITH MINIMAL MISSION
ASSISTANCE (E.G. WITH AN INITIAL SHIPMENT OF EQUIPMENT
THROUGH CUSTOMS) AND HAVE LOCAL SPONSORSHIP.
EAGLEBURGER
ADMIN BT

#1270


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