Identification of costs to states to perform certain marine environmental protection functions.

Abstract

This study addresses the U.S. Coast Guard's role in marine environmental protection and costs to states of assuming two Coast Guard marine environmental protection functions, oil spill investigation and cleanup. U.S. Coast Guard data for eight West Coast port areas have been used to perform regression and other analyses to relate pollution sources and causes to the number of oil spills occurring in an area. The number of spills then are linked to costs of investigation and cleanup within that area. Other considerations relating to state assumption of marine environmental protection functions are outlined. A grant-in-aid program may be established by the Coast Guard to induce state participation. A possible fund allocation formula is presented. It is based on maintaining the present level of cost-effectiveness for the program.