Research for Continental United States

The Exxon Valdez disaster of March 1989 revealed major shortcomings in this nation's ability to deal with such an incident, and resulted in the passage of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA-90). In general, OPA-90 called for increased preparedness for major oil spills by requiring information of area committees, preparation of area plans, and periodic exercises. It was in response to this requirement for periodic exercises that the Coast Guard, Environmental Protection Agency, Research and Special Programs Office of Pipeline Safety, and Mineral Management Service developed the Preparedness for Response Exercise Program (PREP). The country is divided into 60 areas for oil spill response. PREP conducts 20 area exercises per year, so that each area is exercised once every three years. The 1995 San Diego PREP area exercise was the first exercise led by the Navy. This report serves as the formal evaluation report for the 1995 San Diego PREP area exercise and satisfies all Navy documentation requirements under PREP.

Demands for more airspace and increasing activity in airspace already in use are growing while the amount of airspace available remains fixed. There are already conflicts between civil, general, and military aviation, and it is generally believed that further conflicts are inevitable. Current airspace use over the continental United States and projected use through 1980 are examined in this study. The needs for airspace for naval training are determined, and the effects on these needs of placing more and more airspace under positive control are weighed. Several recommendations concerning naval training policies and both general and civil aviation are made.