Ensuring Food Safety Following an Oil Spill in Alaska: Regulatory Authorities and Responsibilities

The Oil Spill Recovery Institute contracted Nuka Research and Planning Group, LLC to develop a report, Ensuring Food Safety Following an Oil Spill in Alaska. The report was developed with input and guidance from a workgroup of the Alaska Regional Response Team charged with advancing policy on food safety issues in the event of an oil spill.

The project identified federal and state statutory and regulatory authorities in Alaska related to issuing advisories, closures, and re-openings to prevent the human consumption of foods contaminated by spill of oil or other hazardous substances. It provided examples of how agencies implement these authorities in Alaska and highlighted protocols for commercial fishery closure and re-opening developed during the Gulf of Mexico Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2012.

Client: Oil Spill Response Institute

Project Dates: June-December 2018