Chairman of the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) Dr Allan Bachan is to chair the Cabinet-appointed National Environmental Assessment Task Force (NEATF).Two weeks ago, at the post-Cabinet news conference, the Prime Minister announced the establishment of the task force to oversee all activities necessary to address the environmental impact of the oil spills at the Petroleum Company of T&T (Petrotrin). A release from the Environment and Water Resources Ministry on Friday said the task force will also provide guidance to the EMA as a lead agency in the clean-up efforts.
Members of the task force are:
�2 Dr Allan Bachan, chairman, EMA.
�2 Prof Indar Ramnarine, deputy chairman, Institute of Marine Affairs.
�2 Christine Chan A Shing, director of Fisheries, Ministry of Food Production.
�2 Dr Rahanna Juman, Institute of Marine Affairs (Wetlands Ecology).
�2 Dr Darryl Banjoo, Institute of Marine Affairs (Marine Chemistry).
�2 Prof John Agard, University of the West Indies (Pollution and Environmental Control).
�2 Neil Alleyne, head, Petroleum Engineering, University of T&T.
�2 Nigel Darwent, deputy chairman, National Petroleum Company Ltd (NP).
�2 Representative from the Ministry of Health (Impacts of the oil spill on human health)
�2 Representative of the National Trust.
�2 Local representative with expertise in offshore transport and fate of oil/oil spill dispersion modelling.
�2 International representative with expertise in restoration and rehabilitation activities related to oil spills (United States Fish and Wildlife Agency).
�2 International representative with expertise in oilfield safety and management to assist with the development of guidelines for risk mitigation, which will enhance the environmental regulatory permitting processes (United States Environmental Protection Agency) .