Unalaska, AK – The Aleutians Islands Risk Assessment Team will be holding their first full meeting here in Unalaska next week. The three-day session will give the public a chance to hear an overview of the project and to give input. Risk assessment facilitation team member Leslie Pearson says the project is not just about the perspectives of those directly involved with the vessels that pass through the area and the risks they face. Vessel accidents and spills also impact the people who deal with the aftermath community members, land managers, and others.

"So we're looking for any kind of ideas or concepts that people may have on how to decrease the risks from shipping agencies and their perspective as a result of accidents occurring, too, what are some of their primary concerns," she said.

The meeting starts at 10 am on Tuesday, September 1 and will include presentations by the advisory panel, which is made up of various stakeholders, and by the project management team. On the second day, the contractors who are designing the study will present preliminary information.

"This team has been hired to deal with phase A' which involves a number of studies. One being an updated vessel traffic study: how many vessels are moving through Unimak Pass and other places through out the Aleutian chain, what size of vessels, what are they carrying, the consequences associated with an accident, where are the more likely places that an accident could occur. So they've got a study designed to implement the project and look at these elements," Pearson said. "They'll be presenting their study to design to the advisory panel, the management team, and the public."

The third day will include a wrap-up and a test of the Emergency Towing System. Pearson says this meeting is the ideal time for community members and other stakeholders to give input into the risk assessment and mitigation process.

"During the heat of an incident, if you have an accident, it's real difficult to take into consideration public input because you're reacting to something," she said.

The risk assessment process was developed in reaction to the December 2004 Selendang Ayu accident. The 738-foot freighter went aground on Unalaska Island and spilled over 340,000 gallons of heavy fuel oil and 60,000 tons of soybeans. Six crew members died during the rescue efforts.

The risk assessment meetings run from September 1 until September 3 at various locations around town. Check out their website at www.aleutiansriskassessment.com. for more details.