5. POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS 5.1. RISK ASSESSMENT AS A TOOL FOR MANAGEMENT, REGULATION, AND REGULATORY REFORM Risk assessment is a new and important tool for environmental management. One of the main functions of risk assessment is to allow the environmental managers and interested parties to determine the perceived problem, the areas of greatest risk, acceptable levels of problem solution, and prioritize the activities for risk management. One of the strengths of risk assessment is that it can compare the potential effects of different technologies. For example, in the Priobskoye region, new coated pipes will have a different rate of potential breakage than older uncoated pipe. Risk assessment can also highlight the areas of the new pipeline that may have higher failure rates and are thus most at risk of a spill. This will allow managers to determine what level of cleanup equipment and expertise needs to be available to reduce the potential impact to an “acceptable” level. The acceptable level may be determined through regulations; for example, a certain water quality level that cannot be exceeded for hydrocarbons. Or it may be a local determination of what level of cleanup is acceptable. In addition, risk assessment enables comparison studies to be performed. The risk of an oil spill from exisiting uncoated pipeline may be much higher than from newer coated pipe. The environmental managers may decide that to mitigate the risk, the highest priority is to use new technology (e.g., coated pipeline and separation of oil from water). However, current regulations may discourage or prohibit technologies with less environmental risk (such as separation of oil and water at the well site with reinjection of the separated water into the aquifer). Risk assessment methodology can compare the risk (e.g., number and quantity of spills and area affected) of using no oil and water separation and uncoated pipe versus oil and water separation and coated pipe. This may provide environmental managers with better information in writing regulations. Risk assessment does not set regulations, but rather provides information to decision makers on the components of greatest potential risk. With development, there will be environmental impact. It is up to the individuals and regulators concerned to determine what is an acceptable risk.
