6
IMPLEMENTATION
The preceding chapters have outlined a science plan for studying and monitoring Mount Rainier as a Decade Volcano Demonstration Project. Communication and coordination among the many scientists and organizations who will be involved in this project are essential to its implementation in an effective and cost-efficient manner.
Implementation of the Mount Rainier Decade Volcano Demonstration Project is the responsibility of the scientific community, which needs to develop a plan to carry the project forward. This community includes:
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state, federal, academic, and industry researchers who study volcanoes, hazards, and risk mitigation;
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government agencies with relevant extramural research funding programs, such as the National Science Foundation; and
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government agencies with responsibilities for volcano and hazards research, public-lands management, and public safety, including the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Geological Survey, National Park Service, Forest Service, and federal and state emergency management agencies.
The implementation plan should provide guidance on:
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priorities for research and monitoring activities based on scientific significance and value to risk-mitigation efforts;
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funding for research and monitoring activities deemed to be of high priority;
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mechanisms for coordinating the efforts of scientists to avoid unnecessary duplication, particularly in the use of instrumentation or collection of samples from wilderness and other environmentally sensitive areas with limited access; and
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mechanisms for balancing the needs of scientists for access, samples, and data with the needs of federal and state agencies to fulfill their research, public safety, and land-management missions.
To be effective, monitoring efforts will require continuity in funding, management, personnel, and facilities that can best be provided by federal and state agencies with responsibilities for volcano and hazards research, such as the U.S. Geological Survey and Washington State Department of Natural Resources. Nongovernment scientists should be encouraged to participate in monitoring activities in both data collection and advisory capacities, and the scientific community should have free and immediate access to monitoring data. A possible mechanism of access would be the Mount Rainier Hazards Information Network, which is discussed elsewhere in this report.
Many of the research, monitoring, and mitigation activities described in this report will require access to Mount Rainier National Park and surrounding Forest Service and private lands for field work, sample collection, and the installation and operation of scientific instruments and telemetry equipment. Much of this land is environmentally sensitive and is designated as wilderness area. Research and monitoring activities must be designed to minimize impacts to the environment. Consultation with Park Service and Forest Service staff for work on federal lands (see, for example, Appendix B) and with state personnel for work on private lands must begin at the design stage of all projects in order to assure compliance with existing regulations.
Park Service and Forest Service staff can make significant contributions to the research and monitoring efforts outlined in this report. They are in a position to notice subtle changes in the volcano that might not be
apparent to visiting scientists or the general public. They can make regular visual observations of snow, ice, and rocks on the volcanic edifice; assist with the collection of data; and, where appropriate, assist with inspections and routine maintenance of instrumentation. Cooperation between researchers and Park Service and Forest Service staff is essential to the successful implementation of this project.
