Legislation introduced on January 20, 2009 in Washington’s Senate and House would require the oil, cargo and cruise industry to pay for a year-round response tug to stand by at Neah Bay to prevent vessel oil spills.
Senate Bill 5344 and House Bill 1409 would require all oil tankers, cargo vessels and large cruise ships to form a cooperative to contract for standby response tug service at the mouth of the Strait of Juan de Fuca.“These bills are fair because they are based on the principle that those who create the risk to our ecosystem should be responsible for paying for preventing damage,” said Bruce Wishart, policy director of People For Puget Sound.
“The burden of paying for the tug should be taken off the shoulders of the taxpayers and assumed by industry.”A rescue tug has been stationed at Neah Bay since 1999 on a part-time seasonal basis and paid for by state and federal funds.
Since July 2008, the legislature has funded a full-time rescue tug to stand by at Neah Bay. That funding ends on June 30, 2009.Since 1999, the rescue tug has been responsible for 40 rescues or assists of oil tankers, cargo vessels, and other vessels in the region. Similar success stories surround tugs stationed in Alaska, Japan, France, Great Britain, and across the globe.
SB 5344 is sponsored by Senator Kevin Ranker(40th) and cosponsored by Senators Swecker, Rockefeller, Marr, Hargrove, Pridemore, and Fraser.HB 1409 is sponsored by Representative Kevin Van De Wege(24th) and cosponsored by Representatives Kessler, Upthegrove, Rolfes, Blake,Dunshee, Campbell, Jacks, Orwall, Seaquist, Appleton, Nelson, Roberts, Morris, Takko, Cody, Carlyle, McCoy, Goodman, Quall, Sullivan, and Liias.
People for Puget Sound memo on Oil Spill Prevention
http://www.pugetsound.org/programs/policy/action-agenda/oil
Seattle PI Article: "State not ready for oil spill," commission reports
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
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