Van De Wege’s oil spill prevention measure clears House

Neah Bay rescue tug would no longer be taxpayer-funded

March 6, 2009

OLYMPIA - A long day of floor action in the state House of Representatives concluded yesterday evening with the passage of a bill to protect the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound from oil spills.

House Bill 1409, sponsored by Rep. Kevin Van De Wege (D – Sequim), would require certain vessels, such as oil tankers, cargo vessels, and cruise ships, to fund a rescue tug that would be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to respond to incidents.

“Today, the House took a bold step towards protecting the environment and economy of our state,” Van De Wege said. “A rescue tug must be a year-round feature, always ready to respond, because accidents don’t follow a set schedule.”

In the past, the Legislature has funded a rescue tug stationed at Neah Bay for at least part of the year. Because there was usually not enough money for a year-round tug, coverage was often only provided during the stormy winter months.

But a devastating 1991 oil spill caused by the collision of two vessels near Cape Flattery happened during the summer. In that accident, 100,000 gallons of oil and diesel spilled, fouling shoreline from British Columbia to Oregon. The heaviest oiling occurred along the Olympia National Park shoreline and the Makah Indian Reservation.

“It is fair that those who put our waterways at risk pay to mitigate that risk,” Van De Wege said. “For too long the taxpayer has been on hook for it, and in these challenging economic times we need a better way to fund oil spill prevention.”

The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration.