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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dec. 15, 1997
97-193
CONTACT: Steve Hunter, Spill Response Section Supervisor,(360)
407-6974
Curt Hart, Public Outreach and Involvement Coordinator, (360) 407-6973
OLYMPIA, WA - It took more than four years and the threat of a vessel seizure half a world away, but the Department of Ecology (Ecology) has finally reached a $90,000 settlement against the owners of a foreign-flagged freighter that spilled approximately 3,000 gallons of fuel oil into the Columbia River in 1993.
The spill occurred aboard the M/V Central on June 3, 1993, after the vessel's crew apparently failed to completely close a crossover valve during fueling operations at the Port of Longview. Fuel spilled over the side of the ship and into the river, triggering a three-day response effort. Although a high river flow flushed much of the oil out of the Columbia River estuary, the spill affected a number of valuable fish and wildlife habitats between Longview and the mouth of the Columbia River. The lower Columbia River has been recognized as an Estuary of National Significance because of its importance to many critical species.
In August 1993, Ecology issued a $63,000 penalty to the original ship owners, Azuero Shipping Japan, Ltd., for:
Azuero Shipping refused to pay the penalty, appealed the fine, and ultimately sold the vessel and declared bankruptcy. In April 1994, the states of Washington and Oregon and the U.S. Department of Interior assessed the firm an additional $65,763 assessment for damages to natural resources in the vicinity of the spill.
After efforts to collect the penalty and damage assessment through normal channels proved fruitless, Ecology hired an admiralty law firm to help settle the matter.
Ecology's legal agent located the vessel, now operating under a new name, and prepared to have the vessel seized in Australia unless a bond was posted to cover the amount of the penalty and associated costs.
Faced with the prospect of federal litigation, vessel seizure and persistent state enforcement, the delinquent party agreed to pay $90,000 to settle the outstanding damage assessment and fine.
"We don't see this kind of irresponsibility from Washington state companies and well-managed shipping firms," said Steve Hunter, section supervisor for Ecology Spills Program's response activities. "It's important to send a message to less scrupulous overseas owners that they will be held to the same standard."
Under an agreement hammered out last week, $75,000 of the settlement is earmarked for the state Coastal Protection Fund, used primarily for environmental restoration projects. The remaining $15,000 will be given to the International Bird Rescue Research Center (IBRRC), located in Berkeley, Calif., to teach animal-rescue volunteers the proper handling of birds and wildlife injured by oil spills in the Columbia River. State fish and wildlife agencies in Washington and Oregon have contracts with IBRRC for emergency wildlife rescue services.
Incidents such as the 1993 M/V Central spill prompted Washington to develop new spill- prevention regulations to reduce the risk of an oil spill when vessels are engaged in fueling or "bunkering" activities. In October 1994, the former state Office of Marine Safety, now part of Ecology, implemented new bunkering rules for large vessels operating in state waters.
The rules address training, work hours, watch and record-keeping requirements. In addition, vessel crews must complete a pre-loading plan, conduct pre-transfer conferences and be proficient enough in English to avoid communication problems during fueling procedures. Since the rules were adopted, Washington has not had any large bunkering-related oil spills and has seen a successive drop in the number of small bunkering spills under 1,000 gallons.
"When a negligent polluter dumps oil and then sails over the horizon, we are strongly motivated to make sure the party responsible doesn't just get away," said Ecology Spills Program manager Joe Stohr. "This settlement finally closes the book on a long struggle for justice. This is a victory for the citizens of the state of Washington."
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
