Washington State Department of Ecology

Department of Ecology News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Oct. 27, 1999

99-206

Contact: Stan Norman, Ecology's Spills Program, 360-407-7465

Oil-spill advisory committee created

OLYMPIA - The Washington Department of Ecology has created a new advisory committee to review and comment on work plans, rule-making agendas, and legislative agendas for state programs to prevent and respond to oil spills.

The first meeting will be held in Seattle from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 3, in the Bank of California Building, Rm. 2400, located at 4^th Ave. and Madison St. The meeting is open to the public.

The 29-member committee includes representatives of the aquaculture industry, environmental organizations, local and tribal governments, the marine-transportation industry, oil-handling facilities, spill-response organizations, and state agencies from both Oregon and Washington. United States federal agencies, the Canadian government and the Canadian marine-transportation industry will participate as observers.

"The committee will play an important role in giving us practical, relevant feedback that will be used to improve state oil-spill prevention and response," said Joe Stohr, who manages Ecology's Spills Program.

The committee will meet twice each year, in the fall and spring.