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Department of Ecology News Release - October 2, 2002
02-184
OLYMPIA - The Barbara Foss rescue tug began its fifth year of duty in the Strait of Juan de Fuca yesterday, thanks to continued funding from the state legislature.
The tug will be based in Neah Bay for the next 200 days to help ships in distress throughout the fall and winter seasons. Winter storms present a higher risk of oil spills from the nearly 10,000 tankers and cargo ships traveling through the strait each year.
Cargo ships can carry up to 1 million gallons of fuel oil, and oil barges or tankers can carry up to 33 million gallons of oil.
"Oil spills are difficult to clean up under the best of conditions, but they're impossible to contain in the bad weather our coast often experiences," said Dale Jensen, who manages Ecology's spills program. "The rescue tug provides extra protection to make sure disabled ships don't drift onto rocks and break open."
A rescue tug has been stationed at Neah Bay during each of the past four winters, primarily using state funds and some federal monies. The state legislature provided $1.6 million to assure a minimum of 200 days of service for the 2002-03 winter season.
"The long-term funding outlook for the rescue tug is still questionable given the state's budget crisis," said Jensen.
Washington's coastline and the Strait of Juan de Fuca area are considered some of the most pristine in the lower 48 states. Beaches in the Olympic National Park, the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary and tribal lands are directly at risk for major oil spills since they are adjacent to the shipping route.
A major spill could hurt Washington's fishing and shellfish industries, further endanger salmon runs, kill birds and marine mammals, ruin public beaches, and dampen tourism, said Jensen.
Over the past four years, rescue tugs have come to the aid of 18 disabled ships.
Media contact: Mary-Ellen Voss, 360-407-7211
Spills Program Web site: www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/spills/spills.html
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
