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Department of Ecology News Release - July 12, 2007
07-188
OLYMPIA - Crowley Maritime Corp. has agreed to continue a contract with the Department of Ecology (Ecology) to station a company rescue tug at Neah Bay for winter 2007-08.
A rescue tug has been stationed at Neah Bay since spring 1999. The tug has stood by or assisted 34 ships that were disabled or had reduced maneuvering or propulsion capability while transporting oil and other cargo along the coast and through the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The actions helped ensure the ships didn't drift onto rocks and spill oil.
"The Neah Bay area is sacred to the Makah Tribe and Washington's coast is a world-class treasure," said Gov. Chris Gregoire. "Having a rescue tug stationed in the area, especially during the stormy winter months, means we can work to prevent catastrophic oil spills, keeping our beaches beautiful and our industries, such as shellfish, fishing and tourism, healthy as well.
"Flanked by the Olympic National Park along the coast and the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, thousands of ships, including oil tankers loaded with more than 40 million gallons of oil, traverse state waters every year," she said. "It is staggering just how much environmental damage a large spill in the region could cause."
Crowley Maritime will begin stationing a company rescue tug at Neah Bay starting Oct. 1, 2007, through mid-March, 2008. Lawmakers made about $1.45 million available to fund the tug for 168 days at $8,750 a day.
Ecology administers the rescue tug contract.
"We know that having a tug at Neah Bay has and will continue making a difference," said Oil Spill Advisory Council chairman Mike Cooper. "Last season alone, the Crowley tug was deployed five times. Every time a ship is disabled at sea, there is a serious risk of a catastrophic oil spill. Due to this risk, the Council has recommended that a tug be permanently stationed at Neah Bay to provide year round protection."
Gregoire and Cooper noted that U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell is working on a measure to have a rescue tug stationed at Neah Bay year round. The Senator is still working on her proposal.
"It is critical we have a rescue tug stationed at Neah Bay. The area is one of the most environmentally sensitive and valuable areas of Washington," said Dale Jensen, who oversees spill prevention, preparedness and response activities for Ecology. "If oil is spilled, the damage to our environment starts and oil is all but impossible to contain, even during the best weather conditions."
Winter storms present a higher risk of oil spills from the more than 7,000 tankers and cargo ships traveling through the Strait each year. Cargo ships can carry more than 2 million gallons of fuel oil, and oil barges or tankers can carry up to 40 million gallons of oil.
"We look forward to continuing our partnership with the Department of Ecology, Coast Guard, Makah Indian Tribe, and the maritime community, to protect our natural treasures and ships' crews in the state of Washington," said Joel Klenck, Vice President of West Coast Services for Crowley Maritime. "A powerful tug like Crowley's Gladiator at Neah Bay provides an important protective measure for our coastline. This measure is especially important since the Olympic National Park, Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, and an area sacred to the Makah Tribe are so close to a busy vessel traffic area, the Strait of Juan de Fuca."
The Jacksonville, Fla.-based Crowley Maritime Corp. was founded in San Francisco in 1892. The privately held family and employee-owned company provides diversified transportation and logistics services in domestic and international markets including contract towing and transportation; ship assist and escort; energy support; salvage and emergency response; vessel management, and petroleum and chemical transportation.
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Media contacts: Curt Hart, Senior Communications Consultant,
360-407-6990; cell 360-480-7908
Mary-Ellen Voss, Communications Consultant, 360-407-7211; pager 360-956-8296
For information about rescue tug history: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/spills/hottopics/response_tug/tugresponsemainpage.htm (Link updated 03/21/08.)
To view a copy of the new contract: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/services/contract/contract.html
For more information about Crowley Maritime Corp.: www.crowley.com
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
