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Department of Ecology News Release - October 1, 2007
07-287
OLYMPIA – Crowley Maritime Corp. kicked off the 2007-08 winter season today by stationing its emergency response and rescue tug at Neah Bay.
Crowley will station the tug at Neah Bay through mid-March 2008.
Since spring 1999, response tugs have 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.
Lawmakers made about $1.45 million available to fund the tug for about 165 days at $8,500 a day plus fuel.
The Department of Ecology (Ecology) administers the response tug contract. This is the last winter season that the state has committed funding for the tug.
“It is critical that we have an emergency response tug stationed at Neah Bay. Preventing spills is our top priority. 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 Dale Jensen, who oversees spill prevention, preparedness and response activities for Ecology.
Jensen noted that U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell has proposed federal legislation to station a response tug year round at Neah Bay.
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 two million gallons of fuel oil, and oil barges or tankers can carry up to 40 million gallons of oil.
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Media contacts: Curt Hart, media relations, 360-407-6990; cell 360-480-7908. Mary-Ellen Voss, media relations, 360-407-7211; pager 360-956-8296.
For information about response tug history: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/spills/hottopics/response_tug/tugresponsemainpage.htm
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