North Puget Sound Risk Management Panel Final Report is Available

The North Puget Sound Oil Spill Risk Management Panel, co-chaired by Ecology and the Coast Guard, has completed its deliberations. The final report is available in the formats listed below.

The Panel was composed of representatives from 20 organizations with expertise and involvement in marine safety. See additional background information.

The Panel’s process advanced oil spill prevention in a number of ways including:

• Developing additional information on the risk of oil spills;
• Strengthening the relationship between Ecology and the Coast Guard;
• Facilitating communication among community stakeholders on marine safety issues;
• Providing a venue for congressional and legislative leadership on oil spill related issues; and 
• Incrementally improving marine safety through the committee’s recommendations.

The Panel did not achieve consensus on several issues including the need for a rescue tug, mechanisms for improving public input into marine safety issues, tug escorts for high-risk vessels, and marine safety improvements in Haro Strait. However, the Panel conducted valuable dialogs on each of these topics.

Now that the Panel’s deliberations are complete, Ecology will work on the following issues:

• Revise the formal working agreement between the Coast Guard and Ecology;
• Work to implement the Panel’s recommendations;
• Review spill response capability in North Puget Sound;
• Assure that there is a strong oil spill prevention regime in Washington State;
• Improving safety in Haro Strait; and
• Work to secure additional funding for a rescue tug at Neah Bay.

1. To download a copy of the report’s body (without the appendices) in PDF format - click here…

2. To download a copy of the entire report (including the appendices) in PDF format - click here…

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For further information on the Panel, please contact Jon Neel or call (360) 407-6905.