Oil Spill Response and Preparedness: Is it Real or Public Relations?

Public Meeting February 22, 2014: Oil Spill Response and Preparedness
(click here for details)

Are agencies really ready?

We'll find out.

Are you really ready to respond?
Agencies involved in the recent Community Engagement in Oil Spill Response and Readiness workshops held for the benefit of the public have been given the golden opportunity to show they are, in fact, "ready to respond."

Here we come, ready or not.

Oil and coal exports on ships add risk to Puget Sound's waters
As recently as January 24, and upcoming on February 22, workshops to help assuage public concerns over increased tanker traffic resulting from the Trans Mountain pipeline proposal by Kinder Morgan Canada have been held. They continue to be held. It has been estimated tanker traffic through Haro Straits and the Straits of Juan de Fuca will increase from 5 a month to 34 a month. With the addition of coal exports to Asia it has been estimated that an additional 487 ships annually to handle the coal would be added to ship traffic.

Is 2,000 gallons a "significant" spill?
At this point agencies' executing on a plan has been described in the Kitsap Sun this way:

The Kitsap Sun received mixed reports about whether a unified command would be implemented to develop a coordinated response to the spill. That level of coordination, which would include the Navy, Coast Guard and Ecology, is normally implemented for a significant oil spill.
Redfield-Wilder of Ecology said she was hearing that such a command would be established Wednesday morning, but Coast Guard spokesman Jordan Akiyama said his superiors told him that the Navy will remain in charge until further notice.

Washington and Ocean Acidification: She said What?

"What do you think Governor?"

Country representatives meeting in Qatar over the past two weeks on climate change must now be asking, "She said what?" about Governor Gregoire's answer to why, if Washington was so concerned about CO2 emissions and ocean acidification, they were considering the exporting of hundreds of tons of coal to Asia. [click here for article]. An opportunity to lead the nation, if not the world, in addressing CO2 emissions and climate change fell below flat.

It's more than shellfish.

After the praising of how great the leadership was of all involved on the "Blue Ribbon Panel on Ocean Acidification" finished, questions were taken. The first one, like many which followed, was directed at the Governor, asking for her opinion on the exporting of coal to southeast Asia through Washington ports. A reasonable question given that the scientists on the panel were clear about the cause of ocean acidification being CO2 emissions and that burning coal is the primary source.

It's more than "coal jobs."



Unlike the past and current Governors of Oregon who openly oppose the export of coal, Governor Gregoire did not want to "invite litigation" or "invite problems" by expressing an opinion [read article here]. Does she really think being "silent" is going to mean no lawsuits will be filed? Governor Romney discovered what not taking a firm position on controversial issues results in.

This is not leadership and not what is needed at a national level. It makes people look at Washington and ask, "What are they thinking?" It's embarrassing to everyone.