By Mike Doherty, Clallam County Commissioner and Lovel Pratt, San Juan County Councilmember
As we reflect on the second anniversary of the Nation’s largest oil spill, we want to share information about the work we are doing to protect our waters, shores and way of life from the lasting impacts of a catastrophic oil spill.
The coastal counties we serve include some of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. Proposed increases in shipping traffic in the waters surrounding San Juan County and the Strait of Juan de Fuca in Clallam County raise concerns about our ability to respond to a major oil spill here.
Senator Cantwell championed several oil spill measures that will enhance Washington State’s spill prevention and response capacity in the 2010 Coast Guard Reauthorization Act. The State legislature also passed E2SHB 1186 in 2011 that directed the Department of Ecology to update its oil spill regulations. We have the privilege of being appointed by the Washington State Association of Counties to represent counties on the Oil Spill Rules Advisory Committee that was established to assist in the development of the new regulations (see https://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/spills/rules/1106.html).
The update to the oil spill regulations is timely as Canada will be increasing their oil exports and the Gateway Terminal project has been proposed. Kinder Morgan, owner of Canada’s TransMountain pipeline, just announced plans to expand its capacity from 300,000 barrels per day to 850,000 barrels per day. Much of this product, which will be exported by tanker, is heavy Alberta tar sands oil that if spilled is likely to sink below the water’s surface making clean-up particularly challenging. We are doing our best to help ensure that Ecology’s new rules require that shippers of “unconventional” oils have the capacity to respond effectively to these spills.
In addition, there are plans to build the Gateway Terminal in Whatcom County, which would be North America’s largest coal terminal and is estimated to draw 500 coal carriers per year. These carriers are twice the size of the tankers that currently enter our waters and each would contain two million gallons of bunker fuel for propulsion, another heavy oil that can sink below the water’s surface when spilled
Washington State has an admirable spill prevention and response record that spans our long history of vigilance from the late Senator Magnuson to Senator Cantwell, our Governor and legislature. However, just because we have not had a catastrophic oil spill recently does not mean that we should not be better prepared to respond to one.
Our quality of life depends upon the health of our interconnected economy and environment, both of which would be severely impacted by a major oil spill. Our capacity to respond effectively will determine the difference between temporary and lasting economic and environmental impacts. We must learn and apply the lessons of the Gulf oil spill so we don’t have to experience them first hand.
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While these authors did not take a stand on whether the proposed coal terminal was an ecologically and economically wise use of our waters, citizens of this area should. Added to significant concerns about an oil spill are other significant problems specific to the SJIs. Blown coal dust and tanker engine fumes will pollute our air and water daily. Significant daily noise from thrumming idling ships, because of limited loading space and because Rosario Strait is one-way for these boats this size will destroy our quiet and impact above and below water. Ferry delays will happen daily. The coal will go to China power plants (it’s cheaper for them than mining their own) and come back to us as mercury-laden smoke. And, economically, as a tourist, would you dodge these boats and the 1 1/2 mile long trains that feed them, to come here? To learn more about the subject,visit the PowerPastCoal website. To become involved in voicing your concern, contact Friends of the San Juans.