Task force seeks clarification on response policies

Saturday, November 20, 2004

By LISA STIFFLER
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

Members of the oil spill task force began taking a hard look yesterday at the government's initial response to a mystery spill that last month fouled more than 20 miles of shoreline on Vashon and Maury islands.

A passing tugboat captain reported the spill of heavy black oil covering at least an acre shortly after 1 a.m., but hours passed before the lead government agencies launched a full response.

"We had policies in place that night that we did not follow," said Dale Jensen, manager of the spills program for the state Department of Ecology. "If we had followed them, we would have reacted differently."

There should have been more widespread notification of ecology officials, said David Byers, spill response section manager for the department. Employees should have gone out to check the magnitude of the spill. If it was unsafe for workers to go out because of darkness or bad weather, supervisors should have been informed of that decision, Byers said.

Task force members yesterday said they wanted Ecology Department and the U.S. Coast Guard to clarify their policies on what sorts of conditions trigger a spill response.

Ecology officials said some changes have already been made to improve their response. In the case of a reliable report of black oil on the water, for example, employees have been told to take action, Byers said.

"Small amounts of black oil are unusual," he said. "It usually comes in large volumes."

Response to the spill in Dalco Passage near Vashon was complicated by the fact that it was discovered at night and, for hours, no other witnesses called to confirm the initial report. By daybreak, the area was blanketed in fog, further hindering efforts to assess the spill.

That brought calls from some task force members to see if better technology is available for responding in inclement conditions.

The 14-member group, which includes representatives from environmental groups, the Makah Tribe, oil spill responders and government officials, has three more meetings scheduled.

Their task is to draft by mid-December a report with recommendations for improving the initial response to spills. A final report is due in January.

Other issues raised yesterday include the need to improve community involvement in reporting and cleanup efforts and communication between spill responders.

About $2 million has been spent on the cleanup of the 1,000-gallon Dalco Passage spill.

The investigation into the cause of the spill has focused on the Polar Texas, an 899-foot oil tanker owned by a subsidiary of ConocoPhillips, according to an official with knowledge of the case. The company says it's not to blame.

NEXT MEETING

The next task force meeting will be in Tacoma on Nov. 29 at the Sheraton Tacoma, 1320 Broadway Plaza. More information is available online at www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/spills/response/tasksforce.htm.

P-I reporter Lisa Stiffler can be reached at 206-448-8042 or lisastiffler@seattlepi.com.

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