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Saturday, May 7, 2005
Oil spill council becomes law
TUKWILA -- Gov. Christine Gregoire yesterday signed into law a bill setting up an independent citizens' advisory council to work on preventing oil spills.
The bill sponsored by Sen. Harriet Spanel, D-Bellingham, (SB 5432) sets up a council patterned on one formed for Prince William Sound, Alaska, after the Exxon Valdez disaster. However, unlike the Alaska council, this 16-member panel and "chair-facilitator" appointed by the governor will include some representatives of the marine and oil industries.
Oil interests fought the bill. It finally passed because of Gregoire's support. Spanel fought off industry efforts to set up the council under the state Department of Ecology; environmentalists said that would make it ineffective. Instead, it is housed in the governor's office and is free to criticize the department, which handles oil-spill preparation and response for the state.
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