The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) and U.S. Coast Guard are looking for interested parties to help update the state's oil spill response strategies tailored for the Strait of Juan de Fuca and for Washington's outer coast.
The existing site-specific strategies, also known as "
geographic response plans," identify sensitive natural and cultural resources. The plans also help prioritize how equipment and cleanup crews should be deployed during an oil spill response.
Geographic response plans for oil spills are usually carried out during the first several hours following a spill. The plans are tailored to a specific beach, shore, or waterway and designed to minimize harm to sensitive areas threatened by the spill.
Ecology and the Coast Guard are seeking information from local and state authorities, tribes, natural resource managers, and the public regarding natural resources in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and outer coast, Geographic Information System data, contact information, waterway access points such as boat ramps and marinas, surface water supply intakes, and other pertinent information.