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Puget Sound Partnership News

08 Oct 2019

NWSA Unveils Orca Protection Plan

The Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA), the cargo operating partnership of the ports of Tacoma and Seattle, has teamed up with Washington State Ferries, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Puget Sound Partnership to identify ways to protect the endangered orca population.The Partnership co-convened a workshop of a broad range of experts and interests to identify ways to reduce underwater noise in effort to support recovery of the endangered population of Southern Resident killer whales.Underwater noise can be harmful to Southern Resident orcas because it impedes their ability to use sonar to hunt prey and communicate.

15 Aug 2006

Washington State Bolsters Spill Prevention and Response

In anticipation of adopting new safeguards regarding oil transfers over water and early spill response requirements, the Department of Ecology (Ecology) has added new spill prevention inspectors, a spill responder and a contingency plan reviewer to oversee mobile oil facilities. For the first time, Ecology is stationing a vessel and oil-handling facility inspector and a hazardous material responder in Bellingham. Both positions will focus on prevention and response activities in Island, San Juan, Skagit and Whatcom counties. There are three oil refineries and two oil pipelines in the region that generate heavy ship traffic in northwest Washington. To prevent oil spills in the Puget Sound and lower Columbia River, the department has added four inspectors.