Kevin Van De Wege News

The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) has extended its contract agreement with Crowley Maritime Corp. to station a state-funded emergency response tug at Neah Bay for another full year of service beginning July 1, 2009, through June 30, 2010. Under the $3.6m extension agreement, an emergency response tug will remain at Neah Bay to prevent disabled ships and barges from drifting onto rocks and causing oil spills in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Washington's outer coast. The contract marks the final year the state will pay for the emergency response tug service. On March 24, 2009, Gov.

According to a Jan. 27 report from the Peninsula Daily News, oil, cargo and cruise industries would pay for a tugboat at Neah Bay under a proposed bill in the Washington state Legislature. House Bill 1409 -- which was introduced on Tuesday by 24th District Rep. Kevin Van De Wege, D-Sequim -- also would extend the tugboat's mission beyond rescue to also include responding to oil spills and save the state about $3.65 million a year, the Representative said. (Source: Peninsula Daily News)