The Observer, July, 2009

Legislation to save Sound's escort system introduced in Congress

By STAN JONES
Council Director of External Affairs

The citizens’ council’s drive to preserve the dual-tug oil tanker escort system took a major step forward in mid-May, when Alaska Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Mark Begich introduced federal legislation to mandate its continuation.

The bill, known as S. 1041, was introduced May 14. It would amend the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 to place double-hulled tankers under the same double-escort requirement that already applies to single-hull tankers.

The key passage of the bill says, “The requirement...relating to single hulled tankers in Prince William Sound, Alaska...shall apply to double hulled tankers...”

“The current oil transport system in Prince William Sound is one of the safest in the world,” Murkowski said in a prepared statement. “While I recognize that double-hulled tankers are an improvement over single hulls, they will not, by themselves, prevent oil spills.  Even with double hulled tankers, we must not compromise the existing safety system which has been so successful.  We must remain ever vigilant and not forget the devastation that the Exxon Valdez oil spill caused.” 

“The dual escort coverage of tankers operating in Prince William Sound has helped ensure we have the best oil transportation system in the world,” Begich said. “The...tugs have proved their usefulness several times when tankers needed assistance. Their continued use is inexpensive insurance to protect the environment of Prince William Sound and maintain the flow of oil.”

U.S. Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, is working with fellow members of the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on a House version of this provision.

While the Oil Pollution Act requires double escorts for single-hulled tankers, it is silent on the question of escorts for double-hulled tankers. The Act also requires a phase-out of single-hulled tankers by 2015.

Double-hulled tankers, which have several feet of protective space between their two hulls, can prevent or reduce some oil spills, but are not a cure-all. The Coast Guard estimated a double hull on the Exxon Valdez might have cut the oil outflow from its grounding on Bligh Reef in 1989 from 11 million gallons to 4.4 million gallons, which would still have been a catastrophic spill.

At present, all loaded tankers in Prince William are escorted, regardless of hull configuration, but some in the oil industry have indicated they are interested in reducing, if not eliminating, the escort system once all single-hulled tankers have left service and the requirement in the Oil Pollution Act ceases to apply.

“We’re very happy to see this legislation introduced,” said Steve Lewis, president of the citizens’ council. “We’ve made perpetuating the Prince William Sound escort system our highest priority for this year, which is the 20th anniversary of the Exxon Valdez oil spill, and this action by Alaska’s two senators is a very welcome and important step forward in that cause. All Alaskans owe these two leaders a tremendous debt of gratitude for what they’ve done.”

Editorial reaction to the escorts legislation was swift and positive. “Prevention is gospel in protecting the Sound and Alaska’s prosperity,” the Anchorage Daily News wrote on May 18. “Our senators have offered an ‘amen’ with the force of law. Their bill deserves swift passage to assure safe passage of Alaska’s oil.”

“The U.S. Senate should pass the Alaska delegation’s bill or similar language being advocated by Rep. Don Young in the House,” the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner wrote on May 26. “And it should do so before someone cuts a corner we all end up regretting.”

The council is now working to keep the legislation moving in Congress.

The council has been focused on the issue since January, when its board of directors passed a draft resolution on the escort system for submission to the Alaska Legislature.

In March, both chambers of the Legislature unanimously passed the council-backed resolution calling continuation of the dual escorts.

The legislative resolution reads, in part, “double hulls are not a perfect prevention measure, and it would be imprudent to alter a proven oil spill prevention and response program based solely on improvements in oil tanker vessel engineering and design.”

For more information on the Prince William Sound escort system, visit the council’s website at www.tinyurl.com/PWSescorts

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