FY2009-23 Noting The 20th Anniversary Of The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill And Supporting The Continued Practice Of Accompanying Each Oil Tanker Through Prince William Sound With At Least A Two-Vessel Escort1 Introduced by: Manager Gifford
2 Requested by: PWSRCAC
3 Drafted by: Borough Clerk
4 Introduced on: 03/19/2009
Adopted on: 03/19/2009
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6 KODIAK ISLAND BOROUGH
7 RESOLUTION NO. FY2009 -23
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9 A RESOLUTION OF THE ASSEMBLY OF THE KODIAK ISLAND BOROUGH NOTING THE
10 20 ANNIVERSARY OF THE EXXON VALDEZ OIL SPILL AND SUPPORTING THE
11 CONTINUED PRACTICE OF ACCOMPANYING EACH OIL TANKER THROUGH PRINCE
12 WILLIAM SOUND WITH AT LEAST A TWO VESSEL ESCORT
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14 WHEREAS, March 24, 2009, marks the 20 anniversary of the Exxon Valdez oil spill; and
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16 WHEREAS, the Exxon Valdez oil spill was the worst oil tanker spill in the history of the United
17 States, discharging 10,800,000 gallons of crude oil into Prince William Sound and contaminating
18 approximately 1,300 miles of Alaska coastline; and
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20 WHEREAS, since the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill, the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company and
21 the crude oil shippers have created a world -class oil spill prevention and response system in
22 Prince William Sound; and
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24 WHEREAS, the oil tanker vessels transiting Prince William Sound are increasingly of a double -
25 hulled design as required by the Oil Pollution Act of 1990; and
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27 WHEREAS, the Prince William Sound oil tanker escort vessels provide immediate, on -scene
28 response should a spill occur; and
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30 WHEREAS, all loaded oil tankers, including double - hulled oil tankers, are currently escorted by
31 at least two escort vessels through Prince William Sound; and
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33 WHEREAS, the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 mandates that only single - hulled tankers of 5,000
34 gross tons or more be escorted by at least two escort vessels while in Prince William Sound; and
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36 WHEREAS, there is no assurance in any state or federal law or regulation that each oil tanker
37 in Prince William Sound will continue to be escorted by at least two escort vessels capable of
38 providing immediate spill prevention and response; and
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40 WHEREAS, since the implementation of the two- vessel escort system in Prince William Sound,
41 there have been no major oil spills and potential accidents have been reduced to near misses;
42 and
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44 WHEREAS, double hulls are not a perfect prevention measure, and it would be imprudent to
45 alter a proven oil spill prevention and response program based solely on improvements in oil
46 tanker vessel engineering and design.
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48 NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE ASSEMBLY OF THE KODIAK ISLAND
49 BOROUGH that it supports the continued practice in Prince William Sound of accompanying
50 each loaded oil tanker, whether single - hulled or double - hulled, with at least two escort vessels.
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Kodiak Island Borough Resolution No. FY2009 -23
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52 Section 1:
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81 82 Nov _ ' L LL I
M. J-vier, CMC, Bor• gh Clerk
Copies of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Barack Obama, President
of the United States; the Honorable Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Vice - President of the
United States and President of the U.S. Senate; the Honorable Janet Naplitano,
United States Secretary of Homeland Security; Admiral Thad W. Allen,
Commandant of the United States Coast Guard; the Honorable Sarah Palin,
Governor of Alaska; Kevin Hostler; President and Chief Executive Officer, Alyeska
Pipeline Service Company; Anil Mathur, Chief Executive Officer, Alaska Tanker
Company; George P. McShea, Jr., Vice - President of Operations, Polar Tankers,
Inc.; Stu McRobbie, Vice - President of Operations, SeaRiver Maritime; Tim
Plummer, President, Tesoro Maritime Company; Jeff Williams, Environmental
Manager, Chevron Shipping Company; and the Honorable Lisa Murkowski and
the Honorable Mark Begich, U.S. Senators, and the Honorable Don Young, U.S.
Representative, members of the Alaska delegation in Congress; Honorable Gary
Stevens, Alaska Senate President; and Honorable Alan Austerman, District 36
Representative.
ADOPTED BY THE ASSEMBLY OF THE KODIAK ISLAND BOROUGH
THIS NINETEENTH DAY OF MARCH, 2009
KODIAK ISLAND BOROUGH
Kodiak Island Borough Resolution No. FY2009 -23
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