DUNGENESS — Boats, oil-skimming equipment and oil-containment boom will be seen in Dungeness Bay today during a drill to test oil spill response.
The state Department of Ecology will test the ability of the Marine Spill Response Corp., or MSRC, to respond to oil spills during the exercise, Ecology said Wednesday.
The test will be in the area of the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge, said Kim Schmanke, Ecology spokeswoman.
Six boats will be involved in the drill, with three placing the oil boom and three others practicing using oil-skimming equipment, she said.
MSRC is a private, not-for-profit, industry-sponsored company funded by the Marine Preservation Association.
Members of the association include companies that develop, produce, refine and transport petroleum and petroleum-based products.
Five of these companies are sponsoring the drill. They are Polar Tankers, BP Shipping, Alaska Tanker Co., Harley Marine Services and SeaRiver Maritime.
By participating in the drill, MSRC’s customers will fulfill part of the Washington state oil-spill preparedness requirements.
Develop, update
Larger ships and facilities must develop, update and practice oil-spill contingency plans.
Ecology will observe and evaluate the drill.
“Being prepared for oil spills is part of Ecology’s effort to reduce toxic threats to public safety, health and the environment, and to support the statewide initiative to protect and restore Puget Sound,” said Linda Pilkey-Jarvis, manager of Ecology’s spills-preparedness section.