About Us

WHY WE WERE ESTABLISHED

Photographer: Ross D. Hamamura - RDHphoto.net

Photographer: Ross D. Hamamura – RDHphoto.net

Two spills formed a critical juncture: The first was in December 1988 and involved the tank barge Nestucca, a spill which impacted the coasts of Washington and British Columbia. The second, in March 1989, was the catastrophic spill of the tanker Exxon Valdez in Alaska’s Prince William Sound. These two events highlighted in a dramatic way the vulnerability of the West Coast states and British Columbia to spill risks from coastal marine traffic. Awareness arose of the importance of cross-border coordination and cooperation, and the need for firm commitments to protect the unique marine resources of the region.

Thus the Pacific States/B.C. Oil Spill Task Force (Task Force) was created, the result of a memorandum signed by the governors of Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and California, and the premier of British Columbia in 1989. In 2001, Hawaii joined the Task Force, further broadening our regional scope.

In 2019, the Task Force members went through a strategic planning process to revise and update our strategic plan. Here are the current vision, mission and goals for the organization:

OUR VISION

No spilled oil

OUR MISSION

Working together to improve the Pacific Coast’s prevention, preparedness, response and recovery from oil spills.

OUR GOALS

  1. Adapt to changes in oil movement and risks
  2. Advance readiness and capacity to respond to oil spills
  3. Deepen our partnerships to make better decisions and expand our knowledge
  4. Nurture our organizational health
  5. Build and enhance visibility and relevancy of the Task Force

THREE THEMES GUIDE OUR WORK

  • A safe and clean environment
  • External partnerships
  • Organizational well-being

OUR CORE VALUES

  • Collaboration 
  • Leadership 
  • Service  
  • Building
  • Sharing Knowledge