Pollution Prevention for
Washington State Marinas
The Washington State Dept. of Ecology and Puget Soundkeeper collaborated to produce a pollution prevention guidebook for marina managers throughout Washington state. The handbook provides a concise summary of the current laws, regulations, and best practices for the marina industry. Authored by members of the Clean Marina Partnership, it represents the collaborative approach required to preserve and steward our marine resources for future generations.
Please visit http://www.wsg.washington.edu/marina-handbook to download the guidebook
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Pacific Oil Spill Prevention Education Team
The Pacific Oil Spill Prevention Education Team (POSPET) evolved from the simple premise that small oil spills can add up to cause significant environmental and economic harm, and that they are a regional problem that can be remedied more effectively through collaborative projects drawing from existing talent and resources. For over a decade, POSPET has served as a forum for exchanging information and outreach ideas about prevention of oil spills and other boater best management practices while providing boat and marina operators with a consistent and accurate pollution prevention messages. POSPET members include representatives from state and federal agencies, industry associations, and nonprofit groups from Alaska, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, California, and nationwide. The POSPET team members also track the number of certified “Clean Marinas” and “Clean Harbors” within their jurisdictions, where these programs exist. The Table below lists the current number of facilities certified in Alaska, British Columbia, California, Oregon and Washington. These certification programs recognize marinas and harbors that educate boaters on spill and pollution prevention practices. Each certified facility must be re-certified every 1-3 years.
1-800-OILS-911 Hotline Through the Pacific Oil Spill Prevention Education Team (or POSPET)
The Task Force offers a toll-free hotline for the general public to report oil spills (1-800-OILS-911). This easy-to-remember number can be used anywhere in British Columbia, Oregon, Washington, and California. When a boater calls this number, the call is automatically routed to the emergency office of the relevant jurisdiction. The Task Force tracks information on annual call volumes by state. (Note: at present, Hawaii and Alaska are not participating in the program).
Spills Aren’t Slick campaign
Another successful achievement of the POSPET team is the Spills Aren’t Slick campaign, which has done much to bring the impact of even small releases of oil on the environment. The team created a set of Spills Aren’t Slick signs and decals, which are widely distributed by POSPET members. These have been posted at boat ramps and marinas, among other highly visible locations.
PDF files for the Spills Aren’t Slick materials
Volunteer management programs for Washington and California
Washington and California have developed oil spill response volunteer coordination programs to allow citizens to participate in oil spill response efforts. Please see links for Washington: www.oilspills101.wa.gov and California: https://www.coastal.ca.gov/oilspill/ospr-volunteers.pdf