HJR 19 : Oil Tanker Escort Vessels/Oil Spill Anniv News & Activity

HJR 19 : Oil Tanker Escort Vessels/Oil Spill Anniv

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 14:11:01 -0600

Sponsors : Rep. Austerman

Recognizing 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 escort.

Status : TRANSM TO GOVERNOR >> LEGIS RESOLVE 5 : 2009-07-13
Contact : Erin Harrington, 465-2487

House Joint Resolution 19 recognizes the 20th anniversary of the Exxon Valdez oil spill and supports continuation of the practice of dual tug escorts for loaded oil tankers traversing Prince William Sound. Currently, Trans-Alaska Pipeline System oil tankers in Prince William Sound ...

Two-Tug Escorts for Oil Tankers Says Legislature - Austerman's HJR 19 Passes Senate Unanimously, Calls on Continuing Practice

Wed, 1 Apr 2009 21:18:27 -0600

Contact : Erin Harrington, 465-2487

The Alaska State Legislature recently passed a resolution putting it on-record in support of the two-tug boat oil tanker escort system currently in place in Alaska waters.

Rep. Alan Austerman, R-Kodiak, sponsored House Joint Resolution (HJR) 19, which also calls on the continued use of the system once the final single-hull tankers have been retired from the fleet. Single-hull tankers were required to travel with a two-tug escort under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, but the two-vessel system is not mandatory for the double-hull tankers.

"There is no law on the books mandating the two-tug system in the future, but since the '89 spill it has proven its effectiveness," Austerman said. "We are rising as an institution to show federal regulators, oil shippers and Alaskans that we'd like to see the system in place once the last of the aging tanker fleet has been retired.

House Acknowledges Exxon Valdez Spill Anniversary - Austerman's HJR 19 Calls for Continuing Two-Tug Tanker Escorts

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 14:10:05 -0600

Contact : Erin Harrington, 465-2487

The Alaska State House today unanimously passed a resolution acknowledging the 20th anniversary of the Exxon Valdez oil spill and calling for the continuation of the two-tug boat escort system when tankers are carrying oil.

House Joint Resolution (HJR) 19, sponsored by Rep. Alan Austerman, R-Kodiak, points to the federal Oil Spill Prevention Act of 1990, which mandated two tug boats escort singe-hull tankers when carrying oil. The act has no tug escort requirements for double-hull tankers. Currently, only two tankers in the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System fleet are single-hulled.

"The escort system in place now, with shippers voluntarily allowing the two-tug escort for their double-hull tankers, is vitally important to avoid another catastrophic environmental disaster," Austerman said. "HJR 19 is a conversation-starter. It also puts the Alaska State House on record in support of continuing the escort system."