USCG release – SEATTLE — U.S. and Canadian Coast Guard personnel are scheduled to conduct an oil spill response drill in partnership with the Washington Department of Ecology and the British Columbia Ministry of Environment in the contiguous waters of British Columbia, Canada, and the United States in the Strait of Juan de Fuca from May 22-23, 2019. On May 22, oil spill response equipment will be deployed in the vicinity of Port Angeles and Freshwater Bay and may be visible from the shore. The drill will use a harmless, non-toxic dye in the water to engage responders as they simulate on-water recovery operations with vessels, boom and skimmers. The purpose of the drill is to test the activation process for the Canada-United States Joint Marine Pollution Contingency Plan, Pacific Annex (CANUSPAC Annex) and to test moving response assets and personnel across the U.S./Canadian border. The CANUSPAC Annex is a proactive response plan designed in preparation for the possibility of incidents requiring international response. Pollution response crews with cleanup equipment from both nations will be part of the drill along with cooperating oil spill response organizations and federal and state agencies. The drill will include aerial assets and vessels. Wildlife subject matter experts will be on hand to monitor for marine species in the area.
