November 24, 1995

MURRAY WORRIED ABOUT OIL SPILLS UNDER NEW ALASKA BILL

By SCOTT SONNER
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) -- An Alaska oil export bill is headed to President Clinton's desk without a safeguard Washington Sen. Patty Murray says is necessary to protect against oil spills off the Olympic Peninsula.

The House and Senate rejected Murray's proposal to place an ocean-going tug near the entrance of the Strait of Juan de Fuca to help prevent the spills.

"This amendment would have prevented the spill before it occurred rather than focusing on the millions spent on cleanup of these spills once the damage is done," Murray said in a Senate floor speech last week.

Instead, the measure approved by Congress and sent to Clinton orders the Coast Guard to conduct a 15-month study on the best use of privately owned tugs in Washington and British Columbia to aid troubled oil tankers.

Murray said that isn't good enough.

"We have no guarantee that exporting U.S. oil will not lead to increased oil imports on environmentally risky ships. The Coast Guard rates as high risk one-half of the current foreign tanker fleet that carries crude through Puget Sound," she said.

Critics said the extra rescue tug wasn't needed and the cost of maintaining it would put Washington ports at a competitive disadvantage.

The bill, which Clinton is expected to sign, allows for the first time for the export of crude oil from Alaska's North Slope.

Washington refineries get most of their crude oil from Alaska. But an end to the export ban likely will cause them to get more of the crude in foreign tankers of questionable safety, Murray said.

Without a dedicated vessel at the mouth of the strait 24 hours a day, other operating tugs could find themselves out of reach of the distressed vessel, she said.

"I am also concerned that once that tug reaches the distressed tanker, it may not have the capability to tow that large vessel, or in the least hold it from running aground," Murray said.

"Sadly, we may not know the answer to all of these questions until oil is exported, foreign tankers are moving through our waters and we experience a major oil spill."

Murray said the White House has committed to expediting the study and considering additional steps to guard against oil spills.