NEAH BAY — A permanent rescue tugboat at Neah Bay is Gov. Chris Gregoire’s signature away from becoming a reality.
The final version of state Senate Bill 5344, which requires the maritime industry to fund an emergency response tugboat at Neah Bay year-round, passed a floor vote in the Senate 39-4 on Friday.
Gregoire is expected to sign the bill into law on Tuesday — the 20th anniversary of the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska’s Prince William Sound.
“It’s really important for our district,” state Rep. Kevin Van De Wege, D-Sequim, said of the rescue tug measure.
“It was not only a concern to Washington state as a whole, but in helping our district specifically, which is not easy to do when there are 127 of us.
“It’s a big win for the district.”
Van de Wege introduced the companion bill in the state House of Representatives and fought to push the Senate bill through his side of the Legislature.
Earlier versions of the Senate bill — introduced by Sen. Kevin Ranker, D-San Juan Island — had passed the Senate 44-4 on March 5.
It moved to House of Representatives, where a modified version passed 74-23 on Wednesday.
Van De Wege and his peers in the House modified the Senate bill. Specifically, the House omitted some language that specified which industry pays for what.
“The appropriation for the cost of the tug was an incredible struggle,” Van De Wege said on Friday.
Oil, cargo and cruise ship industries will decide independently which pays what amount for vessels that enter the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
“The Legislature certainly intends for different ships of different sizes to pay different amounts,” Van De Wege said.
Each industry thought the others should pay more, he said.
“It’s up for them to decide,” Van De Wege said.
The final version also gives the industries more time to come up with an agreement, removing a stipulation that said their agreement had to be worked out by Dec. 1.
Maritime industry begins paying for the permanent tug in July 2010.
The tugboat will respond to vessels in distress in the Strait and off the Washington coast.
A state-funded rescue tug has been operating in Neah Bay since 1999, but only in the winter months.
The $3.65 million price tag has been a source of debate in a legislature that now faces a $9 billion budget deficit. State-funding for the tug ends June 30.
Van De Wege said has championed a permanent rescue tugboat since the day he took office in January 2007.
“I feel it’s vitally important for our district because it protects our coastline,” he said.
“It greatly lessens the chance of a major oil spill.
“To me, that’s huge.”
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
