|
2001 Oil Spill Memorandum of Cooperation Whereas the Province of British Columbia (the “Province”) and the Pacific States of Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington (the “States”) share and protect common Pacific Ocean fish and wildlife resources and their supporting environments, as well as common cultural and economic values; and Whereas the Province and the States each have a mandate to enhance and protect their environmental, cultural, and economic resources from oil spills; and Whereas the Province and States also share the benefits, risks and impacts from oil transportation and carriage; and Whereas the impacts of oil spills and pollution may cross jurisdictional boundaries; and Whereas it is paramount to both maintain and improve a coordinated response to prevent, prepare for, and respond effectively to oil spills in our shared waters; and Whereas the Province and the States have coordinated effectively for over a decade under an initial Memorandum of Cooperation signed in 1989, producing Agreements and Recommendations that have significantly improved the protection of our shared resources and established an internationally respected model of cooperation; and Whereas the future requires continued cooperation in preventing or abating oil spills in our respective jurisdictions, including the provision of opportunities for the participation of appropriate federal agencies and all affected stakeholders of both Canada and the United States; Now therefore, in recognition of the spirit of co-operation which has characterized their efforts thus far, the Province of British Columbia, through its Premier, the Honorable Gordon Campbell, the State of Alaska through its Governor, the Honorable Tony Knowles, the State of California through its Governor, the Honorable Gray Davis, the State of Hawaii through its Governor, the Honorable Benjamin Cayetano, the State of Oregon through its Governor, the Honorable John Kitzhaber, and the State of Washington through its Governor, the Honorable Gary Locke, join together in this Memorandum of Cooperation pertaining to the resolution of mutual problems of oil spill pollution in the aforementioned jurisdictions. In this regard the Province and the States will continue to participate in and support an Oil Spill Task Force to develop coordinated programs for oil pollution prevention, preparedness, and response as well as improved communications. The members of the Pacific States/British Columbia Oil Spill Task Force will be the British Columbia Deputy Minister for Water, Land, and Air Protection, the Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, the Administrator of the California Office of Spill Prevention and Response, the Hawaii Deputy Director for Environmental Health, the Director of the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, and the Director of the Washington Department of Ecology. To ensure effective coordination of their intergovernmental efforts, representatives of each member agency will be appointed to maintain this Memorandum and coordinate Task Force activities. These representatives and the Task Force Executive Coordinator will form the Task Force Coordinating Committee. The Coordinating Committee will meet quarterly and the Task Force members will meet annually to review progress and plan future cooperation as outlined in Strategic Plans adopted by the Task Force Members. Issues addressed by the Task Force Strategic Plans will include shared issues of concern with regard to:
The duration of this Memorandum of Cooperation is intended to be perpetual, but each party may terminate its agreement at will by giving written notice to the other parties. The parties do not intend by this memorandum to create any separate legal or administrative entity. This Memorandum represents a consensus concerning a common sense of purpose and direction regarding cooperation to prevent, prepare for, and respond to oil spills. It is pursuant to and follows the intent of the States/British Columbia Oil Spill Memorandum of Cooperation of 1989 and was adopted endorsed by the Governors and Premier as follows: The Honorable Tony Knowles, Governor, State of Alaska, signed the Memorandum of Cooperation on May 8, 2001; The Honorable Benjamin Cayetano, Governor, State of Hawaii, signed the Memorandum of Cooperation on May 22, 2001; The Honorable John Kitzhaber, Governor, State of Oregon, signed the Memorandum of Cooperation on June 15, 2001; The Honorable Gary Locke, Governor, State of Washington, signed the Memorandum of Cooperation on July 5th, 2001; The Honorable Gray Davis, Governor, State of California, signed the Memorandum of Cooperation on August 20, 2001; and The Honorable Gordon Campbell, Premier, Province of British Columbia signed the Memorandum of Cooperation on January 22, 2002. |
|
 Copyright
2003 OSTF | All Rights Reserved
Search the Oil Spill Task Force website...
|
|