Pacific Pilotage Authority Responds to Oil Tanker Spill Off Great Bear Rainforest

The Pacific Pilotage Authority CEO, Captain Obermeyer, has issued a press release today.

by Ingmar Lee - IngmarLee.com

October 24, 2016

Now, apparently, two persons are required to be on the bridge of these tankers at all times. (It is hard to believe, but I guess until now, it was acceptable to the PPA that only one person was required on the bridge of a large petroleum tanker navigating the Inside Passage)

NB: CANADIAN PILOTS ARE STILL NOT REQUIRED ABOARD THESE AMERICAN VESSELS
(photo: April Bencze - Heiltsuk Nation)

The only thing that has, or appears to be changing, is that PENDING APPROVAL of "Industry Stakeholders" the American tankers will need to travel north of Vancouver Island, loaded, via Hecate Straits ONLY, (did they ask the Haida Nation?) although weather permitting, the tankers WILL BE PERMITTED to enter Laredo and/or Principe Channels if they wish.

There is some confusion in the press release, because although it states that Grenville Channel, Princess Royal Channel, Finlayson Channel, Seaforth Channel, Lama Pass and Fitzhugh Channel are NOW OFF LIMITS TO AMERICAN TANKERS, (yay!) nevertheless, then it goes on to state that "when passing Bella Bella, a Master is required to be on the bridge."

Frankly, this nonsense falls far short of what needs to be done, which is to get this whole rotten business OFFSHORE.

What happens when there are HUGE STORMS in the southern half of Hecate Straits?? According to this release, all safe refuge for these inherently unseaworthy river boats will be off limits. So will they just crack up on Calvert Island, or the Goose Islands, or Haida Gwaii?!?

As they pass by off the Goose Islands, will the Master then need to come up on the bridge because they are abeam, albeit 20 miles off, Bella Bella?!?

Frankly, this changes almost nothing. Not happy at all.

(sorry about posting photos of the release, 

-it has not been posted to the PPA website, 

and Faceplant won't link PDF's)