Working Together: How Citizens can help prepare for the consequences of an oil spill

Geographically situated in the heart of the Salish Sea, San Juan County is at the crossroads of shipping, from both Canada and the United States. Vessel traffic is expected to increase exponentially over the next few years as shipping, especially of fossil fuels, carries products from interior production sites to overseas markets. In light of this, the Action Agenda for San Juan County includes 'major oil spills' as one of the three issues to address. As guided by the Marine Resources Committee, our approach is to be inclusive, comprehensive, and pro-active. In this panel, we bring together experts who are 'on the ground' working to ensure that data, planning, and actions are coordinated among agencies, concurrent with efforts to train and include citizen volunteers in all phases of the work. Panel:• Marta C. Branch--San Juan County Marine Programs Coordinator (session organizer); Speakers: • Joanruth Bauman --SJC Derelict Vessel program: Catching the problem before it starts • Brendan Cowan -Director, San Juan County Department of Emergency Management Spills-- 101: How Local Marine Managers Can Prepare for Their Role in a Major Spill Response• Dr. Barbara Bentley--SJC MRC Chair--Creating Citizen Scientists• Dan Doty WDFW/DOE-- Using the data from pre-spill studies • Dr. Ken Sebens--SJC MRC member--The San Juan County Marine Specimen Bank