Coast Guard to Conduct Pollution Response Exercise in Ketchikan

JUNEAU, Alaska — Coast Guard Sector Juneau personnel will conduct an oil spill response exercise in Ketchikan, Thursday.

Representatives from the Coast Guard, Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Southeast Alaska Petroleum Response Organization and Western Canadian Marine Response Corporation will participate in the exercise, where an exclusion boom will be deployed in Ward Cove and Whipple Creek.

The purpose of the exercise is to practice the on-water recovery of free oil within the Tongass Narrows with the deployment of boom around environmentally sensitive areas in accordance with prescribed geographic response strategies contained in the Southeast Alaska Area Contingency Plan.

“This exercise will enable us to assess the effectiveness of our preplanned strategy as well as our ability to carry it out,” said Cmdr. Byron Hayes, response department head at Sector Juneau. “The inclusion of our response partners ensures that in the event of a real pollution incident, we will be able to respond decisively as one team to safeguard the pristine Southeast Alaska environment.”

Source: USCG