A warm hello,

Thank you for keeping Alaskans informed, after reading” No One has a Solid Plan to Clean up Major Oil Spill in Chukchi Sea” by Bill Springer in the Alaska Dispatch, I feel compelled to point out a number of important facts pertaining to oil spills in the Arctic, and the technology that has been legally available since December 9, 2008 as stamped by USPTMO.

My name is James Cobb, I have a long history in the oil spill response improvement struggle that is needed globally due to high-risk fields offshore, and very often deep water, as seen by BP in 2010.

I have the knowledge to contain an oil spill in Arctic waters with an ice oil mixture. I could have greatly reduced the BP spill magnitude if the Exxon Valdez were to happen today, the same technology to contain an ocean oil/ice mix is usable in that situation as well.

I understand that you could be skeptical at best regarding such claims, deserving more basic information.

I am 62 years old, I witnessed the Exxon Valdez oil spill firsthand when Alyeska pipeline asked for first responder training, I signed up my purse seine/crab vessel for SERVS. We trained at the Kodiak community college in 1990, and worked in conjunction with United States Coast Guard air Station Kodiak on water drills. I immediately began taking notes on obvious improvements, and submitted such to the SERVS supervisor there. My answer from them, improvements not wanted, and that they liked what they had.

I continued in Kodiak for another year and a half before resigning my vessel from what I called…” Window dressing.”

I suffered a stroke in 1996, then since that time I have devoted my efforts… into doing something useful oil spill response.by 2008 I had to critical components to address oil spills in both open ocean( seas above 10 feet) and ocean/ice mix, including deep water blowouts.

To bring validity to my work, and to recoup my losses from Exxon( I was one of the vessel owner/operators that waited 20 years for seven cents on the dollar)I patented my work. It was accepted as valid by engineers with PhD’s on both sides( my attorney’s PhD) and USPTMO PhD review. To add further strength to the validity of new technology, I applied to the patent cooperative treaty of 22 nations, of which the US is a member.

I am currently” issued” in the United States, and no other technology in conflict, I have received an issued patent for Canada( oil spills in ocean/ice mix) and after three years of work, I am on the final for the patented technology in Norway.

I feel I’ve been obstructed by the oil industry. Although my PCT,22 nation databank speaks volumes, I am willing to be” thrown on the carpet” if you will, by universities or engineering firms that are not reliant on oil industry funding.

My work was forwarded to the House resources committee by Sen. Lisa Murkowski in 2012, and Mark Begich stated he would forward the information to the United States Coast Guard Arctic command. I have yet to receive any communications back on this technology that is so sorely needed on a global scale.

James Cobb

PO Box 1289 Homer, AK99603

907-299-4767

retriever.environmental@gmail.com