GCPUD Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 25, 2007
(number of pages 2)

New Equipment Protects Priest Rapids Project Resources
DOE Grant Funds Oil-Spill Response Trailer

Ephrata, WA – With a long-term commitment to natural resources of the Columbia River, Grant PUD recently received oil spill response equipment and training to ensure fast response to any accidental spills that might occur.

Designed to contain and absorb oil spills in the water and along shorelines, the equipment was recently obtained through cooperative grant funding from Washington Department of Ecology (WA DOE). The new equipment, housed in an 18-foot trailer, will be stored at Priest Rapids Dam where it can be accessed for quick-response to oil and other petroleum product spills on the river. The trailer contains anchoring systems and protective clothing along with safety and decontamination equipment for response personnel.

This program allows Grant PUD to partner with WA DOE in proactive environmental protection by using the trailer to respond to any oil spills in bodies of water within Grant PUD jurisdiction. It will also available to WA DOE staff for their use.

“While we hope never to have a situation requiring the use of this equipment, it is peace of mind to know it is here thanks to this positive partnership between Ecology and Grant PUD.” said Gale Ham, Grant PUD Safety and Health manager.

Grant PUD completed the $26,000 grant application October of 2006 and received the new equipment in May 2007. Last week utility personnel trained on the water above Wanapum Dam to use the 1,000-foot river booms and buoys designed to encircle a spill as well as absorbent booms and pads, which are then used to soak up the contamination.

While no significant oil spill has yet to occur in the Wanapum or Priest Rapids reservoirs, the potential may exist. Oil used throughout the Project, as well as the constant traffic on roadways along shorelines creates potential sources of accidental pollution for the reservoirs. Should a tanker truck run off the road and enter the water, the spill-response trailer can be towed to the accident site and the equipment deployed to protect area fish, wildlife and vegetation.

# #
Grant County Public Utility District is a Washington state municipal corporation that began electric service in 1942. Owned by the people it serves, Grant PUD generates and sells electricity to Grant County residents and millions of customers throughout Central Washington and the Pacific Northwest. The Priest Rapids Project, comprised of Priest Rapids and Wanapum Dams, produces nearly 2,000 megawatts of clean, renewable and reliable electricity – enough to supply a city the size of Seattle. A leader in science based technology; Grant PUD is committed to finding effective measures for the protection, mitigation and enhancement of salmon, steelhead and other natural and cultural resources.