MEMORANDUM

TO:                     Ron Long, Assembly President

                        Members, Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly

FROM:          Milli Martin, Assembly Member

                        Deb Germano, Assembly Member

DATE:           June 7, 2006

SUBJECT:    Resolution 2006-062, requesting that the federal and state governments provide an adequate level of oil spill prevention and response for Kachemak Bay; the primary port of refuge for Cook Inlet and the Gulf of Alaska

This resolution follows up on a March 2006 meeting sponsored by the City of Homer in which speakers and experts agreed that Kachemak Bay and Cook Inlet desperately need certain tug boats with appropriate equipment to help prevent catastrophic oil spills. It urges the U.S. Coast Guard to quickly identify Ports of Refuge in Cook Inlet and to take other steps to address the problem of oil spill response. It also urges the state and federal governments to fund necessities for adequate spill prevention and response capabilities in Kachemak Bay. As Cook Inlet is the busiest shipping channel in Alaska and navigation can be very difficult due to the cold weather, these enhancements are important to help ensure that the area is prepared for future incidents as soon as possible.