Public workshop set today on Dalco Passage oil spill

As part of King County's efforts to develop coordinated a regional response to the Dalco Passage oil spill and future such incidents, a public workshop tonight on Vashon Island will give residents up-to-date details on the spill and information on what they can do to help.

"Many of our residents want to do something to respond to this environmental tragedy, but aren't sure what they can do to help," said King County Executive Ron Sims. "This workshop will give people the latest information and some options on how they can respond."

Co-sponsored by King County, Washington State Department of Ecology and the U.S. Coast Guard, residents can come to the workshop anytime from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at McMurray Middle School and Chautauqua Elementary School at 9329 SW Cemetery Road, Vashon Island. The workshop will directly precede the previously scheduled Vashon & Maury Island Community Council meeting, which is at 7:30 p.m., at the same location.

Posters providing information about today's workshop have been posted throughout Vashon and Maury islands, and at the Vashon and Fauntleroy ferry docks.

Subjects to be covered include the status of the spill, environmental impacts, volunteer opportunities and beach clean-up techniques. As part of a coordinated regional response, King County Parks will provide information about how groups or individuals can serve as volunteer beach monitors -- both for the current oil spill and into the future -- and collect information about shoreline areas and wildlife that can be shared with the Department of Ecology, and other park districts, municipalities, etc.

In the meantime, a number of hotlines have been set up to report injured wildlife and oil sightings. If you see injured wildlife, please call 1-800-22-BIRDS. To report oil sightings or impacted beaches during this spill incident, call 253-591-5960. Call 1-800-280-7118 for damage claims.

Get updated information about the oil spill from the Department of Ecology's Web site at http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/spills/incidents/dalco/dalcobase.htm.