MattGOn Wednesday, June 11, nearly 20 members of Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) met at the Port of Vancouver as part of a two day Preparedness Section Meeting on spill prevention and preparedness, and two port employees got a chance to address the group. Those who attended were part of the Spill Prevention, Preparedness and Response Program within Ecology.

The Department of Ecology works to protect the environment upon which we all depend, including the water we drink, the air we breathe, the soil that grows our food, and the climate.

Mike Schiller, port general manger of operations, gave an overview of the port’s facilities within its five terminals and 13 berths. He stressed that road, river and rail really define the port’s connection to the world it serves and that in order to stay competitive in the global market, the port needs to focus on the diversification of cargo.

Following Schiller’s presentation, Matt Graves, port environmental manager, provided insight on contingency plans and partnerships already in place that are aimed to eliminate illegal dumping and spills. In addition, Graves explained that spill response training and other outreach efforts have been conducted by staff, which has helped raise awareness about the efforts being done to keep the terminal and the local natural areas safe and unharmed.

“Between our partners, tenants, security cameras and staff members, we have a lot of eyes and ears on the river, which allows us to make quick responses,” said Graves.