The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) is offering $777,000 in grants to public agencies and tribal governments in an effort to help emergency responders buy oil spill response equipment. The move makes sense in that oil spills and hazardous materials response are often pricey for many communities that would most likely benefit from having the equipment on hand. The grants are part of Governor Jay Inslee’s 2015 Oil Transportation Safety Act.
Grants are available to cities, counties, ports, tribal governments, and other public agencies and districts. Money will be allocated by an Ecology-appointed workgroup of first responders, oil spill response cooperatives, oil and rail industry representatives, and businesses that receive liquid bulk crude oil. Grant applications are being accepted at the time of this writing and until November 30, 2016. The awards will be announced in January, 2017. To apply for a grant, attend a workshop, or learn more about the program, visit ecy.wa.gov.
