Seattle residents stage “mock oil spill” on Golden Gardens Beach

See YouTube video of the event here.

As the Gulf Coast oil catastrophe quickly grows into the largest environmental disasters in United States history, Seattle residents today staged a “Mock Oil Spill” to raise awareness to show that it can happen here in Puget Sound. 

Residents used black plastic on the beach and marine creatures and yellow caution tape to stage a mock oil spill on Golden Gardens Beach to call attention to the devastating effects of an oil spill in Puget Sound. Residents also called on President Obama to create a plan to move our nation off of oil within 20 years.

“This oil disaster is a wake-up call for Puget Sound,” said Mike Sato of People For Puget Sound. “We need to be vigilant that Puget Sound is spared from an Exxon Valdez or Deepwater Horizon magnitude oil spill. Big Oil has highly paid lobbyists and deep pocket to influence legislators and regulators in both Washingtons.”

A Big Oil “Bill of Wrongs” was issued, highlighting Big Oil’s history of lobbying against environmental protections in Puget Sound and a call for BP to be held accountable for the devastation that they have caused in the Gulf Coast. Citizens are calling for greater protections against oil spills in Puget Sound and calling on Obama to deliver a plan to transition America off oil by 2030. 

They cite how Big Oil defeated the 2010 Clean Water Act during this year’s state legislature, which would have raised $100m for polluted runoff infrastructure projects, a significant boost to curb pollution in Puget Sound. 

“People around the country are outraged by this catastrophe, and are realizing just how dirty and dangerous oil really is. BP needs to be held accountable, and at the same time we need President Obama to give us a plan to move our nation off of oil within 20 years,” added Sierra Club Associate Regional Representative Ethan Bergerson.

Residents suited up in hazmat outfits cleaned black plastic off a Dungeness crab and a geoduck clam, while others held signs with images of clocks to show the message of “It’s time to move our nation off of oil” and “No oil spills in Puget Sound.”  

Sato added, “Everyday Puget Sound is at risk. We don’t have oil rigs operating in Washington waters thanks to legislation we helped pass a long time ago-- but over 4,000 vessels carrying over 15 billion gallons for crude and oil travel every year through the Strait of Juan de Fuca and we have five oil refineries. ” 

Puget Sound has seen plenty of small and medium-size wake-up spills over the years. Yet, a recent “worst-case” oil spill study here in Washington State concluded that we are woefully unprepared and under-equipped to deal with a large spill. The nightmare of the Gulf could be our nightmare.

“In this age, there is just no reason we should be putting our beloved Puget Sound, our fragile coasts and a $20 billion economy at risk by one mega industry,” said Rein Attemann of Greenwood. 

Today’s gathering in Seattle was part of an emerging grassroots movement taking place around the country, of communities calling on the President to announce a plan to move us off of oil within 20 years and move towards a clean energy future. Over 50 events nationwide are expected this week including a national day of action on Saturday June 26th, Hands Across the Sands.

For b-roll images of the BP Oil Disaster, and clean energy alternatives, please visit www.sierraclub.org/oilspill/footage

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Contact:Ethan Bergerson, Sierra Club (206) 552 0675, ethan.bergerson@sierraclub.org 

Mike Sato, People For Puget Sound, (206) 229-2844, msato@pugetsound.org