By DEBBIE TOWNSEND — THE BELLINGHAM HERALD 
BELLINGHAM - The delay-plagued Shell Oil barge that would provide
oil-spill containment for Arctic drilling has hit another bump: The
project now needs environmental permits.
The Washington Department of Ecology announced Thursday, Sept. 20, that
it will require the companies retrofitting the Arctic Challenger to apply
for stormwater permits.
Greenberry Industrial, which is doing the fabrication, and Superior
Energy Services, which has been installing the containment system on the
barge, have been discharging stormwater from their projects without
permits, according to Ecology. The Arctic Challenger is being worked on
at the Port of Bellingham shipping terminal on Cornwall Avenue.
When Ecology inspected the site in May, officials determined stormwater
permits should have been obtained for that type of work. Because the
project at that time was expected to wrap up at the end of July, before
the two months it usually takes to obtain a permit, Ecology allowed it to
proceed without the permits.
The Arctic Challenger was thought to be completed last week and headed
out of port for mandatory tests on its seaworthiness and safety. It
returned damaged, though the companies involved have not stated how the
damage happened.
Because the vessel isn't ready, Shell announced this week it will drill
shallow "top holes" in the Arctic this year but will be unable to go deep
enough to reach oil-bearing formations. It was a blow to Shell's $4.5
billion attempt to be the first company in two decades to drill in the
offshore Alaska Arctic.

Read more here:
http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2012/09/20/2698660/ecology-oil-spill-cont
ainment.html#storylink=cpyNot only is the barge still being worked on,
Greenberry has told Ecology it intends to pursue more industrial
projects. Superior plans to return the Arctic Challenger to the shipping
terminal for maintenance, repair and upgrades.
Given those issues, Ecology is requiring permits. Stormwater permits
protect water quality by requiring industry-recognized steps to prevent
pollution, regular inspection and sampling of runoff, and reporting how
much pollution is in the runoff. Reporting pollution above limits can
result in state fines.
The companies have until Sept. 28 to apply.

Read more here:
http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2012/09/20/2698660/ecology-oil-spill-cont
ainment.html#storylink=cpy

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