HUNTINGTON BEACH : Cities Band Together to Protect Coastline

In an effort to prevent future offshore oil spills, Huntington Beach will join other coastal cities in lobbying state and federal officials for stiffer environmental protection laws.

The City Council this week agreed to work with Newport Beach, Laguna Beach and other seaside cities to press for laws that would require tankers to have double hulls and would more strictly regulate oil company operations.

Councilman John Erskine suggested that the cities pursue legislative lobbying in response to the Feb. 7 oil spill in which the tanker American Trader dumped 394,000 gallons of crude into the ocean off Huntington Beach after it apparently ruptured its hull on its own anchor.

“The problem is we’re not getting any help on the state and federal level,” Mayor Thomas J. Mays said. “And it’s going to take some local leadership to at least put the issue on the forefront.”

Mays also advocates an international spill disaster fund that all oil transporting companies would be required to contribute to. The money would replace similar state and regional funds.

The council this week also agreed to pay Long Beach attorney James H. Ackerman $50,000 to help the city recover costs from American Trading Transportation, owner of the ill-fated tanker.

Ackerman, who specializes in admirality law, is guiding the city’s joint effort with state and federal officials to force the company to pay for damage to the environment, wildlife and the city’s public image.

American Trading has already paid Huntington Beach $250,000 as partial reimbursement for a $536,000 claim for costs directly related to the spill cleanup. Another $26,000 is sought for parking revenues the city estimates it lost while beaches were closed.