Coast Guard proposal for tugs praised

PROVIDENCE — Proposed regulations by the United States Coast Guard to require
all tugboats in United States waters to have fixed fire fighting equipment were
praised by U.S. Attorney Margaret E. Curran. The proposal follows by nearly five
years the so-called North Cape oil spill when the tugboat Scandia, towing a barge
named the North Cape through a storm, caught fire off the southern Rhode Island
coast line, and cut the barge loose. The barge then ran aground off Matunuck and
spilled 800,000 gallons of oil. The Coast Guard proposed limited requirements
for equipping some tugboats with fire suppression equipment. That proposal was
opposed by the then U.S. Attorney, Sheldon Whitehouse and others, including then
Sen. John H. Chafee. The Coast Guard then withdrew that proposal. The latest fire
protection proposal was filed November 8 and is subject to public comment until
March 8, 2001. The Coast Guard in January 1999 adopted regulations requiring working
anchor systems on towing vessels and filing of voyage plans, two other issues
that arose from the incident. Companies owning the vessels ultimately pled guilty
to criminal charges and paid $9.5 in fines, penalties and other assessments.