These two photos are IOSA on July 21, 2026 deploying Geographic Response Plan (GRP) SJI-11 in Smallpox Bay, SJI. These protection strategies are mapped out in advance by WA State Dept of Ecology and then tested by IOSA for operational edits and deployment feedback.
Islands’ Oil Spill Association is officially back in Primary Response Contractor status with the Washington State Department of Ecology. That designation means Ecology has certified IOSA to lead specific categories of work here in San Juan County: tactical field response, Geographic Response Plan deployment, and the initial stabilization actions in the first 24 hours after a spill, along with staging the equipment those actions depend on. It’s the same authority IOSA held before this year’s reapplication, and we are proud to be back at full capacity response.
For a place as remote as the San Juan Islands, that first day is everything. State and federal responders can be hours, even a full day or more, away depending on weather and ferry schedules. PRC status means that when a spill happens here, San Juan County does not wait for the mainland to show up. IOSA gets boom in the water, works to stabilize the source, and stages equipment immediately, with state certification behind that work. This is the county’s first line of defense, run by neighbors and volunteers who live here.
So far in 2026, IOSA has responded to 11 incidents across the county. Sunken vessels, rogue sheens, diesel fuel tanks floating in Cattle Pass. Not every incident yields a response, but every one requires coordination, follow up, and support from IOSA.
None of that happens without training. IOSA runs a dozen or more sessions each year, rotating across islands, marinas, and the Geographic Response Plan sites mapped out by the state. New responders came through the door this year, and more than 50 trained Tier One responders now stand ready across the islands, each with a handbook, a go bag, and a place to be when the call comes. Training days stay open to the wider community: general volunteers, industry and tribal partners, and local government are all welcome as capacity allows. If you’ve been thinking about getting involved, please reach out and connect!
IOSA also crossed the border this year, spending two days with WCMRC, the marine response organization on the Canadian side of the Salish Sea. The conversation covered how each side handles a spill, where the gaps sit, and what it takes to keep crews and equipment ready. Then everyone went out on the water together for a deployment exercise in Canadian waters. A meeting with the Islands Trust rounded out the trip, focused on what better cross-border coordination could look like. Oil doesn’t stop at the border, and neither does the work IOSA does here in our Salish Sea.
IOSA has an annual training calendar online! Visit our website for training dates and workshop opportunities available in San Juan County.
IOSA is built on community. Your time, ideas, training hours, and financial support all help ensure we’re ready when an oil spill threatens our home. Donate Now →
Do you want to become a part of our volunteer response team within San Juan County? Do you have resources/skills to share during a large spill crisis? Get Involved! →
Funding for small nonprofits like IOSA is tightening every year. IOSA transitioned to a 501c3 in the fall of 2025 and we’re now beginning to build a fundraising system and donor base to stay ahead of projected public funding losses in 2027 so our response, training, and equipment keep moving without interruption.
You can support our work directly by mailing a check to PO BOX 2946, Friday Harbor, WA 98250 or by donating online at www.IOSAonline.org/donate.
IOSA is also hosting an end-of-year celebration on November 12th at Saltwater Farm. Our 40th Birthday Party was so much fun last year we’re going to try to make it an annual event for our community! Community invites coming soon for food, music, fellowship, and the opportunity to hear firsthand what county-wide response looks like from the people doing it.