(Juneau) - Representative Vic Kohring (R-Wasilla/Mat-Su) will present a legislation citation honoring the Alaska Tanker Company (ATC) on Thursday, May 4, 2006 in the Capitol Building's Speaker's Chambers. Present with Representative Kohring will be Speaker of the House John Harris and Senate President Ben Stevens.

The citation recognizes ATC's achieving the highest levels of safety and environmental performance while carrying Alaska North Slope crude oil from Valdez, Alaska to refineries in Washington, California and Hawaii. Representative Kohring, the Legislature's Oil & Gas Committee Chairman, described the record as "unsurpassed" in the industry.

Representative Kohring noted that since 2002, ATC ships have safely carried 43.6 billion gallons of crude oil with just 27.2 gallons of hydraulic oil escaping to the sea (as a consequence of storm damage). Furthermore, he said ATC has completed nine million man-hours of operation without anyone being so hurt that they were unable to return to work the next day.

The United States Coast Guard recognized ATC's outstanding performance in 2004 when the company was awarded the Benkert "Osprey" Gold Award. This award was given in recognition of "... outstanding achievement in marine environmental protection that goes beyond mere compliance with industrial and regulatory standards." The "Osprey" is the highest environmental award given by the Coast Guard.

"ATC maintains a single focus on operational excellence, and for this has been recognized by its stakeholders including BP, it's unions, the Prince William Sound Citizens Advisory Council, and every State Environmental Regulatory Agency in the states it does business," said Representative Kohring. He added, "ATC has a superb record of safe operation, environmental stewardship, and its community outreach program in Alaska."

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