Publication Summary

There are over 2000 commercial vessels in Washington that fuel at marinas on rivers and coastal communities around the state. In our experience, leaks, drips and spills inadvertently occur all too frequently during small vessel fueling. There may be a cultural belief that a small sheen upon the water causes no harm to the environment, yet the cumulative impact of small spills (considered non-point pollution because a source is not always located) can be significant to this state. In 2004 the Washington State Legislature set an ambitious goal of "Zero Oil Spills to Water." Ecology's strategy is to develop a plan that will provide adequate and full protection against oil spills in ways that do not impose onerous costs on businesses.