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Department of Ecology News Release - November 1, 2006
06-222
New oil transfer and spill contingency plan rules now in effect
OLYMPIA - The Department of Ecology's new oil transfer rules for vessels and
facilities and the new oil spill contingency plan rule went into effect on
October
26, 2006.
The rules are designed to prevent oil spills to Washington waters and improve
oil spill response readiness. Theses rules regulate how oil will be transferred
over water to tank vessels, fishing, cargo and passenger ships, other
non-recreational vessels, oil storage facilities, marinas and, for the first
time, tank trucks and rail cars.
Under the new rules, some vessels and oil-handling facilities are required to
deploy oil-spill containment boom prior to transferring oil. If it is not safe
or effective to pre-boom during an oil transfer, the rules require that
alternative response measures be met.
In addition, Ecology will consider an equivalent compliance plan from vessels
and facilities if they offer an equal or greater level of environmental
protection. The rules set up a process for public review and comment before the
equivalent compliance plan can be used.
The rules do not cover marine fueling stations that serve only recreational
boats.
Ecology has also updated the state oil spill contingency plan rule that
requires tank vessels, cargo and passenger ships, oil storage facilities, and
pipeline companies to demonstrate that they can mount an effective, timely
response if they spill oil.
The oil spill contingency plan rule is aimed at mitigating the environmental
effects of spills, large and small. The rule focuses on early spill response
actions, staging response equipment throughout the state, and conducting
scheduled and unannounced spill readiness drills.
"All oil spills, regardless of size, add toxic pollutants to our waters,"
said Dale Jensen who manages spill prevention, preparedness and response
activities for Ecology. "We have developed a wide variety of technical
publications to help those affected by the new rules."
Jensen said that preventing oil spills is also part of Gov. Chris Gregoire's
initiative to clean up, restore, and protect Puget Sound as well as her priority
for reducing toxic threats throughout Washington state.
# # #
Recent Washington state spill prevention, preparedness and response
milestones:
- Oct. 26 - New oil transfer and oil spill contingency plan rules go into
effect. Oct. 13 - Polar Tankers, Inc. and ConocoPhillips will pay a $540,000
fine levied by Ecology after the oil tanker Polar Texas spilled more than
1,000 gallons of crude oil into Puget Sound's Dalco Passage on Oct. 13,
2004. The $540,000 fine was the largest Ecology has received for a spill to
marine waters.
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/news/2006news/2006-208.html
- Sept. 28 - Helping first responders: Ecology delivers the first
oil-spill-response supplies to the Port of Seattle, King County, and Seattle
Fire Department. The department will deliver about another 60 trailers with
response equipment around Puget Sound (including the Strait of Juan de Fuca
and Hood Canal) by June 2007.
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/news/2006news/2006-198.html
- Sept. 25 - Department adopts new oil transfer and oil spill contingency
plan rules.
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/news/2006news/2006-197.html
- Sept. 14 - Department enters into landmark agreement with Marine Spill
Response Corp. to help respond to and clean up oil spills.
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/news/2006news/2006-187.html
- Aug. 18 - Ecology holds workshop in Snohomish to gather public input
regarding crafting the first geographic response plan for tackling oil
spills in the Snohomish River watershed.
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/news/2006news/2006-158.html
- Aug. 14 - Ecology announces hiring new vessel and facility inspectors,
spill responders, and oil spill contingency planners.
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/news/2006news/2006-155.html
- Aug. 1 - Tribal, state and federal officials commemorate completion of a
$5.2 million habitat restoration plan to offset damages to Washington's fish
and wildlife populations during the 1991 Tenyo Maru oil spill.
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/news/2006news/2006-140.html
- July 21 - Ecology provides $140,000 to place special software and
equipment on two King County Sheriffs Office helicopters. The new equipment
has the ability to spot and track oil spills at night and during storms.
http://www.metrokc.gov/sheriff/news/article.aspx?id=252
- July 11 and 13 - Department holds workshops in Tacoma and Seattle
seeking public help to update Ecology's geographic response plans for
tackling oil spills in central Puget Sound.
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/news/2006news/2006-120.html
- July 11-19 - Ecology conducts five public hearings to gather public
comment on draft oil transfer and contingency plan rules (Pasco, Vancouver,
Port Angeles, Bellingham, and SeaTac).
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/news/2006news/2006-096.html
- July 5 - Identified 14 Puget Sound cleanup and restoration projects to
be funded by $1.7 million grant. The money was part of the settlement
agreement regarding the Evergreen International Shipping Line criminal case.
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/waw/press/2006/jul/marine.htm
- June 8 - New oil transfer and oil spill contingency plan rules proposed.
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/news/2006news/2006-096.html
Contact: Mary-Ellen Voss, Public Information Officer, 360-407-7211,
pager 360-956-8296 or Curt Hart, Public Information Manager, 360-407-6990, cell
360-480-7908
For more information about the new oil transfer rules and oil spill
contingency plan rule:
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/spills/rules/main.html
Ecology's Web site:
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/spills/spills.html
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
