The Olympic Pipeline leak is affecting the supply of jet fuel to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Crews are working on repairs, but there is no set timeline for completion. Governor Bob Ferguson has declared an emergency, and officials are concerned about possible impacts on flights on Saturday if the issue is not resolved, according to FOX 13 Seattle.
BP Pipelines North America found a leak last Tuesday after seeing a sheen in a drainage ditch, leading to the shutdown of two pipelines. Crews are working around the clock, and the amount of fuel spilled is still unknown. Alaska Airlines said, "We are working to mitigate a potential impact from the Olympic Pipeline fuel leak," and Delta Air Lines said, "Delta is closely monitoring the fuel supply at SEA, and there are no operational impacts at this time," as reported by KING 5.
Environmental concerns have risen following the Olympic Pipeline leak. Bill Caram of the Pipeline Safety Trust said, "After the '99 spill, a lot of work went into this pipeline to make sure that something like that would never happen again," but also noted, "We still have a significant pipeline failure somewhere in America almost every day," as mentioned by FOX 13 Seattle. To prevent fuel shortages at Seattle–Tacoma International Airport, Governor Ferguson’s emergency proclamation allows extended operating hours for fuel trucks. The leak has also affected nearby businesses, including Green Giant Nursery, where manager Valentin Fernandez said "It does come as a surprise" after being asked to move plants due to the pipeline work, as per KING 5.
