The Washington State Department of Ecology has slapped a nearly $4 million fine on Olympic Pipeline Company and BP Pipelines for a significant gasoline spill near Conway. According to a MyNorthwest report, the companies faced a $3.8 million penalty for the 2023 incident, which saw 21,000 gallons of gasoline leak into the environment, potentially endangering public health and safety. The leak, notably impacting a neighboring stream and causing the temporary shut down of a local school, stirred concerns in the community about the adequacy of BP's pipeline monitoring systems.
Highlighting the gravity of the situation, the Department of Ecology is also looking to recover a hefty $822,162 in response costs. As documented in the ongoing response, crews have had to remove a substantial 12,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil and over 330,000 gallons of oily water, a large-scale remediation effort that took three months to complete. The circumstances surrounding the spill have prompted questions, with environmental consultant Fred Felleman, in an interview with KOMO News, expressing concern over the seeming inadequacy of the leak detection systems. "The system is not sensitive enough to detect it," Felleman stated, revealing concerns that the spill might have gone unnoticed for an extended period.
Investigations revealed the cause of the leak to be a corroded carbon steel nut on a piece of tubing that played a crucial role in monitoring pipeline pressure within a concrete vault. BP's regular assessments failed to identify the deteriorated component, which led to the spill, according to details from the Cascadia Daily. The state's strict measures against BP and Olympic Pipeline reflect a growing impatience with repeated offenses, following another fine issued to BP in January 2022 for two spills near Woodinville in February 2020.
The latest spill adds to an already tense situation for Olympic Pipeline, especially after more recent issues in Snohomish County where another leak was detected this month. As the cleanup and investigations continue, Governor Bob Ferguson has had to issue an emergency declaration to ensure a sufficient jet fuel supply to SeaTac Airport. An Cascadia Daily report indicates airlines are not anticipating disruptions, despite these setbacks. Amidst these events, BP has reiterated its commitment to safety, stating, "We remain committed to safe and compliant operations everywhere we operate," and has pledged to review the state's findings and engage constructively with the Washington Department of Ecology.
