John, 

My name is Keith Curl-Dove, and I’m the new Fossil Fuel Campaign Manager at Washington Conservation Action.  

A major part of my job is managing the Stand Up To Oil coalition, as we continue our work to resist the harm and dangers caused by the fossil fuel industry. I’m writing today because I need your help to make sure that oil companies have adequate oil spill coverage. 

My family moved here last summer from North Carolina. Though I have not lived in Washington very long, I have already waded in the Hoh River, watched the mule deer run across the brush of the Columbia Plateau, and sampled streamside salmonberries in the Cascades—meeting wonderful people along the way. I believe that the land, waters, and the communities here are worth protecting.  

Today in Washington, facilities like refineries, pipelines, and other bulk oil handling facilities are not required to have financial responsibility coverage. So, the Washington Department of Ecology is developing rules that will establish financial responsibility requirements for Big Oil’s fossil fuel facilities.

Unfortunately, Ecology’s current proposal would have these facilities carry a maximum of $300 million in coverage - the same amount required of passenger vessels with fuel tanks of just 6,000 gallons. This would not come close to covering the estimated costs of a large oil spill.  

Incredibly, nearly 40 such facilities throughout the state have not had to ensure they have the financial resources to pay for response to an oil spill and the damages it would cause. Urge Ecology to strengthen the financial responsibility requirements for Class 1 facilities to cover oil spill response and damage costs.

In 2010, a tar sands spill into the Kalamazoo River cost $60,153 per barrel to clean up and cost an estimated $1.208 billion. Since the Salish Sea is so much deeper than a river, spill response here would be extremely difficult and much more expensive than that.   

Tank vessels and barges currently are required to have a $1 billion financial responsibility requirement. Class 1 facilities should carry at least $1 billion in coverage as well. 

Ecology is hosting several online public hearings, click here to attend. Tell them that the draft financial responsibility requirements for Class 1 facilities are insufficient to cover oil spill response and damage costs! Urge Ecology to strengthen the financial responsibility requirements for Class 1 facilities to cover oil spill response and damage costs.

Thanks for advocating for robust financial responsibility requirements to protect people and nature as one!   

Keith Curl-Dove (he/him)
Fossil Fuel Campaign Manager
Washington Conservation Action

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