Oil spill prevention and response are in the forefront in the US as two states, New Hampshire and Minnesota, have passed laws increasing industry responsibility for pipeline and railroad maintenance and emergency response, and California has added fees for rail and pipeline oil shipments similar to those they impose on marine oil carriers. In addition, the US Coast Guard has finalised rules for transport of oil in Prince William Sound where the Exxon Valdez oil spill occurred 25 years ago.
These actions follow on recent rail disasters such as the derailment and fatal explosion in Lac Megantic, Canada and pipeline breaks in Arkansas, Missouri, Texas and other states. The Coast Guard rule addresses changes in the oil tanker industry in the 25 years since the Exxon Valdez spill prompted tighter shipping regulation.
Transit states prepare for rail and pipeline oil spills
New Hampshire and Minnesota are not oil-producing states, however, oil shipments via rail and pipeline put them at risk for spills. Many rail lines run through major cities in the US and federal regulations have yet to catch up with the increasing use of rail to transport crude oil. The situation is similar for pipelines, with both forms of transport using old equipment and technology.
In New Hampshire the focus of concern is a pipeline system which now transports crude oil from the Maine coast to refineries in Montreal and Ontario, Canada. That pipeline is being considered for transport of oil from Canada’s tar sands, where seeps have already impacted wildlife, to Maine for export.
Minnesota has significant rail and pipeline oil traffic coming into and passing through the state and, like many US states, relies on local emergency response systems to deal with inland incidents. As 100 (or more) car oil unit trains and heavier use of oil pipelines become common these local responders will require training in large spill response, and a system for scaling up utilising external responders in larger events as is common in coastal oil spill response plans.
California, Oregon and the state of Washington enacted stricter regulations several years ago and it is expected that other states will soon follow suit. US law allows states the freedom to create laws regarding oil spill prevention and response, provided those laws are as strict, or stricter, than the federal regulations.
California rail and pipeline fees used for oil spill prevention and preparedness
California, one of the first states to impose a fee on oil shipped through state waters, has now done the same for oil arriving in the state via pipeline or rail. These fees, like those for ships carrying oil, will be used to fund oil spill prevention and cleanup activities within the state. Response drills, which ensure that responders are maintaining and/or improving their skills, are also funded through this legislation.
The state has also set aside monies for more rail inspector positions to allow every mile of track within the state to be inspected annually. California has also pressed the US Department of Transportation to initiate stricter standards for train oil tank cars.
Tanker safety in Prince William Sound, Alaska
A new US Coast Guard rule requires double-hulled oil tankers of greater than 5,000 gross tons (US) to be escorted by two tugs within Prince William Sound. In this case, the ruling is largely a case of making a formal regulation to reflect existing industry practice. An early law required single-hulled tankers of that size to be escorted by two tug boats.
The Oil Pollution Act of 1990, which came about as a result of the Exxon Valdez oil spill, required the phase out of single-hulled tankers in favor of double hulls, which have the potential to keep oil from escaping from a ship after a collision or grounding. Twenty-five years after the spill some wildlife species affected by the Exxon Valdez have yet to recover.
As the phase out must be completed by 2015, the earlier rule no longer addressed the present situation. Most shipping companies have, however, elected to use the two-tug escort system in Prince William Sound for their double-hulled ships. The escort tugs can help influence the speed and direction of a ship should it lose power or steering, potentially preventing the tanker from grounding.
The full text of the ruling can be found in the US Federal Register.