New updates to the state Department of Ecology’s pipeline rule are designed to ensure a rapid and coordinated response to a potentially damaging failure anywhere along the hundreds of miles of pipeline moving more than seven billion gallons of oil annually across the state, according to Ecology sources.

Ecology has been in the business of regulating pipelines for more than 10 years, but in making the rule changes “we are applying the idea of best achievable protection” when it comes to oil spills and their impact on the environment and its residents, said Ecology spills preparedness rules writer Sonja Larson.

A number of changes were made, some just simple clarification of terms so the state’s language would be more in line with existing federal regulations. However, said Larson, “That was just a smaller part of the rule making process. There are federal regulations for pipelines, but the state is not pre-empted from having more stringent (state) requirements. We wanted to add some language that was more aligned with the federal language, but we have provisions the feds do not have.”

Specifically, those provisions include requirements for air monitoring along pipelines. Oil spills can release a lot of dangerous chemicals into the air, so monitoring the air quality along the pipelines will protect the health and safety of residents and first responders to a spill. The second is the creation of a geographic planning standard using available geo-referenced data to support preparedness planning and initial decision making in the event of a spill.

In short, pipeline maps must now include data describing in detail the topography of the surrounding area. That information is used to predict where a spill might go and how first responders should most effectively pursue cleanup efforts.

“That’s just the crux of good preparedness,” Larson said. “Identify where we have risks and plan where to stage equipment and where to send the response.”

Larson also wanted “to draw attention to the fact that transporting oil is risky, and the new rule changes are addressing that fact.”

The changes were adopted Oct. 12 after a period of public comment and go into effect Nov. 12. Ecology’s pipeline safety rules apply to existing pipelines as well as proposed pipeline projects, said Larson. “We have existing pipelines with approved contingency plans. These are additional requirements they need to apply.”