OLYMPIA, Wash. — Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has signed a measure that aims to boost safety around the transportation of oil in the state.
The new law, signed Friday, extends the state's oil barrel tax to pipelines. That tax pays for spill response and prevention measures and currently applies to oil received by train or vessels.
The measure also directs state regulators to address the risks of certain types of oil that sink or submerge as well as to study ways to reduce oil risks in Puget Sound. The new law also sets up an annual forum for the state to work with Canadian agencies on issues related to reducing oil spill risk and navigational safety.
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Starting in mid-2019, the first $200,000 collected by the tax will be allocated to the National Guard for oil spill training and cleanup every year.
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