12/20/2005: "Ecology & Chevron At Odds On Oil Spill Test"

According to Ecology (Washington Department of Ecology) Chevron Shipping Company -- which carries millions of gallons of petroleum products across Washington waters each year -- has become the first oil shipping company to refuse a request by the state Department of Ecology to participate in an oil-spill drill. Chevron told the Guardian that "When the Washington Department of Ecology asked us to participate in an unannounced drill we expressed our willingness, provided that we first work together to ensure the drill would be conducted safely in accordance with those (safety) values.

Spill drills test how well local employees and their response contractors can implement their state-approved oil-spill contingency plans. The plans are required by all oil handlers who operate over Washington waters spell out how companies will respond to oil spills. Chevron told the Guardian that Chevron Shipping Co. submitted its spill response plan to the State in September and received verbal approval of the plan in November

On Dec. 8, Ecology asked Chevron to deploy resources in an oil-spill drill on the Columbia River. According to Ecology, Chevron refused a practice scenario in which a Chevron tanker was to have run aground west of Astoria, Oregon. Ecology director Jay Manning said that Chevron's refusal breaks the previously unbroken line of spill-response readiness in Washington. Chevron has responded to the charge by stating: "Our intention was to work with the Washington Department of Ecology to put important safety values into practice during any drill activities -- for the benefit of our employees and contractors as well as state employees" and added that "At Chevron, our values compel us to "Do it safely, or not at all".

In a prepared statement, Ecology stated "All holders of Washington oil-spill contingency plans were notified earlier this year that unannounced drills would be occurring. Ecology has used unannounced oil spill drills for five years to ensure that oil handlers protect Washington waters and, until this incident, no oil handler has refused to participate". Chevron Shipping Co. gave as an example of it's willingness to take part in any well planned exercise an unannounced drill in California it participated in Californian of this year. According to Chevron, several weeks prior to the exercise, Chevron and California Office of Oil Spill Response worked together to identify and address any safety issues well in advance. This cooperative effort resulted in a surprise drill that was conducted safely and without incident.

Dale Jensen, manager of Ecology's spills program said Chevron's spill drill was to test of how well it could coordinate a quick response from its nearest offices in San Ramon, Calif. In addition, the drill was to have tested how well Chevron's representatives would make proper notifications, coordinate a response through spill-response contractors, establish a command post, and test how quickly Chevron could get its own team to the spill site.

Chevron told the Guardian that " We look forward to working with Washington Department of Ecology officials to safely conduct drills in the future. We firmly believe that spill prevention is our first priority, but we are also committed to partnering with federal, state, local, and industry response organizations to ensure we are prepared to respond to protect people and the environment should a spill occur", and to that end "Chevron Shipping Co. has a contract in place with MSRC (Marine Spill Response Corporation), who has local personnel and equipment in place to respond to an incident should one occur.

Jensen said Ecology has ordered Chevron to update its spill-contingency plan. Also, he said Ecology will test Chevron once again sometime during the next 30 days.