DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY

[Order 19-09—Filed February 2, 2021, 9:51 a.m., effective March 5, 2021]

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.

Purpose: Ecology is adopting an amendment to chapter 173-185 WAC, Oil movement by rail and pipeline notification. This chapter establishes reporting standards for facilities that receive crude oil by rail and pipelines that transport crude oil through the state. The rule also describes reporting standards for ecology to share information with tribes, emergency responders, local governments, and the public.

The rule amendment will implement sections of ESHB 1578 and ESSB 5579, both passed in 2019 and codified in RCW 90.56.565.

This rule amendment will:

Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Amending chapter 173-185 WAC.


•	Expand advance notice reporting requirements for facilities that receive crude oil by rail to include type and vapor pressure of crude oil.
•	Expand biannual notice requirements for pipelines that transport crude oil through the state to include gravity and type of crude oil.
•	Describe how required information will be provided to the utilities and transportation commission.
•	Make other changes to clarify language and make any corrections needed.

Statutory Authority for Adoption: Chapter 90.56 RCW; RCW 90.56.005, 90.56.050, 90.56.565.

Adopted under notice filed as WSR 20-18-101 on September 2, 2020.

Changes Other than Editing from Proposed to Adopted Version: The following content describes the changes between the rule proposal language and the adopted language and provides ecology's reasons for making them.

WAC 173-185-050 Definitions:


•	The definition of facility was updated in the rule to align with the definition in chapter 90.56 RCW. The statutory definition was recently amended to update a reference to a recodified statute.
•	The definition of person was updated in the rule to align with the statutory definition in chapter 90.56 RCW.

WAC 173-185-070 Advance notice—Facility requirements:


•	Clarified the description of type of crude oil reported to ecology by updating subsection (2)(f)(i) to refer to the "gravity as reported under (e) of this subsection" rather than "expected gravity as reported under (e) of this subsection." This is consistent with subsection (2)(e), which requires gravity to be reported but allows expected gravity to be reported if actual gravity is unknown. This clarification does not change any regulatory requirements.
•	The version of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Standard D6377 was updated to reflect the most recent update to the standard for vapor pressure testing, published in 2020. The previous version was published in 2016.

A final cost-benefit analysis is available by contacting Kim Morley, Department of Ecology, Spill Prevention, Preparedness, and Response Program, P.O. Box 47600, Olympia, WA 98504-7600, phone 360-701-2398, people with speech disability may call TTY at 877-833-6341. People with impaired hearing may call Washington relay service at 711, email kim.morley@ecy.wa.gov, website https://apps.ecology.wa.gov/publications/summarypages/2108003.html.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 5, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted at the Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 3, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 0, Amended 4, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 4, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Date Adopted: February 2, 2021.

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 16-17-144, filed 8/24/16, effective 10/1/16)

WAC 173-185-020Purpose.

((The purpose of this chapter is to enhance oil transportation safety in Washington and protect public safety and the environment by establishing notification requirements and procedures that inform emergency response agencies and the public of all crude oil shipments to facilities by rail and crude oil transport by transmission pipelines in the state.)) This chapter establishes:

(1) Advance notice requirements for facilities that receive crude oil by railroad car.

(2) Biannual notice requirements for transmission pipelines that transport crude oil.

(3) Disclosure procedures for ecology to:

(a) Provide nonaggregated information collected under this chapter to the state emergency management division, utilities and transportation commission, and any county, city, tribal, port, and local government emergency response agency to help these agencies effectively prepare for and respond to oil spills and other accidents.

(b) Provide aggregated information collected under this chapter to inform the public about the nature of crude oil movement through their communities.

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 16-17-144, filed 8/24/16, effective 10/1/16)

WAC 173-185-030Compliance schedule.

(1) Facilities.

(a) Owners and operators of facilities in operation at the time this chapter is adopted must meet the advance notice requirements in WAC 173-185-070 on the effective date of this chapter.

(b) Owners and operators of new facilities must meet the advance notice requirements in WAC 173-185-070 immediately upon beginning operations in the state.

(2) Transmission pipelines.

(a) Owners and operators of transmission pipelines in operation at the time this chapter is adopted must meet the biannual notice requirements in WAC 173-185-080 on the effective date of this chapter ((and submit their first biannual notice by January 31, 2017)).

(b) Owners and operators of new transmission pipelines must meet the biannual notice requirements in WAC 173-185-080 immediately upon beginning operations in the state.

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 16-17-144, filed 8/24/16, effective 10/1/16)

WAC 173-185-050Definitions.

(1) "American Petroleum Institute (API) gravity" is a measure of how heavy or light a petroleum liquid is compared to water.

(2)"Bulk" means material that is stored or transported in a loose, unpackaged liquid, powder, or granular form capable of being conveyed by a pipe, bucket, chute, or belt system.

(((2)))(3)"Crude oil" means any naturally occurring hydrocarbons coming from the earth that are liquid at twenty-five degrees Celsius and one atmosphere of pressure including, but not limited to, crude oil, bitumen and diluted bitumen, synthetic crude oil, and natural gas well condensate.

(((3)))(4)"Ecology" means the state of Washington department of ecology.

(((4)))(5)(a) "Facility" means any structure, group of structures, equipment, pipeline, or device, other than a vessel, located on or near the navigable waters of the state that transfers oil in bulk to or from a tank vessel or pipeline, that is used for producing, storing, handling, transferring, processing, or transporting oil in bulk.

(b) For the purposes of oil spill contingency planning in RCW 90.56.210, facility also means a railroad that is not owned by the state that transports oil as bulk cargo.

(i) Railroad car, motor vehicle, or other rolling stock while transporting oil over the highways or rail lines of this state;

(ii) Underground storage tank regulated by ecology or a local government under chapter ((90.76))70A.355 RCW;

(iii) Motor vehicle motor fuel outlet;

(iv) Facility that is operated as part of an exempt agricultural activity as provided in RCW 82.04.330; or

(v) Marine fuel outlet that does not dispense more than three thousand gallons of fuel to a ship that is not a covered vessel, in a single transaction.

(((5) "Navigable waters of the state" means those waters of the state, and their adjoining shorelines, that are subject to the ebb and flow of the tide and/or are presently used, have been used in the past, or may be susceptible for use to transport intrastate, interstate, or foreign commerce.))

(6) "Oil" or "oils" means oil of any kind that is liquid at twenty-five degrees Celsius and one atmosphere of pressure and any fractionation thereof including, but not limited to, crude oil, bitumen, synthetic crude oil, natural gas well condensate, petroleum, gasoline, fuel oil, diesel oil, biological oils and blends, oil sludge, oil refuse, and oil mixed with wastes other than dredged spoil. Oil does not include any substance listed in Table 302.4 of 40 C.F.R. Part 302, adopted August 14, 1989, under Section 102(a) of the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended by P.L. 99-499.

(7)(a) "Owner" or "operator" means (i) in the case of a vessel, any person owning, operating, or chartering by demise, the vessel; (ii) in the case of an onshore or offshore facility, any person owning or operating the facility; and (iii) in the case of an abandoned vessel or onshore or offshore facility, the person who owned or operated the vessel or facility immediately before its abandonment.

(b) "Operator" does not include any person who owns the land underlying a facility if the person is not involved in the operations of the facility.

(8) "Person" means any political subdivision, government agency, municipality, industry, public or private corporation, copartnership, association, firm, individual, ((ship,)) or any other entity whatsoever.

(9) "Ship" means any boat, ship, vessel, barge, or other floating craft of any kind.

(10) "Sour crude oil" means crude oil that has a sulfur content greater than 0.5 percent by weight.

(11)"Spill" means an unauthorized discharge of oil which enters waters of the state.

(((11)))(12)"State" means the state of Washington.

(((12)))(13) "Sweet crude oil" means crude oil that has a sulfur content that does not exceed 0.5 percent by weight.

(14)"Transmission pipeline" means all parts of a pipeline whether interstate or intrastate, through which oil moves in transportation, including line pipes, valves, and other appurtenances connected to line pipe, pumping units, and fabricated assemblies associated with pumping units, metering and delivery stations and fabricated assemblies therein, and breakout tanks.

(((13) "Waters of the state" includes lakes, rivers, ponds, streams, inland waters, underground water, salt waters, estuaries, tidal flats, beaches and land adjoining the seacoast of the state, sewers, and all other surface waters and watercourses within the jurisdiction of the state of Washington.))

(15) "Vapor-liquid ratio" means the ratio of the vapor volume to the liquid volume of the sample, in equilibrium, under specified conditions.

(16) "Vapor pressure" means the pressure exerted by the vapor of a liquid when in equilibrium with the liquid. Vapor pressure varies based on specified temperature and vapor-liquid ratio.

PART B

((FACILITIES))NOTIFICATION, DISCLOSURES, AND NONDISCLOSURES

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 16-17-144, filed 8/24/16, effective 10/1/16)

WAC 173-185-070Advance notice—Facility requirements.

(1) Owners and operators of a facility that will receive crude oil from a railroad car must provide ecology with advance notice of all scheduled crude oil deliveries to be received by the facility as provided in this section. Notification may be made by the facility owner or operator's designee.

(2) The advance notice must contain the following information:

(a) Name, address, contact person, and telephone number of the facility;

(b) Region of origin of crude oil as stated, or as expected to be stated, on the bill of lading;

(d) Scheduled time, which means date, and volume of the scheduled delivery;

(e) Gravity, as measured by ((the most recently approved)) standards developed by the American Petroleum Institute or, if unavailable at the time of reporting, expected gravity of crude oil scheduled to be delivered;

(f) Type of crude oil scheduled to be delivered based on: (i) Gravity as reported under (e) of this subsection; and (ii) designation of the crude oil as sweet or sour;

(g) Vapor pressure or, if unavailable at the time of reporting, expected vapor pressure of crude oil scheduled to be delivered. Vapor pressure reported under this subsection must be the vapor pressure or expected vapor pressure of the crude oil as measured by American Society for Testing and Materials, or ASTM, Standard D6377-20 or another method approved by ecology, at the expected temperature of the crude oil and with a vapor-liquid ratio between 1.5:1 and 4:1.

A copy of ASTM Standard D6377-20 is available for inspection at 300 Desmond Drive S.E., Lacey, Washington 98503.

(3)(a) Advance notice must be provided to ecology each week for all arrivals of railroad cars carrying crude oil scheduled for the succeeding seven-day period.

(b) All newly scheduled arrivals of railroad cars carrying crude oil after the advance notice time frame under (a) of this subsection must be reported to ecology as soon as possible and before the shipment enters the state. If the shipment is already in the state, the scheduled arrival must be reported when the information is known to the facility.

(c) Advance notice information reported for scheduled crude oil deliveries may be updated after receipt of a scheduled crude oil delivery. If a facility chooses to update information, the information must be updated within fifteen days after the end of the quarter containing the scheduled crude oil delivery date.

(4) Notification must be submitted via ((internet)) website established by ecology.

((PART C

PIPELINES))

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 16-17-144, filed 8/24/16, effective 10/1/16)

WAC 173-185-080Biannual notice—Pipeline requirements.

(1) Owners and operators of a transmission pipeline that transports crude oil in or through the state must provide ecology biannual notice of all crude oil transported by the transmission pipeline in or through the state. Notification may be made by the transmission pipeline owner or operator's designee.

(2) The notice must contain the following information:

(a) Company name, address, contact person, and telephone number of the pipeline;

(b) Volume of crude oil by:

(i) Each listed state or province of origin of the crude oil;

(ii) Gravity, as measured by standards developed by the American Petroleum Institute, by weighted average;

(iii) Type of crude oil transported based on gravity as reported under (b)(ii) of this subsection, and designation of the crude oil as sweet or sour.

(3)(a) Notification must be submitted to ecology each year by July 31st for the period January 1st through June 30th and by January 31st for the period July 1st through December 31st.

(b) Notification ((must))may be submitted by email to ecology or via website established by ecology. Form number ECY 070-562 must be used.

((PART D

DISCLOSURES AND NONDISCLOSURES))

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 16-17-144, filed 8/24/16, effective 10/1/16)

WAC 173-185-090Disclosures—Emergency management division, utilities and transportation commission, and county, city, tribal, port, and local government emergency response agencies.

(1) Ecology will share the advance notice information collected from facilities under ((this chapter))WAC 173-185-070 with the state emergency management division and any county, city, tribal, port, or local government emergency response agency upon request. Requests to access this information must be submitted to ecology by email.

(2) Ecology will share the advance notice information collected from facilities under WAC 173-185-070 with the utilities and transportation commission.

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 16-17-144, filed 8/24/16, effective 10/1/16)

WAC 173-185-100Disclosures—The public.

Ecology will disclose information collected under this chapter by publishing it on a quarterly basis on ecology's website.

(1) Ecology will publish the following crude oil movement information:

(a) Mode of transport (i.e., railroad car or pipeline);

(b) Place of origin by region for facilities and by state or province for transmission pipelines;

(d) Estimated number of railroad cars delivering crude oil; ((and))

(e) Type and reported volume of crude oil received by facilities and crude oil transported by transmission pipelines in or through the state; and

(f) Vapor pressure of crude oil received by facilities.

(2) With respect to information on crude oil movement to facilities provided by this section, ecology will aggregate information on a statewide basis by:

(a) Route;

(b) Week; and

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 16-17-144, filed 8/24/16, effective 10/1/16)

WAC 173-185-110Nondisclosure.

Pursuant to RCW 42.56.270(23) and 90.56.565(((5)))(6), ecology and any state, local, tribal, or public agency that receives information provided under ((this chapter))WAC 173-185-070 and 173-185-090 may not disclose any such information to the public or to nongovernmental entities that contains proprietary, commercial, or financial information unless that information is aggregated. The requirement for aggregating information does not apply when information is shared by ecology with emergency response agencies as provided in WAC ((178-185-090))173-185-090.