Improving California’s Oil Spill Prevention & Response A Summary of Senate Bill 414 Amy Trainer, Executive Director Environmental Action Committee of West Marin

On May 19 th the Plains All American Pipeline Company’s severely corroded pipeline ruptured at Refugio State Beach, spilling over 140,000 gallons of oil onto the Santa Barbara coastline and into the ocean, affecting marine wildlife, MPAs, State Parks, fishing, tourism, and families who recreate along our magnificent coast.

SB 414 (Jackson) In response to the spill, EAC worked closely with Senator Hannah Beth Jackson’s office to pass SB 414. Governor Brown signed the bill into law on October 8 th. SB 414 addresses deficiencies in on-water oil spill response equipment standards. The bill requires the Office of Spill Prevention and Response (OSPR) to undertake new studies and update regulations in five broad areas to achieve the Lempert Keene Seastrand Oil Spill Protection Act’s standard of Best Achievable Protection,

California Dispersant Plan Update By May 1, 2016 OSPR must request the Federal Regional Response Team’s support to update the California Dispersant Plan using Best Available Science.

Assessment of Best Achievable Technology By January 1, 2017 OSPR must submit a report assessing the best achievable technology of equipment for oil spill prevention, preparedness and response. This will presumably lead to new rulemakings to update Contingency Plan requirements.

Update How State Evaluates Oil Spill Response Capabilities This determines how much mechanical equipment must be staged along the coast by Oil Spill Response Orgs. The current methodology is based on how much spilled oil can physically be pumped through a skimmer daily. In December 2012 BSEE released a report showing: inadequacy of State’s current methodology and why it’s necessary account for realistic conditions of a spreading, thinning oil slick that impacts capability to encounter spilled oil and store recovered oil.

Vessel Traffic Risk Assessment (VTRA) - Millions gallons of oil are carried through our waterways in tankers, barges, and in hulls of cargo vessels annually. - Before the next spill, we need a VTRA to predict and prevent problems before they occur throughout waterway. -San Francisco Bay and Los Angeles-Long Beach VTRAs must begin by 5/1/16 -$100+ million Refugio spill cleanup [not including natural resource damages]. -Need $1.4 million for both VTRAs to ensure rigorously developed VTRA

Fishing Vessels of Opportunity How can fishermen/women be appropriately engaged in oil spill response? - Insurance, cleanup costs - Paid training

Conclusion Over the next 2-3 years, California’s prevention, preparedness and response should significantly improve through the individual and cumulative effects of these new studies and subsequent regulatory updates. It will take public engagement to ensure these studies reflect current information, and that agencies update their regulations to meet the best achievable protection standard against oil spills. Questions? For more information: