Governor Signs Wolk Oil Spill Bill

Legislation introduced after Suisun Marsh oil spill last April

Wolk introduced the measure, Assembly Bill 1408, after a pipeline in her district ruptured and spilled 84,000 gallons of diesel in the Suisun Marsh, about five miles from Fairfield. The owner of the pipeline, Kinder Morgan, failed to report the spill in a timely manner to the proper authorities.

"I believe that immediate notification to the Office of Emergency Services will aid in streamlining the response to an oil spill by coordinating local, state, and federal agencies. This, in turn, will assist in clean-up operations to ensure better protection of the environment in the unfortunate event of an oil spill," commented Wolk.

Just last week, Wolk sent a letter to the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG), urging that appropriate and timely action be taken against Kinder Morgan. The pipeline owner already faces penalties under federal law by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Wolk has asked that California follow suit and levy fines against Kinder Morgan.

AB 1408 also requires the State Fire Marshall, in its report to the Legislature every five years, to assess the condition of all pipelines in California. Current law requires the State Fire Marshall to report on pipeline leak incident rate trends and review current regulatory effectiveness with regard to pipeline safety.

“It is important to respond immediately to a spill, but just as important as that is preventing a spill, and that requires knowing the condition of these pipelines. This bill moves the state to take a more proactive role in both response and prevention,” said Wolk.

The bill takes effect January 1, 2005.