OLYMPIA, Wash. - Gov. Jay Inslee has signed into a law a measure that attempts to improve the safety of oil transportation as a sharp increase in trains carrying volatile crude oil poses new safety and environmental risks in the state.
A compromise reached on the last day of the regular legislative session resolved differences between competing bills in the Senate and House.
The bill signed by Inslee includes some provisions he wanted, such as requiring railroads hauling crude oil to show their ability to pay for oil spill cleanup and requiring facilities that receive oil by trains to provide weekly notice of the type and volume of oil shipped. Under the measure, more limited information will be made public on a quarterly basis.
