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Friday, October 13, 2006 · Last updated 11:51 a.m. PT
Oil company to pay huge fine over Sound spill
ConocoPhillips will provide $540,000
ConocoPhillips will pay a $540,000 fine -- the largest ever paid for a spill to marine waters in Washington -- as a result of the mystery spill in Puget Sound near Vashon Island two years ago.
"That's a pretty significant milestone," said Curt Hart, spokesman for the Department of Ecology, which announced the fine today.
Conoco steadfastly has maintained its innocence. Calls to the company's public information office today have gone unanswered.
Federal prosecutors in Seattle recently declined criminal prosecution of the Houston-based oil company.
The spill ultimately prompted the Legislature to create a citizens' advisory council to oversee oil-spill-prevention efforts of the Department of Ecology and the maritime industry.
The spill was reported about 1:15 a.m. on Oct. 15, 2004. State officials believe the spill came from the Polar Texas, heading north after making a delivery of crude oil in Tacoma, the night of Oct. 14.
The tug captain who reported the spill about 1:15 a.m. was surprised not to see cleanup operations under way when he passed back through the area at 3:30 a.m. In fact, the response to the spill by the Coast Guard and Ecology didn't start until well into the daylight hours. Officials initially disregarded the spill, but later said they would not have been able to do much about it anyway, because it was dark and foggy.
The Coast Guard has now arranged to have a plane and helicopter available to check out nighttime spill reports using heat-sensing equipment.
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