SEATTLE — Washington state’s governor declared a state of emergency Wednesday to ensure enough jet fuel reaches Seattle-Tacoma International Airport after a leak shut down a major fuel pipeline.
The order temporarily waives and suspends state regulations that limit the number of hours commercial vehicle operators can drive when transporting jet fuel, Gov. Bob Ferguson’s office said in a news release. The statement said that the announcement ensures the implementation of safe driving procedures.
The Olympic Pipeline was shut down on November 11 due to a spill north of Seattle, between the cities of Everett and Snohomish. The governor’s office said operators notified the state of the spill and are working with state and federal agencies to contain, clean up and repair it.
There was no estimate of when the pipeline would resume normal fuel delivery. But if it doesn’t start up again by Saturday, the governor’s office said airport operations “will be significantly impacted.” The office did not share details about what that impact would look like.
The governor’s office said the airport “has a limited amount of fuel available to continue operations,” and since last week, airport officials have told incoming flights to refuel to capacity before arriving due to the pipeline closure.
The 400-mile (644 km) Olympic Pipeline is operated by BP Pipelines North America, Inc. It transports gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and other petroleum products from refineries in northwest Washington to points in Washington and Oregon. It is the primary way oil is delivered to fuel distribution stations in the Pacific Northwest west of the Cascades.