Larsen Seeks Review of Spill Response Plans Amid Pipeline Expansion

A Washington State congressman is calling for a review of oil spill response plans due to increased oil tanker traffic expected from a planned pipeline from Alberta to British Columbia.

Rep. Rick Larsen, the top Democrat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, recently sent a letter to a U.S. Coast Guard official seeking details about co-ordination efforts around a Canada-U.S. pollution contingency plan.

Larsen says the pipeline will bring more oil tanker traffic to the Salish Sea, increasing the risk of catastrophic oil spills that could harm marine ecosystems and environments in both countries.