Best Achievable Protection for spill response

In Washington, we want to have the best achievable protection (BAP) for citizens and the environment. We achieve this by using the best achievable technology (BAT), which includes the use of equipment appropriate for the operating environment, trained personnel, and procedures that ensure the highest level of protection.

We are required to update the oil spill contingency plan rules to ensure Washington achieves the highest standards of protection by requiring best technology, staffing levels, training procedures, and operational methods in oil spill contingency plans.

We coordinate and share research and development information related to oil spill preparedness and contingency planning efforts for facilities, vessels, railroads, and pipelines that are required to have oil spill contingency plans in Washington.

Best Achievable Protection conference

In May 2015, we partnered with the U.S. Coast Guard to co-host a Best Achievable Protection conference. This conference is one of the ways we employ a coordinated approach to identified response issues and potential response resource needs. We're planning to hold another BAP conference in 2018.

Research and development

We currently don't have funding to sponsor research and development projects, but we are interviewing response equipment experts to get their opinions about promising new response technologies. We also track and monitor progress of other federal, state, and industry projects.

Relevant research & development websites:

• ASTM International
• Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation - Research
• Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement Oil Spill Response Research Projects
• California Oil Spill Prevention and Response Science and Technology
• Canada-Environment Canada- Environmental Science and Technology Center
• Center for Documentation, Research and Experimentation on Accidental Water Pollution
• Interagency Coordinating Committee on Oil Pollution Research
• International Maritime Organization R&D Forums
• Natural Resources Canada – Oil Spill Response Science Projects
• OHMSETT Facility, Oil Spill Research and Testing
• Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration R&D
• United States Coast Guard Research, Development, Test and Evaluation: Research and Development Center

If you have a research and development source you would like to see listed here, please contact us. Current areas of response technology focus include:

• Non-floating oil equipment and response tactics.
• Aerial surveillance, remote sensing, and other detection technologies for oil spills.
• Common operational picture and situational awareness tools.
• Alternatives to the concept of Effective Daily Recovery Capacity.
• Response system effectiveness.
• Investments in efficient equipment and equipment needs.
• Review of emerging risks of oil transferred by rail.

Send us your ideas on what categories of training and technology we should review in the future.

Review cycle

We use the BAP 5-year review cycle to:

• Employ a coordinated and collaborative approach to address identified response issues and potential response resource needs.
• Help remove technical or regulatory barriers to the implementation of new technologies.
• Ensure transparency by posting all program areas of review, processes, and actions.

BAP 2013–2015 Review Cycle