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Regulations & Permits > Plans & Policies > Contingency planning for oil industry > Spills Best Achievable Protection

Best Achievable Protection for spill response

We define Best Achievable Protection (BAP) as training procedures, operational methods, and response technologies that are critical to successful oil spill responses. We review response tools and technologies and update our regulatory standards to ensure the maintenance of the highest standards of preparedness over time.

I want to...

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 is required in regulated industry oil spill contingency plans.

Large response vessel with onboard crane and smaller vessel pulling inflated oil spill containment boom into the water.

The Marine Spill Response Corporation open water capable oil spill response vessel Oregon Responder simulating on-water recovery of oil with a NOFI Current Buster® booming system during a deployment drill on the Columbia River, October 10, 2018. 

We are required to update the oil spill contingency plan rules to ensure Washington achieves the highest standards of oil spill preparedness by requiring spill response 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 with facilities, vessels, railroads, and pipelines that are required to have oil spill contingency plans in Washington.

Research & development

We currently do not 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 and development websites:

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.
  • Identification of resources at risk from non-floating oil spills.
  • Aerial surveillance, remote sensing, and other detection technologies for oil spills.
  • Common operational picture and situational awareness tools.
  • Response system effectiveness.
  • Review of emerging risks of oil transportation.
  • Spill Management Team capabilities and credentialing 

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

Review cycle BAP conference

Related links


Contact information

Sonja Larson
Response Technology Specialist
sonja.larson@ecy.wa.gov
360-407-6682