DEC proposes financial responsibility increases for pollution response regulations

The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation is proposing increases to the dollar amounts of financial responsibility required for pollution response from a wide range of oil facilities in Alaska. DEC periodically increases the dollar amounts in line with inflation, as measured by the Anchorage consumer price index.

“We do this regulatory process every three years,” Christopher Pace, environmental specialist with DEC, told Petroleum News in early June. The original dollar amounts were set in 1990 and the amounts have increased to 1.435 times the 1990 levels, Pace said. The dollar amounts are specified by regulation and details of the proposed changes can be obtained from DEC. Comments on the changes must be submitted by July 6.

Facility operators are responsible for ensuring compliance with the regulations but, once the regulations change, DEC will try to contact companies whose proofs of financial responsibility fall below the new levels, Pace said.

—Alan Bailey