What’s going on?

My name is Scott Zimmerman, I’m an oil spill preparedness planner with Washington Department of Ecology and I’m thrilled to announce that the Snake River Lower Monumental Pool (SLOMO) Geographic Response Plan is now open for public comment!

Geographic Response Plans (GRPs) aim to protect the sensitive natural, cultural, and economic resources in a specified geographic area. The geographic areas in Washington State with GRPs have associated risks from oil spills; industry may transport, store, refine, or transfer oil in these regions. The Snake River originates in Yellowstone National Park and travels approximately 1,000 miles west through Wyoming, Idaho, and Washington before finally emptying into the Columbia River at Pasco. The SLOMO-GRP encompasses the 28.7-mile reach of the Lower Monumental Pool, from the upstream side of the Lower Monumental Dam to the downstream side of the Little Goose Dam. This area has been inhabited for over 11,000 years and contains some of the oldest archaeological sites in Washington. It is a remote and stunningly beautiful area in which I felt fortunate to research and travel through while conducting fieldwork.

The Snake River as seen from surrounding hillsides. Photo credit: Scott Zimmerman.
The Snake River as seen from surrounding hillsides. Photo credit: Scott Zimmerman.

This area has unique risks, logistical concerns, and sensitive resources that I hope will be better protected with the update to this plan. Risks from oil spills in this area come from multiple sources. Aside from bridges and commercial and recreational vessels, crude oil is now transported by train along the shoreline of the Snake River.

What has changed?

This GRP was originally developed in 1997 and although there was a partial update in 2021, most of the GRP has not been updated since it was first published. This update brings this GRP into the digital world. Starting from an original paper version of the plan, I entered the strategies into a database and added photographs, driving directions, implementation instructions, and updated the recommended equipment and personnel necessary to deploy each strategy. Strategy names have been changed according to naming conventions used in all other GRP’s across the state. In this case the names reflect the river mile instead of a simple numerical designation.  Boat launches and staging areas now have their own 2-page descriptions. Vessel skimming strategies have been deleted, as these are no longer considered GRP strategies. Deflection strategies have been added at all shoreline Habitat Management Units, to safeguard these shorelines as much as possible. The update also includes four new Notification Strategies so that first responders can immediately notify site contacts who can take action to protect the resources under their control.

Geese landing in the Palouse River. Photo credit: Scott Zimmerman.
Geese landing in the Palouse River. Photo credit: Scott Zimmerman.

Help Us Improve the Plan

The maintenance of these geographic response plans is vital to our state’s preparedness in the event of an oil spill. A key part of this update process is gathering input from the people who work, live, and play along the Snake River. I hope to hear from you during this public comment period (August 1– 31, 2024). Feel free to reach out to me with any questions or concerns at scott.zimmerman@ecy.wa.gov or at 425-941-7697.

Access draft GRP documents or submit a comment here: https://sppr.ecology.commentinput.com/?id=4SBYKepgQ