Washington State has long recognized SCAT as a best practice for shoreline cleanup following oil spills, and now they’re making the rules more specific.
The Washington Department of Ecology is in the process of updating its oil spill contingency plan rules under WAC 173-182, and one of the key proposed changes is the formal incorporation of the Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Technique into planning standards for shoreline cleanup (WAC 173-182-522). For plan holders, this means SCAT won’t just be a recognized best practice, it will be a defined planning requirement. That distinction matters. Having SCAT cited as a best practice leaves room for interpretation in how it’s applied. Codifying it into the planning standards means contingency plans will need to specifically address how SCAT will be implemented as part of shoreline cleanup operations, not just acknowledge that it exists.
Other proposed changes include updated requirements concerning non-floating oil (NFO) response, strengthened drill requirements, and the incorporation of UAS for aerial surveillance in low-visibility conditions.
The informal comment period is open now through October 30, 2026, with a first review deadline of June 17, 2026. Final rule adoption isn’t expected until Fall 2027, but that timeline gives plan holders a real window to evaluate their current documents and engage in the process.
Polaris scientists helped develop SCAT in the 1980s and have led SCAT operations on spills around the world ever since. We don’t yet know exactly what the final rule language will require of plan holders, but we’re following this rulemaking closely. When the changes are in place, we’ll be ready to help clients understand what changes to their planning documents may be needed.
More on the rulemaking: https://ecology.wa.gov/regulations-permits/laws-rules-rulemaking/rulemaking/wac-173-182-186-oil-spill-contingency-plans