Pipeline Safety Trust's History

Photo: Olympic Pipeline Explosion - Angela Lee Holstrom

The Pipeline Safety Trust came into being based on the efforts and recommendations of SAFE Bellingham and the families of Liam Wood and Stephen Tsiorvas who were killed in the 1999 Olympic Pipe Line explosion. SAFE Bellingham - a grassroots watchdog group concerned with pipeline safety - and the families fought for better pipeline oversight and accident prevention measures. These Bellingham residents made it their number one priority to organize a perpetually funded oversight organization to ensure safer pipelines nationwide. The need for the Pipeline Safety Trust gained written support from Washington Governor Gary Locke, the Washington State Utilities and Transportation Commission, the Washington State Citizens Committee on Pipeline Safety, many local governments, and pipeline safety advocates nationwide.

On June 18, 2003, U.S. District Judge Barbara Rothstein ordered that four million dollars of the criminal fines imposed as a result of the Bellingham tragedy be awarded as an endowment to fund the Pipeline Safety Trust. Judge Rothstein noted that the Trust, with only 4 million dollars, was like "Bambi taking on Godzilla," but she chided the pipeline industry to listen to and work with the Pipeline Safety Trust so tragedies like Bellingham do not happen again.

For more information, follow the link below:
Bellingham Herald Coverage of the Olympic Pipeline Explosion in Bellingham, WA.