When you live in Bellingham you know about the tragic 1999 Olympic pipeline incident. The town hasn’t and will never forget that day. Pipeline Safety Trust Program Manager Amanda McKay sees the reminders on a daily basis each time she delves into the wooded paths of Whatcom Falls State Park with her dog Kuma as they traverse the ecologically-important area still recovering from disaster.
“Every time I walk through the park I remember it,” McKay says. “I think it’s really important that the Pipeline Safety Trust is located here in Bellingham; we will always remember why and how we started.”
Amanda has been with the trust a little over a month, but already sees the integral role her job will play. As program manager she will work with a variety of different stakeholders to help make pipelines safer across the country.
“I’ve already found out how incredibly complex the pipeline systems are,” she says. “And now it’s my job to simplify those complexities so everyone understands how we can make pipelines safer.”
Amanda says collaboration is what is most important to advance PST’s mission. She is looking forward to spending ample time with regulators, operators and the public. When it comes to the public, Amanda sees PST playing an important part in providing technical assistance and knowledge to people across the country who have pipeline safety concerns.
“I’ve already been getting inquiries from the public and requests related to pipeline safety,” she says. “I’m glad to help those out who may not have the time or capacity to spend hours learning the complexity of these systems.”
More About Amanda
Amanda McKay joined the Pipeline Safety Trust in April 2022 as Program Manager.
Previously Amanda served as the Community Engagement Manager for Whatcom Land Trust, a Bellingham, WA based nonprofit working on environmental conservation and restoration efforts in Whatcom County.
Amanda has a background in environmental policy, communications, and community engagement. She attended Western Washington University for a B.A. in Environmental Policy and received her Master of Studies in Environmental, Natural Resources, and Energy Law (MSL) degree from Lewis and Clark Law School in Portland, OR.
In her free time Amanda enjoys coaching lacrosse, mountain biking, skiing, and hiking with her partner Matt and pup Kuma.
Leave a Reply