Appeals Court Blocks Release of Pipeline Data Pending Review
October 2, 2007 -- The Washington state Court of Appeals, Division II has reversed a decision of the Thurston County Superior Court that had ordered the UTC to release to the public pipeline location data contained in the pipeline safety program's computer data base. Today’s decision orders the Superior Court to issue a preliminary injunction against the release of that information and to conduct a trial on the merits of a permanent injunction.

Six daily newspapers and two private citizens filed requests in February under the state's public disclosure act seeking release of the pipeline data. Several pipeline operators challenged the request in Thurston County Superior Court, arguing that disclosure of the data posed a risk to public safety and security.