1.   The change in policy comes after an EPA task force criticised management and produced evidence of questionable charges from private cleanup contractors.

2.   The bill died because of a dispute over a provision that required cleanup contractors to pay union-scale wages.

3.   The company notified the U.S. Coast Guard and called in a cleanup contractor.

4.   The owners of the dredge, North American Trailing Company Limited of Oakbrook, Ill., hired two cleanup contractors, the Coast Guard said.

5.   A cleanup contractor has been called on standby in case any fuel spills, the Guard said.

6.   Senate passage by voice vote followed, despite earlier objections by some Republicans to language that would require cleanup contractors to pay prevailing union wages.

7.   Spill response crews from the state Department of Ecology and cleanup contractor Foss Environmental were on the scene after the spill on Sunday.