S-2058               _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 5986

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1987 Regular Session

By Senators Conner, Kreidler, Johnson, Bauer, Garrett, Peterson, DeJarnatt, Bottiger, Metcalf, Wojahn and Craswell

Read first time 2/25/87 and referred to Committee on Parks & Ecology.

AN ACT Relating to oil spills; adding a new section to chapter 90.48 RCW; creating a new section; and making an appropriation.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     The department of ecology shall contract with the appropriate institute at the College of Ocean and Fishery Sciences at the University of Washington to conduct a study of the state's method of assessing damages occurring as a result of oil spills.  This study shall include, but not be limited to, an evaluation of Alaska's method of assessing oil spill damages, a survey of other state's damage assessment methods, and development of a recommended damage assessment methodology.  Any recommended methodology shall include an analysis of the costs of implementing the recommended changes.

          The study shall be conducted in conjunction with a technical advisory committee, hereby created.  This committee shall consist of one representative from each of the following agencies, appointed by the executive head of the respective agency:  The department of ecology, the department of game, the department of fisheries, the department of natural resources, and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration.

          The results of the study shall be reported to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature by July 1, 1988.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 90.48 RCW to read as follows:

          Beginning July 1, 1988, all facilities conducting bunkering and lightering operations shall have containment and recovery equipment readily available in the event of an oil spill.

          All employees operating bunkering and lightering equipment shall be trained in the use and deployment of oil spill containment and recovery equipment.

          The department of ecology shall adopt any rules necessary to carry out this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.     The sum of two hundred fifty thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the general fund to the department of ecology for the biennium ending June 30, 1989, to carry out the purposes of section 1 of this act.