Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research | BILL ANALYSIS |
Environment Committee |
HB 1266
This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent. |
Brief Description: Concerning petroleum storage tank systems.
Sponsors: Representatives Peterson, Young and Fitzgibbon.
Brief Summary of Bill |
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Hearing Date: 1/24/17
Staff: Robert Hatfield (786-7117).
Background:
The Legislature created the Pollution Liability Insurance Agency (PLIA) as a state agency in 1995. The mission of PLIA is to provide a government funding model to help owners and operators meet their financial responsibility and environmental cleanup requirements for underground tanks. PLIA is funded from the Pollution Liability Insurance Program Trust Account for its general work with underground storage tanks, and from the Heating Oil Pollution Liability Trust Account for its work with heating oil and heating oil tanks. The Pollution Liability Insurance Program Trust Account is funded by the Petroleum Products Tax and reinsurance premiums. The Heating Oil Pollution Liability Trust Account is funded by a pollution liability insurance fee imposed on sales of heating oil, and by reinsurance premiums.
Services provided by PLIA include:
reinsurance of pollution liability insurance policies, for the purpose of enabling affordable pollution liability insurance to the owners and operators of underground petroleum storage tanks;
direct insurance coverage of up to $60,000 for cleanup of contamination from certain heating oil tanks;
technical assistance to owners and operators of heating oil tanks if contamination from a release is suspected; and
written opinions on results of testing to evaluate whether contamination from a heating oil release appears to be a threat to human health and the environment.
Summary of Bill:
The name of the Washington state heating oil pollution liability protection act is changed to the Washington state pollution liability protection act.
The pollution liability insurance program administered by PLIA is expanded beyond heating oil and heating oil tank storage systems to include petroleum and petroleum tank storage systems.
The definition of "accidental release" is expanded beyond heating oil and heating oil storage tanks, to include petroleum and petroleum storage tank systems. Petroleum is defined to include motor fuels, jet fuels, lubricants, petroleum solvents, and used oils, among other petroleum products. Petroleum tank systems are defined as storage tanks that contain petroleum with de minimis quantities of other regulated substances.
The scope of advice and technical assistance provided by PLIA to owners and operators of heating oil tank storage systems is expanded to include petroleum storage tank systems.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.