BP BHEAD INT H

AN ACT Relating to the maritime commission; amending RCW 88.46.060; creating new sections; repealing RCW 88.44.155 and 88.44.215; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) The legislature finds that there is a need to continue to provide oil spill response and contingency plan coverage for vessels that do not have their own contingency plans that transit the waters of this state. A nonprofit corporation shall be established for the sole purpose of providing oil spill response and contingency plan coverage in compliance with RCW 88.46.060.

(2) The maritime commission may conduct activities and make expenditures necessary for the transition of services presently provided by the commission and its contractors to the nonprofit corporation established pursuant to this section.

(3) Once the nonprofit corporation is established and the transfers under section 2 of this act are completed, the maritime commission may cease operation.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. All reports, documents, surveys, books, records, files, papers, written materials, tangible property, and assets, including contracts and assessment moneys held by the maritime commission shall be transferred to the nonprofit corporation created under section 1 of this act. Funds transferred under this section shall be used for the sole purpose of providing oil spill response and contingency plan coverage and related activities in compliance with RCW 88.46.060. No funds may be transferred under this section until all liabilities of the maritime commission have been provided for or satisfied. All liabilities not provided for or satisfied by the maritime commission before cessation of its operations shall be transferred to the nonprofit corporation at the time the maritime commission's assets are transferred to the corporation.

Sec. 3. RCW 88.46.060 and 1992 c 73 s 20 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Each covered vessel shall have a contingency plan for the containment and cleanup of oil spills from the covered vessel into the waters of the state and for the protection of fisheries and wildlife, natural resources, and public and private property from such spills. The office shall by rule adopt and periodically revise standards for the preparation of contingency plans. The office shall require contingency plans, at a minimum, to meet the following standards:

(a) Include full details of the method of response to spills of various sizes from any vessel which is covered by the plan;

(b) Be designed to be capable in terms of personnel, materials, and equipment, of promptly and properly, to the maximum extent practicable, as defined by the office, removing oil and minimizing any damage to the environment resulting from a worst case spill;

(c) Provide a clear, precise, and detailed description of how the plan relates to and is integrated into relevant contingency plans which have been prepared by cooperatives, ports, regional entities, the state, and the federal government;

(d) Provide procedures for early detection of spills and timely notification of such spills to appropriate federal, state, and local authorities under applicable state and federal law;

(e) State the number, training preparedness, and fitness of all dedicated, prepositioned personnel assigned to direct and implement the plan;

(f) Incorporate periodic training and drill programs to evaluate whether personnel and equipment provided under the plan are in a state of operational readiness at all times;

(g) Describe important features of the surrounding environment, including fish and wildlife habitat, environmentally and archaeologically sensitive areas, and public facilities. The departments of ecology, ((~~fisheries,~~)) fish and wildlife, and natural resources, and the office of archaeology and historic preservation, upon request, shall provide information that they have available to assist in preparing this description. If the office has adopted rules for contingency plans prior to July 1, 1992, the description of archaeologically sensitive areas shall only be required when the office revises the rules for contingency plans after July 1, 1992. The description of archaeologically sensitive areas shall not be required to be included in a contingency plan until it is reviewed and updated pursuant to subsection (9) of this section;

(h) State the means of protecting and mitigating effects on the environment, including fish, marine mammals, and other wildlife, and ensure that implementation of the plan does not pose unacceptable risks to the public or the environment;

(i) Establish guidelines for the use of equipment by the crew of a vessel to minimize vessel damage, stop or reduce any spilling from the vessel, and, only when appropriate and only when vessel safety is assured, contain and clean up the spilled oil;

(j) Provide arrangements for the prepositioning of spill containment and cleanup equipment and trained personnel at strategic locations from which they can be deployed to the spill site to promptly and properly remove the spilled oil;

(k) Provide arrangements for enlisting the use of qualified and trained cleanup personnel to implement the plan;

(l) Provide for disposal of recovered spilled oil in accordance with local, state, and federal laws;

(m) Until a spill prevention plan has been submitted pursuant to RCW 88.46.040, state the measures that have been taken to reduce the likelihood that a spill will occur, including but not limited to, design and operation of a vessel, training of personnel, number of personnel, and backup systems designed to prevent a spill;

(n) State the amount and type of equipment available to respond to a spill, where the equipment is located, and the extent to which other contingency plans rely on the same equipment; and

(o) If the department of ecology has adopted rules permitting the use of dispersants, the circumstances, if any, and the manner for the application of the dispersants in conformance with the department's rules.

(2)(a) The owner or operator of a tank vessel of three thousand gross tons or more shall submit a contingency plan to the office within six months after the office adopts rules establishing standards for contingency plans under subsection (1) of this section.

(b) Contingency plans for all other covered vessels shall be submitted to the office within eighteen months after the office has adopted rules under subsection (1) of this section. The office may adopt a schedule for submission of plans within the eighteen-month period.

(3)(a) The owner or operator of a tank vessel or of the facilities at which the vessel will be unloading its cargo, or ((~~the Washington state maritime commission under RCW 88.44.020~~)) a Washington state nonprofit corporation established for the purpose of oil spill response and contingency plan coverage and of which the owner or operator is a member, shall submit the contingency plan for the tank vessel. Subject to conditions imposed by the office, the owner or operator of a facility may submit a single contingency plan for tank vessels of a particular class that will be unloading cargo at the facility.

(b) The contingency plan for a cargo vessel or passenger vessel may be submitted by the owner or operator of the cargo vessel or passenger vessel, by the agent for the vessel resident in this state, or by ((~~the Washington state maritime commission pursuant to RCW 88.44.020~~)) a Washington state nonprofit corporation established for the purpose of oil spill response and contingency plan coverage and of which the owner or operator is a member. Subject to conditions imposed by the office, the owner, operator, or agent may submit a single contingency plan for cargo vessels or passenger vessels of a particular class.

(c) A person who has contracted with a covered vessel to provide containment and cleanup services and who meets the standards established pursuant to RCW 90.56.240, may submit the plan for any covered vessel for which the person is contractually obligated to provide services. Subject to conditions imposed by the office, the person may submit a single plan for more than one covered vessel.

(4) A contingency plan prepared for an agency of the federal government or another state that satisfies the requirements of this section and rules adopted by the office may be accepted by the office as a contingency plan under this section. The office shall assure that to the greatest extent possible, requirements for contingency plans under this section are consistent with the requirements for contingency plans under federal law.

(5) In reviewing the contingency plans required by this section, the office shall consider at least the following factors:

(a) The adequacy of containment and cleanup equipment, personnel, communications equipment, notification procedures and call down lists, response time, and logistical arrangements for coordination and implementation of response efforts to remove oil spills promptly and properly and to protect the environment;

(b) The nature and amount of vessel traffic within the area covered by the plan;

(d) The existence of navigational hazards within the area covered by the plan;

(e) The history and circumstances surrounding prior spills of oil within the area covered by the plan;

(f) The sensitivity of fisheries and wildlife and other natural resources within the area covered by the plan;

(g) Relevant information on previous spills contained in on-scene coordinator reports prepared by the director; and

(h) The extent to which reasonable, cost-effective measures to prevent a likelihood that a spill will occur have been incorporated into the plan.

(6) The office shall approve a contingency plan only if it determines that the plan meets the requirements of this section and that, if implemented, the plan is capable, in terms of personnel, materials, and equipment, of removing oil promptly and properly and minimizing any damage to the environment.

(7) The approval of the contingency plan shall be valid for five years. Upon approval of a contingency plan, the office shall provide to the person submitting the plan a statement indicating that the plan has been approved, the vessels covered by the plan, and other information the office determines should be included.

(8) An owner or operator of a covered vessel shall notify the office in writing immediately of any significant change of which it is aware affecting its contingency plan, including changes in any factor set forth in this section or in rules adopted by the office. The office may require the owner or operator to update a contingency plan as a result of these changes.

(9) The office by rule shall require contingency plans to be reviewed, updated, if necessary, and resubmitted to the office at least once every five years.

(10) Approval of a contingency plan by the office does not constitute an express assurance regarding the adequacy of the plan nor constitute a defense to liability imposed under this chapter or other state law.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. The following acts or parts of acts are each repealed:

(1) RCW 88.44.155 and 1994 c 52 s 4; and

(2) RCW 88.44.215 and 1994 c 52 s 3.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. Section 4 of this act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect July 1, 1995.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. Sections 1 through 3 of this act are necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately.