The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

(1) "Applicable laws" means the laws applicable to the commission pursuant to RCW 47.87.130.

(2) "Board" means the board of directors of a commission formed under this chapter.

(3) "Bordering state" means a state that shares a boundary with the state of Washington, the majority of which is formed by a river, and that enacts legislation authorizing the formation by local governments of a commission with the substantive powers provided in this chapter.

(4) "Bridge" means an interstate bridge, including any approaches, buildings, structures, facilities, equipment, improvements, tolling systems and software, and appurtenances necessary or incidental to the bridge, which replaces an existing bridge.

(5) "Bridge finance plan" means a plan adopted by the board to finance the design, construction, operations, maintenance, administration, and governance of the bridge, as it may be revised from time to time.

(6) "Commission" means a public corporation formed under this chapter.

(7) "Commission formation agreement" means a bistate agreement among local governments to charter and form a commission under this chapter.

(8) "Construction" or "construct" means all activities, materials, and services necessary or incidental to the design and construction of a bridge including, but not limited to, engineering, permitting, property acquisition, procurement, installation of equipment, site work, utility relocation, inspection, start-up, landscaping, hard construction, environmental mitigation, demolition and removal of an existing bridge, and all associated accounting, legal, administrative, project management, and governance activities.

(9) "Debt instrument" means any contractual undertaking, financing agreement, or instrument entered into or issued by a commission to evidence an obligation to repay or guaranty repayment of borrowed moneys including, but not limited to, bonds, refunding bonds, notes, loans, interim financing, anticipation notes, certificates, credit enhancement devices, or other debt obligations.

(10) "Departments of transportation" means the Washington state department of transportation and the department of transportation of a bordering state.

(11) "Director" means a duly appointed member of the board or, when acting in the absence of a director, a duly appointed alternate member of the board.

(12) "Existing bridge" means an interstate toll bridge owned by a local government, or which has been conveyed by a local government to a commission, which is to be replaced by a new bridge.

(13) "Local government" means any county, city, or port district along the border of a bordering state that enters into a commission formation agreement.

(14) "Operate" or "operations" means all activities necessary or incidental to the operations, tolling, maintenance, repair, rehabilitation, renewal, or replacement of the bridge, and all associated financial, legal, administrative, management, and governance activities.

(15) "Other charges" means administrative and other fees, civil penalties, and other amounts established by the commission for use of the bridge.

(16) "Primary place of business" means the state and county within which the principal headquarters office of the commission is established in a commission formation agreement, notwithstanding any subsequent relocation of the principal headquarters office of the commission.

(17) "Public corporation" means a corporation created under this chapter to perform essential governmental functions for the public purposes described in this chapter, and, when issuing bonds or other debt instruments, acts on behalf of the local governments as a constituted authority, within the meaning of the United States department of the treasury regulations and the internal revenue service rulings adopted under section 103, internal revenue code.

(18) "States" means the state of Washington and a bordering state.