This chapter establishes minimum standards for safe oil transfer operations to meet a zero spill goal established by the legislature. This chapter emphasizes:

(1) Using a scaled approach to protect people and the environment;

(2) Preventing oil spills from occurring and emphasizing that oil spill prevention is the top priority strategy for reaching the legislature's goal of zero spills;

(3) Providing improved protection of Washington waters and natural resources from the impacts of oil spills caused by operational errors, human errors, improper oil-handling equipment design and operations;

(4) Minimizing the size and impacts of those oil spills which do occur; and

(5) Facilitating coordination of local, state, regional, tribal, and other prevention and contingency plans.