READ FIRST TIME 03/05/07.   

     AN ACT Relating to aquatic invasive species enforcement and control; amending RCW 43.43.400, 77.08.010, 77.12.879, 77.15.253, 77.15.290, 77.120.010, 77.120.020, 77.120.030, and 77.120.070; amending 2004 c 227 s 2 (uncodified); adding a new section to chapter 77.12 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 77.15 RCW; adding new sections to chapter 77.120 RCW; repealing RCW 77.120.060, 77.120.080, and 77.120.090; and prescribing penalties.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 43.43.400 and 2005 c 464 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The definitions in this subsection apply throughout this section unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
     (a) "Aquatic invasive species" means any invasive, prohibited, regulated, unregulated, or unlisted aquatic animal or plant species as defined under RCW 77.08.010 (49) through (54), aquatic noxious weeds as defined under RCW 17.26.020(5)(c), and aquatic nuisance species as defined under RCW 77.60.130(1).
     (b) "Recreational and commercial watercraft" includes the boat, as well as equipment used to transport the boat, and any auxiliary equipment such as attached or detached outboard motors.
     (2) The aquatic invasive species enforcement account is created in the state treasury. Moneys directed to the account from RCW 88.02.050 must be deposited in the account. Expenditures from the account may only be used as provided in this section. Moneys in the account may be spent only after appropriation.
     (((2))) (3) Funds in the aquatic invasive species enforcement account may be appropriated to the Washington state patrol and the department of fish and wildlife to develop an aquatic invasive species enforcement program for recreational and commercial watercraft, which includes equipment used to transport the watercraft and auxiliary equipment such as attached or detached outboard motors. Funds must be expended as follows:
     (a) By the Washington state patrol, to inspect recreational and commercial watercraft that are required to stop at port of entry weigh stations managed by the Washington state patrol. The watercraft must be inspected for the presence of ((zebra mussels and other)) aquatic invasive species; and
     (b) By the department of fish and wildlife to:
     (i) Establish random check stations, ((in conjunction with the department of fish and wildlife,)) to inspect recreational and commercial watercraft ((in areas of high boating activity)) as provided for in RCW 77.12.879(3);
     (ii) Inspect or delegate inspection of recreational and commercial watercraft. If the department conducts the inspection, there will be no cost to the person requesting the inspection;
     (iii) Provide training to all department employees that are deployed in the field to inspect recreational and commercial watercraft; and
     (iv) Provide an inspection receipt verifying that the watercraft is not contaminated after the watercraft has been inspected at a check station or has been inspected at the request of the owner of the recreational or commercial watercraft. The inspection receipt is valid until the watercraft is used again.
     (((3))) (4) The Washington state patrol and the department of fish and wildlife shall submit a biennial report to the appropriate legislative committees describing the actions taken to implement this section along with suggestions on how to better fulfill the intent of chapter 464, Laws of 2005. The first report is due December 1, 2007.

Sec. 2   RCW 77.08.010 and 2005 c 104 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     As used in this title or rules adopted under this title, unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
     (1) "Director" means the director of fish and wildlife.
     (2) "Department" means the department of fish and wildlife.
     (3) "Commission" means the state fish and wildlife commission.
     (4) "Person" means and includes an individual; a corporation; a public or private entity or organization; a local, state, or federal agency; all business organizations, including corporations and partnerships; or a group of two or more individuals acting with a common purpose whether acting in an individual, representative, or official capacity.
     (5) "Fish and wildlife officer" means a person appointed and commissioned by the director, with authority to enforce this title and rules adopted pursuant to this title, and other statutes as prescribed by the legislature. Fish and wildlife officer includes a person commissioned before June 11, 1998, as a wildlife agent or a fisheries patrol officer.
     (6) "Ex officio fish and wildlife officer" means a commissioned officer of a municipal, county, state, or federal agency having as its primary function the enforcement of criminal laws in general, while the officer is in the appropriate jurisdiction. The term "ex officio fish and wildlife officer" includes special agents of the national marine fisheries service, state parks commissioned officers, United States fish and wildlife special agents, department of natural resources enforcement officers, and United States forest service officers, while the agents and officers are within their respective jurisdictions.
     (7) "To hunt" and its derivatives means an effort to kill, injure, capture, or harass a wild animal or wild bird.
     (8) "To trap" and its derivatives means a method of hunting using devices to capture wild animals or wild birds.
     (9) "To fish," "to harvest," and "to take," and their derivatives means an effort to kill, injure, harass, or catch a fish or shellfish.
     (10) "Open season" means those times, manners of taking, and places or waters established by rule of the commission for the lawful hunting, fishing, taking, or possession of game animals, game birds, game fish, food fish, or shellfish that conform to the special restrictions or physical descriptions established by rule of the commission or that have otherwise been deemed legal to hunt, fish, take, harvest, or possess by rule of the commission. "Open season" includes the first and last days of the established time.
     (11) "Closed season" means all times, manners of taking, and places or waters other than those established by rule of the commission as an open season. "Closed season" also means all hunting, fishing, taking, or possession of game animals, game birds, game fish, food fish, or shellfish that do not conform to the special restrictions or physical descriptions established by rule of the commission as an open season or that have not otherwise been deemed legal to hunt, fish, take, harvest, or possess by rule of the commission as an open season.
     (12) "Closed area" means a place where the hunting of some or all species of wild animals or wild birds is prohibited.
     (13) "Closed waters" means all or part of a lake, river, stream, or other body of water, where fishing or harvesting is prohibited.
     (14) "Game reserve" means a closed area where hunting for all wild animals and wild birds is prohibited.
     (15) "Bag limit" means the maximum number of game animals, game birds, or game fish which may be taken, caught, killed, or possessed by a person, as specified by rule of the commission for a particular period of time, or as to size, sex, or species.
     (16) "Wildlife" means all species of the animal kingdom whose members exist in Washington in a wild state. This includes but is not limited to mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates. The term "wildlife" does not include feral domestic mammals, old world rats and mice of the family Muridae of the order Rodentia, or those fish, shellfish, and marine invertebrates classified as food fish or shellfish by the director. The term "wildlife" includes all stages of development and the bodily parts of wildlife members.
     (17) "Wild animals" means those species of the class Mammalia whose members exist in Washington in a wild state and the species Rana catesbeiana (bullfrog). The term "wild animal" does not include feral domestic mammals or old world rats and mice of the family Muridae of the order Rodentia.
     (18) "Wild birds" means those species of the class Aves whose members exist in Washington in a wild state.
     (19) "Protected wildlife" means wildlife designated by the commission that shall not be hunted or fished.
     (20) "Endangered species" means wildlife designated by the commission as seriously threatened with extinction.
     (21) "Game animals" means wild animals that shall not be hunted except as authorized by the commission.
     (22) "Fur-bearing animals" means game animals that shall not be trapped except as authorized by the commission.
     (23) "Game birds" means wild birds that shall not be hunted except as authorized by the commission.
     (24) "Predatory birds" means wild birds that may be hunted throughout the year as authorized by the commission.
     (25) "Deleterious exotic wildlife" means species of the animal kingdom not native to Washington and designated as dangerous to the environment or wildlife of the state.
     (26) "Game farm" means property on which wildlife is held or raised for commercial purposes, trade, or gift. The term "game farm" does not include publicly owned facilities.
     (27) "Person of disability" means a permanently disabled person who is not ambulatory without the assistance of a wheelchair, crutches, or similar devices.
     (28) "Fish" includes all species classified as game fish or food fish by statute or rule, as well as all fin fish not currently classified as food fish or game fish if such species exist in state waters. The term "fish" includes all stages of development and the bodily parts of fish species.
     (29) "Raffle" means an activity in which tickets bearing an individual number are sold for not more than twenty-five dollars each and in which a permit or permits are awarded to hunt or for access to hunt big game animals or wild turkeys on the basis of a drawing from the tickets by the person or persons conducting the raffle.
     (30) "Youth" means a person fifteen years old for fishing and under sixteen years old for hunting.
     (31) "Senior" means a person seventy years old or older.
     (32) "License year" means the period of time for which a recreational license is valid. The license year begins April 1st, and ends March 31st.
     (33) "Saltwater" means those marine waters seaward of river mouths.
     (34) "Freshwater" means all waters not defined as saltwater including, but not limited to, rivers upstream of the river mouth, lakes, ponds, and reservoirs.
     (35) "State waters" means all marine waters and fresh waters within ordinary high water lines and within the territorial boundaries of the state.
     (36) "Offshore waters" means marine waters of the Pacific Ocean outside the territorial boundaries of the state, including the marine waters of other states and countries.
     (37) "Concurrent waters of the Columbia river" means those waters of the Columbia river that coincide with the Washington-Oregon state boundary.
     (38) "Resident" means:
     (a) A person who has maintained a permanent place of abode within the state for at least ninety days immediately preceding an application for a license, has established by formal evidence an intent to continue residing within the state, and who is not licensed to hunt or fish as a resident in another state; and
     (b) A person age eighteen or younger who does not qualify as a resident under (a) of this subsection, but who has a parent that qualifies as a resident under (a) of this subsection.
     (39) "Nonresident" means a person who has not fulfilled the qualifications of a resident.
     (40) "Shellfish" means those species of marine and freshwater invertebrates that have been classified and that shall not be taken except as authorized by rule of the commission. The term "shellfish" includes all stages of development and the bodily parts of shellfish species.
     (41) "Commercial" means related to or connected with buying, selling, or bartering.
     (42) "To process" and its derivatives mean preparing or preserving fish, wildlife, or shellfish.
     (43) "Personal use" means for the private use of the individual taking the fish or shellfish and not for sale or barter.
     (44) "Angling gear" means a line attached to a rod and reel capable of being held in hand while landing the fish or a hand-held line operated without rod or reel.
     (45) "Fishery" means the taking of one or more particular species of fish or shellfish with particular gear in a particular geographical area.
     (46) "Limited-entry license" means a license subject to a license limitation program established in chapter 77.70 RCW.
     (47) "Seaweed" means marine aquatic plant species that are dependent upon the marine aquatic or tidal environment, and exist in either an attached or free floating form, and includes but is not limited to marine aquatic plants in the classes Chlorophyta, Phaeophyta, and Rhodophyta.
     (48) "Trafficking" means offering, attempting to engage, or engaging in sale, barter, or purchase of fish, shellfish, wildlife, or deleterious exotic wildlife.
     (49) "Invasive species" means a plant species or a nonnative animal species that either:
     (a) Causes or may cause displacement of, or otherwise threatens, native species in their natural communities;
     (b) Threatens or may threaten natural resources or their use in the state;
     (c) Causes or may cause economic damage to commercial or recreational activities that are dependent upon state waters; or
     (d) Threatens or harms human health.
     (50) "Prohibited aquatic animal species" means an invasive species of the animal kingdom that has been classified as a prohibited aquatic animal species by the commission.
     (51) "Regulated aquatic animal species" means a potentially invasive species of the animal kingdom that has been classified as a regulated aquatic animal species by the commission.
     (52) "Unregulated aquatic animal species" means a nonnative animal species that has been classified as an unregulated aquatic animal species by the commission.
     (53) "Unlisted aquatic animal species" means a nonnative animal species that has not been classified as a prohibited aquatic animal species, a regulated aquatic animal species, or an unregulated aquatic animal species by the commission.
     (54) "Aquatic plant species" means an emergent, submersed, partially submersed, free-floating, or floating-leaving plant species that grows in or near a body of water or wetland.
     (55) "Retail-eligible species" means commercially harvested salmon, crab, and sturgeon.
     (56) "Aquatic invasive species" means any invasive, prohibited, regulated, unregulated, or unlisted aquatic animal or plant species as defined under subsections (49) through (54) of this section, aquatic noxious weeds as defined under RCW 17.26.020(5)(c), and aquatic nuisance species as defined under RCW 77.60.130(1).
     (57) "Recreational and commercial watercraft" includes the boat, as well as equipment used to transport the boat, and any auxiliary equipment such as attached or detached outboard motors.

Sec. 3   RCW 77.12.879 and 2005 c 464 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The aquatic invasive species prevention account is created in the state treasury. Moneys directed to the account from RCW 88.02.050 must be deposited in the account. Expenditures from the account may only be used as provided in this section. Moneys in the account may be spent only after appropriation.
     (2) Funds in the aquatic invasive species prevention account may be appropriated to the department to develop an aquatic invasive species prevention program for recreational and commercial watercraft. Funds must be expended as follows:
     (a) To inspect recreational and commercial watercraft((, watercraft trailers, and outboard motors at selected boat launching sites));
     (b) To educate general law enforcement officers on how to enforce state laws relating to preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species;
     (c) To evaluate and survey the risk posed by ((marine)) recreational and commercial watercraft in spreading aquatic invasive species into Washington state waters;
     (d) To evaluate the risk posed by float planes in spreading aquatic invasive species into Washington state waters; and
     (e) To implement an aquatic invasive species early detection and rapid response plan. The plan must address the treatment and immediate response to the introduction to Washington waters of aquatic invasive species. Agency and public review of the plan must be conducted under chapter 43.21C RCW, the state environmental policy act. If the implementation measures or actions would have a probable significant adverse environmental impact, a detailed statement under chapter 43.21C RCW must be prepared on the plan.
     (3) Funds in the aquatic invasive species enforcement account created in RCW 43.43.400 may be appropriated to the department and Washington state patrol to develop an aquatic invasive species enforcement program for recreational and commercial watercraft. The department shall provide training to Washington state patrol employees working at port of entry weigh stations on how to inspect recreational and commercial watercraft for the presence of ((zebra mussels and other)) aquatic invasive species. The department ((shall also cooperatively work with the Washington state patrol to set up random check stations to inspect watercraft at areas of high boating activity)) is authorized to require persons transporting recreational and commercial watercraft to stop at check stations. Check stations must be plainly marked by signs, operated by at least one uniformed fish and wildlife officer, and operated in a safe manner. Any person stopped at a check station who possesses a recreational or commercial watercraft that is contaminated with aquatic invasive species is exempt from the criminal penalties found in RCW 77.15.253 and 77.15.290, and forfeiture under RCW 77.15.070, if that person complies with all department directives for the proper decontamination of the watercraft and equipment.
     (4) The department shall submit a biennial report to the appropriate legislative committees describing the actions taken to implement this section along with suggestions on how to better fulfill the intent of chapter 464, Laws of 2005. The first report is due December 1, 2007.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   A new section is added to chapter 77.12 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The department shall adopt rules governing how and when the owners of recreational and commercial watercraft may request an inspection of the watercraft for the presence of aquatic invasive species. The department may coordinate with other states on inspection requirements and may determine when other state inspections meet Washington standards.
     (2) The department shall develop and post signs warning vessel owners of the threat of aquatic invasive species, the penalties associated with introduction of an aquatic invasive species, and the contact information for obtaining a free inspection. The signs should provide enough information for the public to discern whether the vessel has been operated in an area that would warrant the need for an inspection. The department shall consult with the state patrol and the department of transportation regarding proper placement and authorization for sign posting.
     (3) All port districts, privately or publicly owned marinas, state parks, and all state agencies or political subdivisions that own or lease a boat launch must display a sign provided by the department as described under subsection (2) of this section. Signs must be posted in a location near the boat launch to provide maximum visibility to the public.
     (4) The department must coordinate with the Washington state parks and recreation commission to include such information in all boating publications provided to the public. The department shall also include the information on the department's internet site.

Sec. 5   RCW 77.15.253 and 2002 c 281 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) A person is guilty of unlawful use of a prohibited aquatic animal species if he or she possesses, imports, purchases, sells, propagates, transports, or releases a prohibited aquatic animal species within the state, except as provided in this section.
     (2) Unless otherwise prohibited by law, a person may:
     (a) Transport prohibited aquatic animal species to the department, or to another destination designated by the director, in a manner designated by the director, for purposes of identifying a species or reporting the presence of a species;
     (b) Possess a prohibited aquatic animal species if he or she is in the process of removing it from watercraft or equipment in a manner specified by the department;
     (c) Release a prohibited aquatic animal species if the species was caught while fishing and it is being immediately returned to the water from which it came; or
     (d) Possess, transport, or release a prohibited aquatic animal species as the commission may otherwise prescribe.
     (3) Unlawful use of a prohibited aquatic animal species is a gross misdemeanor. A subsequent violation of subsection (1) of this section within five years is a class C felony.
     (4) A person is guilty of unlawful release of a regulated aquatic animal species if he or she releases a regulated aquatic animal species into state waters, unless allowed by the commission.
     (5) Unlawful release of a regulated aquatic animal species is a gross misdemeanor.
     (6) A person is guilty of unlawful release of an unlisted aquatic animal species if he or she releases an unlisted aquatic animal species into state waters without requesting a commission designation under RCW 77.12.020.
     (7) Unlawful release of an unlisted aquatic animal species is a gross misdemeanor.
     (8) This section does not apply to:
     (a) The transportation or release of organisms in ballast water;
     (b) A person stopped at an aquatic invasive species check station who possesses a recreational or commercial watercraft that is contaminated with an aquatic invasive species, if that person complies with all department directives for the proper decontamination of the watercraft and equipment; or
     (c) A person who has voluntarily submitted a recreational or commercial watercraft for inspection by the department and has received a receipt verifying that the watercraft has not been contaminated since its last use.

Sec. 6   RCW 77.15.290 and 2002 c 281 s 7 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) A person is guilty of unlawful transportation of fish or wildlife in the second degree if the person:
     (a) Knowingly imports, moves within the state, or exports fish, shellfish, or wildlife in violation of any rule of the commission or the director governing the transportation or movement of fish, shellfish, or wildlife and the transportation does not involve big game, endangered fish or wildlife, deleterious exotic wildlife, or fish, shellfish, or wildlife having a value greater than two hundred fifty dollars; or
     (b) Possesses but fails to affix or notch a big game transport tag as required by rule of the commission or director.
     (2) A person is guilty of unlawful transportation of fish or wildlife in the first degree if the person:
     (a) Knowingly imports, moves within the state, or exports fish, shellfish, or wildlife in violation of any rule of the commission or the director governing the transportation or movement of fish, shellfish, or wildlife and the transportation involves big game, endangered fish or wildlife, deleterious exotic wildlife, or fish, shellfish, or wildlife with a value of two hundred fifty dollars or more; or
     (b) Knowingly transports shellfish, shellstock, or equipment used in commercial culturing, taking, handling, or processing shellfish without a permit required by authority of this title.
     (3)(a) Unlawful transportation of fish or wildlife in the second degree is a misdemeanor.
     (b) Unlawful transportation of fish or wildlife in the first degree is a gross misdemeanor.
     (4) A person is guilty of unlawful transport of aquatic plants if the person transports aquatic plants on any state or public road, including forest roads, except as provided in this section.
     (5) Unless otherwise prohibited by law, a person may transport aquatic plants:
     (a) To the department, or to another destination designated by the director, in a manner designated by the department, for purposes of identifying a species or reporting the presence of a species;
     (b) When legally obtained for aquarium use, wetland or lakeshore restoration, or ornamental purposes;
     (c) When transporting a commercial aquatic plant harvester to a suitable location for purposes of removing aquatic plants;
     (d) In a manner that prevents their unintentional dispersal, to a suitable location for disposal, research, or educational purposes; or
     (e) As the commission may otherwise prescribe.
     (6) Unlawful transport of aquatic plants is a misdemeanor.
     (7) This section does not apply to: (a) Any person stopped at an aquatic invasive species check station who possesses a recreational or commercial watercraft that is contaminated with an aquatic invasive species if that person complies with all department directives for the proper decontamination of the watercraft and equipment; or (b) any person who has voluntarily submitted a recreational or commercial watercraft for inspection by the department or its designee and has received a receipt verifying that the watercraft has not been contaminated since its last use.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 7   A new section is added to chapter 77.15 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) A person is guilty of unlawfully avoiding aquatic invasive species check stations if the person fails to:
     (a) Obey check station signs; or
     (b) Stop and report at a check station if directed to do so by a uniformed fish and wildlife officer.
     (2) Unlawfully avoiding aquatic invasive species check stations is a gross misdemeanor.

Sec. 8   RCW 77.120.010 and 2000 c 108 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
     (1) "Ballast tank" means any tank or hold on a vessel used for carrying ballast water, whether or not the tank or hold was designed for that purpose.
     (2) "Ballast water" means any water and matter taken on board a vessel to control or maintain trim, draft, stability, or stresses of the vessel, without regard to the manner in which it is carried.
     (3) "Empty/refill exchange" means to pump out, until the tank is empty or as close to empty as the master or operator determines is safe, the ballast water taken on in ports, estuarine, or territorial waters, and then refilling the tank with open sea waters.
     (4) "Exchange" means to replace the water in a ballast tank using either flow through exchange, empty/refill exchange, or other exchange methodology recommended or required by the United States coast guard.
     (5) "Flow through exchange" means to flush out ballast water by pumping in midocean water at the bottom of the tank and continuously overflowing the tank from the top until three full volumes of water have been changed to minimize the number of original organisms remaining in the tank.
     (6) "Nonindigenous species" means any species or other viable biological material that enters an ecosystem beyond its natural range.
     (7) "Open sea exchange" means an exchange that occurs fifty or more nautical miles offshore. If the United States coast guard requires a vessel to conduct an exchange further offshore, then that distance is the required distance for purposes of compliance with this chapter.
     (8) "Recognized marine trade association" means those trade associations in Washington state that promote improved ballast water management practices by educating their members on the provisions of this chapter, participating in regional ballast water coordination through the Pacific ballast water group, assisting the department in the collection of ballast water exchange forms, and the monitoring of ballast water. This includes members of the Puget Sound marine committee for Puget Sound and the Columbia river steamship operators association for the Columbia river.
     (9) "Sediments" means any matter settled out of ballast water within a vessel.
     (10) "Untreated ballast water" includes exchanged or unexchanged ballast water that has not undergone treatment.
     (11) "Vessel" means a ((self-propelled)) ship ((in commerce)), boat, barge, or other floating craft of three hundred gross tons or more, United States and foreign, carrying, or capable of carrying, ballast water into the coastal waters of the state after operating outside of the coastal waters of the state, except those vessels described in RCW 77.120.020.
     (12) "Voyage" means any transit by a vessel destined for any Washington port.
     (13) "Waters of the state" means any surface waters, including internal waters contiguous to state shorelines within the boundaries of the state.

Sec. 9   RCW 77.120.020 and 2000 c 108 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) This chapter applies to all vessels ((carrying ballast water)) transiting into the waters of the state from a voyage, except:
     (a) A vessel of the United States department of defense or United States coast guard subject to the requirements of section 1103 of the national invasive species act of 1996, or any vessel of the armed forces, as defined in 33 U.S.C. Sec. 1322(a)(14), that is subject to the uniform national discharge standards for vessels of the armed forces under 33 U.S.C. Sec. 1322(n);
     (b) A vessel (((i))) that discharges ballast water or sediments only at the location where the ballast water or sediments originated, if the ballast water or sediments do not mix with ballast water or sediments from areas other than open sea waters((; or (ii) that does not discharge ballast water in Washington waters)); and
     (c) A vessel in innocent passage, merely traversing the ((internal waters of Washington in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, bound for a port in Canada,)) territorial sea of the United States and not entering or departing a United States port, ((or a vessel in innocent passage, which is a vessel merely traversing the territorial sea of the United States and not entering or departing a United States port,)) or not navigating the internal waters of the United States((; and
     (d) A crude oil tanker that does not exchange or discharge ballast water into the waters of the state)), and that does not discharge ballast water into the waters of the state.
     (2) This chapter does not authorize the discharge of oil or noxious liquid substances in a manner prohibited by state, federal, or international laws or regulations. Ballast water containing oil, noxious liquid substances, or any other pollutant shall be discharged in accordance with the applicable requirements.
     (3) The master or operator in charge of a vessel is responsible for the safety of the vessel, its crew, and its passengers. Nothing in this chapter relieves the master or operator in charge of a vessel of the responsibility for ensuring the safety and stability of the vessel or the safety of the crew and passengers.

Sec. 10   RCW 77.120.030 and 2004 c 227 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The owner or operator in charge of any vessel covered by this chapter is required to ensure that the vessel under their ownership or control does not discharge ballast water into the waters of the state except as authorized by this section.
     (((1) Discharge into waters of the state is authorized if the vessel has conducted an open sea exchange of ballast water. A vessel is exempt from this requirement if the vessel's master reasonably determines that such a ballast water exchange operation will threaten the safety of the vessel or the vessel's crew, or is not feasible due to vessel design limitations or equipment failure. If a vessel relies on this exemption, then it may discharge ballast water into waters of the state, subject to any requirements of treatment under subsection (2) of this section and subject to RCW 77.120.040.))
     (2) ((After July 1, 2007,)) Discharge of ballast water into waters of the state is authorized only if there has been an open sea exchange, or if the vessel has treated its ballast water, to meet standards set by the department consistent with applicable state and federal laws. ((When weather or extraordinary circumstances make access to treatment unsafe to the vessel or crew, the master of a vessel may delay compliance with any treatment required under this subsection until it is safe to complete the treatment.
     (3) Masters, owners, operators, or persons-in-charge shall submit to the department an interim ballast water management report by July 1, 2006, in the form and manner prescribed by the department. The report shall describe actions needed to implement the ballast water requirements in subsection (2) of this section, including treatment methods applicable to the class of the vessel. Reports may include a statement that there are no treatment methods applicable to the vessel for which the report is being submitted.
     (4) The ballast water work group created in section 1, chapter 282, Laws of 2002 shall develop recommendations for the interim ballast water management report. The recommendations must include, but are not limited to:
     (a) Actions that the vessel owner or operator will take to implement the ballast water requirements in subsection (2) of this section, including treatment methods applicable to the class of the vessel;
     (b) Necessary plan elements when there are not treatment methods applicable to the vessel for which the report is being submitted, or which would meet the requirements of this chapter; and
     (c) The method, form, and content of reporting to be used for such reports.))
     (3) The department, in consultation with the ballast water work group, or similar collaborative forum, shall adopt by rule standards for the discharge of ballast water into the waters of the state and their implementation timelines. The standards are intended to ensure that the discharge of ballast water poses minimal risk of introducing nonindigenous species. In developing these standards, the department shall consider the extent to which the requirement is technologically and practically feasible. Where practical and appropriate, the standards must be compatible with standards set by the United States coast guard, the federal clean water act (33 U.S.C. Sec. 1251-1387), or the international maritime organization.
     (4) The master, operator, or person in charge of a vessel is not required to conduct an open sea exchange or treatment of ballast water if the master, operator, or person in charge of a vessel determines that the operation would threaten the safety of the vessel, its crew, or its passengers, because of adverse weather, vessel design limitations, equipment failure, or any other extraordinary conditions. A master, operator, or person in charge of a vessel who relies on this exemption must file documentation defined by the department, subject to: (a) Payment of a fee not to exceed five thousand dollars; (b) discharging only the minimal amount of ballast water operationally necessary; (c) ensuring that ballast water records accurately reflect any reasons for not complying with the mandatory requirements; and (d) any other requirements identified by the department by rule as provided in subsections (3) and (6) of this section.
     (5) For treatment technologies requiring shipyard modification ((that cannot reasonably be performed prior to July 1, 2007, the department shall provide the vessel owner or operator with an extension to the first scheduled drydock or shipyard period following July 1, 2007)), the department may enter into a compliance plan with the vessel owner. The compliance plan must include a timeline consistent with drydock and shipyard schedules for completion of the modification. The department shall adopt rules for compliance plans under this subsection.
     (6) For an exemption claimed in subsection (4) of this section, the department shall adopt rules for defining exemption conditions, requirements, compliance plans, or alternative ballast water management strategies to meet the intent of this section.
     (((6))) (7) The department shall make every effort to align ballast water standards with adopted international and federal standards while ensuring that the goals of this chapter are met.
     (((7))) (8) The requirements of this section do not apply to a vessel discharging ballast water or sediments that originated solely within the waters of Washington state, the Columbia river system, or the internal waters of British Columbia south of latitude fifty degrees north, including the waters of the Straits of Georgia and Juan de Fuca.
     (((8))) (9) Open sea exchange is an exchange that occurs fifty or more nautical miles offshore. If the United States coast guard requires a vessel to conduct an exchange further offshore, then that distance is the required distance for purposes of compliance with this chapter.

Sec. 11   2004 c 227 s 2 (uncodified) is amended to read as follows:
     (1) ((The director of the department of fish and wildlife must establish the)) A ballast water work group is created to assist the department in the implementation of this chapter. The director shall make appointments to the work group from the names provided by the entities identified in this section.
     (2) The ballast water work group consists of the following individuals:
     (a) One staff person from the governor's executive policy office. This person must act as chair of the ballast water work group;
     (b) Two representatives from the ((Puget Sound steamship operators)) Pacific merchant shipping association;
     (c) Two representatives from the Columbia river steamship operators;
     (d) Three representatives from the Washington public ports, one of whom must be a marine engineer;
     (e) Two representatives from the petroleum transportation industry;
     (f) One representative from the Puget Sound water quality action team;
     (g) Two representatives from the environmental community;
     (h) One representative of the shellfish industry;
     (i) One representative of the tribes;
     (j) One representative of maritime labor; ((and))
     (k) One representative from the department ((of fish and wildlife));
     (l) One representative from the department of ecology;
     (m) One representative from the cruise ship industry; and
     (n) One representative from the department of natural resources.
     (3) The ballast water work group must ((study, and provide a report to the legislature by December 15, 2006, the following issues)) begin operation immediately upon the effective date of this section. The Puget Sound action team or its successor agency must provide staff for the ballast water work group from existing personnel within the action team. The ballast water work group must:
     (a) ((All issues relating to ballast water technology, including exchange and treatment methods, management plans, the associated costs, and the availability of feasible and proven ballast water treatment technologies that could be cost-effectively installed on vessels that typically call on Washington ports;
     (b) The services needed by the industry and the state to protect the marine environment, including penalties and enforcement;
     (c) The costs associated with, and possible funding methods for, implementing the ballast water program;
     (d) Consistency with federal and international standards, and identification of gaps between those standards, and the need for additional measures, if any, to meet the goals of this chapter;
     (e) Describe how the costs of treatment required as of July 1, 2007, will be substantially equivalent among ports where treatment is required;
     (f) Describe how the states of Washington and Oregon are coordinating their efforts for ballast water management in the Columbia river system; and
     (g) Describe how the states of Washington, Oregon, and California and the province of British Columbia are coordinating their efforts for ballast water management on the west coast.
     (4) The ballast water work group must begin operation immediately upon the effective date of this section. The Puget Sound water quality action team must provide staff for the ballast water work group. The staff must come from existing personnel within the team)) Provide a report to the legislature by July 1, 2009, on the progress of the work group on the tasks listed in this section, and report on compliance with this act, and recommendations for improvements, if any, to the ballast water program;
     (b) Work with the state of Oregon to develop a consistent, coordinated, and enforceable ballast water management program for the Columbia river that is acceptable to both states;
     (c) Advise the department on potential strategies to establish and maintain an inventory of introduced nonindigenous plants and animals in state waters in and adjacent to ports, harbors, oil transfer facilities, grain elevators, and other ship-berthing facilities and evaluate the effectiveness of the program and a program to assess vessel-specific risks;
     (d) Help the department review the needs of the ballast water program, including research investments, and identify unmet needs, and work through the Puget Sound action team's and the department's internal budget development process to secure needed funds;
     (e) Help the department develop and align the state program with national and regional ballast water management programs;
     (f) Assist the department by developing a workable technical and financial assistance program to support the shipping industry to comply with state ballast water laws and rules;
     (g) Work with the United States coast guard and the department of ecology to improve coordination and integration of vessel inspection procedures among agencies that board and inspect vessels and identify ways to minimize apparent duplication of effort, work more effectively with vessel masters and crew, and recommend changes to state law to streamline the program, if needed;
     (h) Outline funding, policy, and program recommendations to support the state's management program;
     (i) Coordinate, in association with the departments of fish and wildlife, ecology, and natural resources, the Puget Sound action team, the Washington invasive species council, and other interested parties, the development of a management approach for nonballast water ship vectors as a source of nonindigenous species such as ship hull fouling, sea chests and equipment, and vessels equipped with ballast tanks that carry no ballast onboard;
     (j) Review and provide comment on proposed federal legislation, international and regional programs, and other policy arenas;
     (k) Harmonize the state ballast water program with western coastal states, British Columbia, and Canada;
     (l) Work with the department's science advisory panel to develop a science research plan and estimated costs to answer key research and management questions;
     (m) Provide recommendations and technical information to assist the department in determining if and when it is necessary or advisable to adjust rules and guidance for the ballast water management program to achieve resource goals and objectives;
     (n) Coordinate, in association with the department, the departments of ecology and natural resources, the Puget Sound action team, the Washington invasive species council, and other interested parties, recommendations for a management approach for treatment of unexchanged ballast water when vessels claim an exemption under RCW 77.120.030. The recommendations may consider shore-based management, emergency chemical application, or other treatment methods that meet state and federal requirements. The recommendations may also address potential liability issues relating to discharge of ballast water. The ballast water work group shall invite the United States environmental protection agency and the United States coast guard to participate in this evaluation. The ballast water work group shall provide a report of the recommendations to the legislature by July 1, 2008;
     (o) Other responsibilities, as necessary.
     (((5))) (4) The director must also monitor the activities of the task force created by the state of Oregon in 2001 Or. Laws 722, concerning ballast water management. The director shall provide the ballast water work group with periodic updates of the Oregon task force's efforts at developing a ballast water management system.
     (((6)(a) The ballast water work group expires June 30, 2007.
     (b) This section expires June 30, 2007.))

Sec. 12   RCW 77.120.070 and 2000 c 108 s 8 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) ((Except as limited by subsection (2) or (3) of this section,)) The department may establish by rule schedules for any penalty allowed in this chapter. The schedules may provide for the incremental assessment of a penalty based on criteria established by rule.
     (2) The director or the director's designee may impose a civil penalty or warning for a violation of the requirements of this chapter on the owner or operator in charge of a vessel who fails to comply with the requirements imposed under RCW 77.120.030 and 77.120.040. The penalty shall not exceed ((five)) twenty-seven thousand five hundred dollars for each day of a continuing violation. In determining the amount of a civil penalty, the department shall set standards by rule that consider if the violation was intentional, negligent, or without any fault, and shall consider the quality and nature of risks created by the violation. The owner or operator subject to such a penalty may contest the determination by requesting an adjudicative proceeding within twenty days. Any determination not timely contested is final and may be reduced to a judgment enforceable in any court with jurisdiction. If the department prevails using any judicial process to collect a penalty under this section, the department shall also be awarded its costs and reasonable attorneys' fees.
     (((2) The civil penalty for a violation of reporting requirements of RCW 77.120.040 shall not exceed five hundred dollars per violation.
     (3) Any owner or operator who knowingly, and with intent to deceive, falsifies a ballast water management report form is liable for a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed five thousand dollars per violation, in addition to any criminal liability that may attach to the filing of false documents.
     (4))) (3) The department, in cooperation with the United States coast guard, may enforce the requirements of this chapter.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 13   A new section is added to chapter 77.120 RCW to read as follows:
     The department may assess a fee for any exemptions allowed under this chapter. Such a fee may not exceed five thousand dollars. The department may establish by rule schedules for any fee allowed in this chapter. The schedules may provide for the incremental assessment of a penalty based on criteria established by rule.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 14   A new section is added to chapter 77.120 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The ballast water management account is created in the state treasury. All receipts from legislative appropriations, gifts, grants, donations, penalties, and fees received under this chapter must be deposited into the account.
     (2) Moneys in the account may be spent only after appropriation. Expenditures from the account may be used only to carry out the purposes of this chapter or support the goals of this chapter through research and monitoring except:
     (a) Expenditures may not be used for the salaries of permanent department employees; and
     (b) Penalties deposited into the account may be used, in consultation with the ballast water work group created in section 11 of this act, only to support basic and applied research and carry out education and outreach related to the state's ballast water management.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 15   A new section is added to chapter 77.120 RCW to read as follows:
     The department may issue a special operating authorization for passenger vessels conducting or assisting in research and testing activities to determine the presence of invasive species in ballast water collected in the waters of southeast Alaska north of latitude fifty-four degrees thirty minutes north to sixty-one degrees ten minutes north, extending to longitude one hundred forty-nine degrees thirty minutes west. Such testing and research shall be reviewed by the ballast water work group, who may make recommendations to the department. The department may adopt rules for defining special operating authorization conditions, requirements, limitations, and fees as necessary to implement this section, consistent with the intent of this chapter.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 16   Section 11 of this act is added to chapter 77.120 RCW.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 17   The following acts or parts of acts are each repealed:
     (1) RCW 77.120.060 (Report to legislature -- Results of chapter) and 2002 c 282 s 4 & 2000 c 108 s 7;
     (2) RCW 77.120.080 (Legislative review of chapter -- Recommendations) and 2000 c 108 s 9; and
     (3) RCW 77.120.090 (Ballast water information system -- Improvements) and 2002 c 282 s 5.