HOUSE BILL REPORT

2SSB 5986

As Amended by the House

BYSenate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Conner, Kreidler, Johnson, Bauer, Garrett, Peterson, DeJarnatt, Bottiger, Metcalf, Wojahn and Craswell)

Studying methods of oil spill damage assessment.

House Committe on Environmental Affairs

Majority Report:  Do pass with amendments.  (13)

      Signed by Representatives Rust, Chair; Valle, Vice Chair; Allen, Brekke, Ferguson, Jesernig, May, Pruitt, Schoon, D. Sommers, Sprenkle, Unsoeld and Walker.

House Staff:Bonnie Austin (786-7107)

Rereferred House Committee on Ways & Means/Appropriations

Majority Report:  Do pass with amendments by Committee Ways & Means/Appropriations and not as amended by Committee on Environmental Affairs. (21)

      Signed by Representatives Locke, Chair; Allen, Belcher, Braddock, Brekke, Bristow, Ebersole, Fuhrman, Grant, Grimm, Hine, Holland, McLean, McMullen, Nealey, Niemi, Peery, Sayan, Silver, L. Smith and Sprenkle.

House Staff:      Nancy Stevenson (786-7137)

AS PASSED HOUSE APRIL 13, 1987

BACKGROUND:

Three major oil spills have occurred on Washington waters in the last three years:  the SS Mobil Oil spill near the mouth of the Columbia river in March, 1984; a spill of unknown origin on the shores of Whidbey Island in December, 1985; and the grounding of the Arco Anchorage near Port Angeles in December, 1985.  The oil spill clean-up response procedures used at the Port Angeles spill raised concerns regarding the adequacy of existing procedures.

In 1986 the legislature responded to these concerns by directing the Department of Ecology (Ecology) to establish an Oil Spill Advisory Committee to study existing prevention measures, containment and clean-up provisions, and the allocation of clean- up authority between federal, state and local agencies.  The Oil Spill Advisory Committee issued its report in December, 1986, making majority recommendations in the areas of spill prevention, contingency planning, spill clean-up response, wildlife rehabilitation, waste disposal, and damage assessment.

The committee recommended that spill contingency plans be developed to clarify interagency responsibility for spill response and designate responsible local authorities. The committee also recommended that the legislature require that containment and initial recovery equipment be available and readily deployable during bunkering and lightering operations.

Additionally, it was recommended that the legislature consider the enactment of legislation similar to Alaska's which imposes a monetary penalty per gallon of oil spilled as follows: (1) $10 per gallon of oil which enters a freshwater environment with significant aquatic resources; (2) $2.50 per gallon that enters an estuary, intertidal, or confined saltwater environment; and (3) $1 per gallon that enters unconfined saltwater environment, public land or freshwater environment without significant aquatic resources.

SUMMARY:

The College of Ocean and Fishery Sciences at the University of Washington shall study the state's methods of assessing damages resulting from oil spills.  The study shall include a survey of other state's damage assessment methods and shall develop a recommended damage assessment methodology.  The report to the legislature is due by July 1, 1988.

By June 30, 1988, all facilities conducting refueling, bunkering, or lightering operations are required to have containment and recovery equipment readily available in the event of a spill. Persons deploying such equipment must be trained in the use of that equipment. Ecology may establish rules to implement this requirement.

The Department of Community Development (DCD) shall develop a oil spill contingency plan to serve as a draft plan for local governments.  This plan shall include recommendations for: disposal of oil spilled, training of local personnel, cooperative training exercises, and sources of funding.

Fiscal Note:      Requested April 6, 1987.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    (Environmental Affairs)  Representative Fisch; Senator Conner; Larry Glenn, City of Port Angeles; Mark Horton, Department of Ecology; Robert Stillquist, Washington Environmental Council; Randy Ray and J.P. Jones, PSSOA/NWTBA.

(Ways & Means/Appropriations)  None Presented.

House Committee - Testified Against:      (Environmental Affairs)  None Presented.

(Ways & Means/Appropriations)  None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    (Environmental Affairs)  It is important to develop a coordinated environmental response to oil spills.  We were fortunate at the Port Angeles spill that the winds were favorable, because it took six hours for the containment equipment to arrive.  It is necessary to require containment recovery equipment that is readily available for deployment.

(Ways & Means/Appropriations)  None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      (Environmental Affairs)  None Presented.

(Ways & Means/Appropriations)  None Presented.