BILL NUMBER: SB 1319 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN SENATE MAY 6, 2014
AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 21, 2014
AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 2, 2014
INTRODUCED BY Senator Pavley
(Coauthors: Senators Lara and Wolk)
FEBRUARY 21, 2014
An act to amend Sections 8574.4, 8574.7, 8574.8, 8670.2, 8670.3,
8670.5, 8670.7, 8670.8, 8670.8.3, 8670.8.5, 8670.9, 8670.12, 8670.14,
8670.19, 8670.25, 8670.25.5, 8670.26, 8670.28, 8670.29, 8670.30.5,
8670.31, 8670.32, 8670.33, 8670.34, 8670.35, 8670.36, 8670.37,
8670.37.5, 8670.37.51, 8670.37.52, 8670.37.53, 8670.37.55,
8670.37.58, 8670.40, 8670.42, 8670.47.5, 8670.48, 8670.48.3, 8670.49,
8670.50, 8670.51, 8670.53, 8670.54, 8670.55, 8670.56.5, 8670.56.6,
8670.61.5, 8670.62, 8670.64, 8670.66, 8670.67, 8670.67.5, 8670.69.4,
and 8670.71 of, to add Sections 8670.32.5, 8670.40.5, 8670.90, and
8670.95 to, and to repeal Section 8670.69.7 of, the Government Code,
relating to oil spills.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 1319, as amended, Pavley. Oil spills: oil spill prevention and
response.
(1) The Lempert-Keene-Seastrand Oil Spill Prevention and Response
Act generally requires the administrator for oil spill response,
acting at the direction of the Governor, to implement activities
relating to oil spill response, including emergency drills and
preparedness, and oil spill containment and cleanup, and to represent
the state in any coordinated response efforts with the federal
government. Existing law directs the Governor to require the
administrator to amend, not in conflict with the National Contingency
Plan, the California oil spill contingency plan to add a marine oil
spill contingency planning section containing specified elements,
including an environmentally and ecologically sensitive areas
element. Existing law also requires the administrator to adopt and
implement regulations governing the adequacy of oil spill contingency
plans to be prepared and implemented and requires the regulations to
provide for the best achievable protection, as defined, of coastal
and marine waters.
This bill would generally expand the act and the administrator's
responsibilities relating to oil spills to cover all waters of the
state. By expanding the scope of crimes within the act, the bill
would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would direct
the Governor to require the administrator to amend the California oil
spill contingency plan to provide for the best achievable protection
of all state waters, not solely coastal and marine waters, and to
submit the plan to the Governor and the Legislature on or before
January 1, 2017. The bill would require the regulations to provide
for the best achievable protection of all waters and natural
resources of the state. The bill would also revise various
definitions within that act, and would make other conforming and
technical changes.
(2) Existing law, until January 1, 2015, requires the
administrator to develop and implement a screening mechanism and a
comprehensive risk-based monitoring program for inspecting the
bunkering and lightering operations of vessels at anchor and
alongside a dock, dock to ensure that
bunkering and lightering operations that pose the highest risk of a
pollution incident are identified and are routinely monitored and
inspected.
This bill would delete the January 1, 2015, repeal date for these
requirements. The bill would require the administrator to develop and
implement a screening mechanism and comprehensive risk-based
monitoring program for inspecting nonvessel handling and transport of
oil, oil to ensure that those
operations that pose the highest risk of a pollution incident are
identified and are routinely monitored and inspected.
(3) Existing law requires the administrator to offer grants to a
local government with jurisdiction over or directly adjacent to
marine waters to provide oil spill response equipment to be deployed.
This bill would instead require the administrator to offer the
grants to a local government with jurisdiction over or directly
adjacent to state waters.
(4) Existing law requires the administrator, within 5 working days
after receipt of a contingency plan, prepared as specified, to send
a notice that the plan is available for review to the Oil Spill
Technical Advisory Committee.
This bill would instead require the administrator, within 5
working days after receipt of a contingency plan, to post a notice
that the plan is available for review. The bill would require
the California Environmental Protection Agency and the Office of
Emergency Services to review the plans for facilities and local
governments located outside of the coastal zone.
(5) Existing law requires the administrator to establish a network
of rescue and rehabilitation stations for sea birds, sea otters, and
marine mammals affected by an oil spill in marine waters.
This bill would instead require the administrator to establish a
network of rescue and rehabilitation stations for wildlife injured by
oil spills in waters of the state, including sea otters and other
marine mammals. The bill would authorize the administrator to
establish additional stations or facilities in the interior of the
state primarily for the rescue and rehabilitation of wildlife
affected by inland spills.
(6) Existing law imposes an oil spill prevention and
administration fee in an amount determined by the administrator to be
sufficient to implement specified oil spill prevention activities,
but not to exceed $0.065 per barrel of crude oil or petroleum
products and, beginning January 1, 2015, to an amount not to exceed
$0.05, on persons owning crude oil or petroleum products at a marine
terminal. The fee is deposited into the Oil Spill Prevention and
Administration Fund in the State Treasury. Upon appropriation by the
Legislature, moneys in the fund are available for specified purposes.
This bill would require the administrator to annually determine
the fee in an amount sufficient to pay the reasonable regulatory
costs of specified oil spill prevention activities, would delete the
provision that reduces the fee beginning on January 1, 2015, and
would prohibit the fee from exceeding $0.065 per barrel of crude oil
or petroleum products for the year beginning January 1, 2015, and
ending December 31, 2015. The bill would additionally impose this fee
on a person owning crude oil at the time the crude oil is received
at a refinery, as specified, and would require every person who
operates an oil refinery, marine terminal, or a pipeline to register
with the State Board of Equalization.
(7) Existing law imposes a uniform oil spill response fee on
specified persons, except specified independent crude oil producers,
owning petroleum products during any period that the Oil Spill
Response Trust Fund contains less than a designated amount. The money
in the fund is continuously appropriated for specified purposes,
including, to pay for the costs of rescue, medical treatment,
rehabilitation, and disposition of oiled wildlife, as specified.
The bill would delete the fee exception for independent crude oil
producers, and would delete the provision authorizing the moneys in
the fund to be used to pay for the costs of rescue, medical
treatment, rehabilitation, and disposition of oiled wildlife. The
bill would authorize moneys in the fund to be used to respond to an
imminent threat of a spill. By expanding the purposes of a
continuously appropriated fund, the bill would make an appropriation.
(8) Existing law, until June 30, 2014, provides that if a loan or
other transfer of money from the Oil Spill Response Trust Fund to the
General Fund pursuant to the Budget Act reduces the balance of the
fund to less than or equal to 95% of the designated amount, the
administrator is not required to collect oil spill response fees if
the annual Budget Act requires the transfer or loan to be repaid (A)
to the fund with interest calculated at a rate earned by the Pooled
Money Investment Account and (B) on or before June 30, 2014.
This bill would extend that date to June 30, 2017, and would
provide that these provisions would be repealed on July, 1, 2017.
(9) The Lempert-Keene-Seastrand Oil Spill Prevention and Response
Act prohibits a person from operating a marine facility, as defined,
unless the owner or operator of the marine facility has obtained a
certificate of financial responsibility. To receive a certificate of
financial responsibility from the administrator for oil spill
response, the act requires the owner or operator of a marine facility
to make a specified showing of financial resources to the
satisfaction of the administrator. The act authorizes the
administrator to issue a certificate of financial responsibility on a
lesser showing of financial resources for a period of not longer
than 3 years if the administrator makes specified findings.
This bill would delete the authorization granted to the
administrator to issue a certificate of financial responsibility on a
lesser showing of financial resources and would require the
administrator to adopt regulations to implement the certification
requirements.
(10) Existing law establishes the Oil Spill Technical Advisory
Committee to provide public input and independent judgment of the
actions of the administrator and requires the committee to provide
recommendations to the administrator and other specified state
entities. The committee is composed of 10 members.
This bill would increase the number of members from 10 to
14 15 and would require the Speaker of the
Assembly and the Senate Committee on Rules to each appoint one
additional member who has knowledge of environmental protection and
the study of ecosystems, and would also require the Governor to
appoint one additional member who has knowledge of the railroad
industry industry, another with knowledge of
the truck transportation industry, and another with knowledge
of the oil production industry. The bill would require the committee
to monitor and evaluate the modes of transportation of oil into and
within the state and the properties of the oil to identify necessary
changes in oil spill response and preparedness programs.
(11) This bill would require each railroad intending to transport
crude oil into or within the state on at least an annual basis to
provide to the administrator with specified information.
(12)The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse
local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the
state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that
reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this
act for a specified reason.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: yes.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares both of the
following:
(a) Shifts in how oil is transported to and within the state
change the accompanying risks and potential locations of oil spills.
(b) Properties of crude oil transported to and within the state
prior to refining may change over time and alter the risks posed by
an oil spill to human and environmental health and safety and in
responding to an oil spill.
SEC. 2. Section 8574.4 of the Government Code is amended to read:
8574.4. State agencies designated to implement the contingency
plan shall account for all state expenditures made under the plan
with respect to each oil spill. Expenditures accounted for under this
section from an oil spill in waters of the state shall be paid from
the Oil Spill Response Trust Fund created pursuant to Section
8670.46. All other expenditures accounted for under this section
shall be paid from the State Water Pollution Cleanup and Abatement
Account in the State Water Quality Control Fund provided for in
Article 3 (commencing with Section 13440) of Chapter 6 of Division 7
of the Water Code. If the party responsible for the spill is
identified, that party shall be liable for the expenditures accounted
for under this section, in addition to any other liability that may
be provided for by law, in an action brought by the Attorney General.
The proceeds from any action for a spill in marine waters shall be
paid into the Oil Spill Response Trust Fund.
SEC. 3. Section 8574.7 of the Government Code is amended to read:
8574.7. The Governor shall require the administrator, not in
conflict with the National Contingency Plan, to amend the California
oil spill contingency plan to provide for the best achievable
protection of waters of the state. "Administrator" for purposes of
this section means the administrator appointed by the Governor
pursuant to Section 8670.4. The plan shall consist of all of the
following elements:
(a) A state response element that specifies the hierarchy for
state and local agency response to an oil spill. The element shall
define the necessary tasks for oversight and control of cleanup and
removal activities associated with an oil spill and shall specify
each agency's particular responsibility in carrying out these tasks.
The element shall also include an organizational chart of the state
oil spill response organization and a definition of the resources,
capabilities, and response assignments of each agency involved in
cleanup and removal actions in an oil spill.
(b) A regional and local planning element that shall provide the
framework for the involvement of regional and local agencies in the
state effort to respond to an oil spill, and shall ensure the
effective and efficient use of regional and local resources, as
appropriate, in all of the following:
(1) Traffic and crowd control.
(2) Firefighting.
(3) Boating traffic control.
(4) Radio and communications control and provision of access to
equipment.
(5) Identification and use of available local and regional
equipment or other resources suitable for use in cleanup and removal
actions.
(6) Identification of private and volunteer resources or personnel
with special or unique capabilities relating to oil spill cleanup
and removal actions.
(7) Provision of medical emergency services.
(8) Identification, care, and evaluation of public health impacts.
(9) Consideration of the identification and use of private working
craft and mariners, including commercial fishing vessels and
licensed commercial fishing men and women, in containment, cleanup,
and removal actions.
(c) A coastal protection element that establishes the state
standards for coastline protection. The administrator, in
consultation with the Coast Guard and Navy and the shipping industry,
shall develop criteria for coastline protection. If appropriate, the
administrator shall consult with representatives from the States of
Alaska, Washington, and Oregon, the Province of British Columbia in
Canada, and the Republic of Mexico. The criteria shall designate at
least all of the following:
(1) Appropriate shipping lanes and navigational aids for tankers,
barges, and other commercial vessels to reduce the likelihood of
collisions between tankers, barges, and other commercial vessels.
Designated shipping lanes shall be located off the coastline at a
distance sufficient to significantly reduce the likelihood that
disabled vessels will run aground along the coast of the state.
(2) Ship position reporting and communications requirements.
(3) Required predeployment of protective equipment for sensitive
environmental areas along the coastline.
(4) Required emergency response vessels that are capable of
preventing disabled tankers from running aground.
(5) Required emergency response vessels that are capable of
commencing oil cleanup operations before spilled oil can reach the
shoreline.
(6) An expedited decisionmaking process for dispersant use in
coastal waters. Prior to adoption of the process, the administrator
shall ensure that a comprehensive testing program is carried out for
any dispersant proposed for use in California marine waters. The
testing program shall evaluate toxicity and effectiveness of the
dispersants.
(7) Required rehabilitation facilities for wildlife injured by
spilled oil.
(8) An assessment of how activities that usually require a permit
from a state or local agency may be expedited or issued by the
administrator in the event of an oil spill.
(d) An environmentally and ecologically sensitive areas element
that shall provide the framework for prioritizing and ensuring the
protection of environmentally and ecologically sensitive areas. The
environmentally and ecologically sensitive areas element shall be
developed by the administrator, in conjunction with appropriate local
agencies, and shall include all of the following:
(1) Identification and prioritization of environmentally and
ecologically sensitive areas in state waters and along the coast.
Identification and prioritization of environmentally and ecologically
sensitive areas shall not prevent or excuse the use of all
reasonably available containment and cleanup resources from being
used to protect every environmentally and ecologically sensitive area
possible. Environmentally and ecologically sensitive areas shall be
prioritized through the evaluation of criteria, including, but not
limited to, all of the following:
(A) Risk of contamination by oil after a spill.
(B) Environmental, ecological, recreational, and economic
importance.
(C) Risk of public exposure should the area be contaminated.
(2) Regional maps depicting environmentally and ecologically
sensitive areas in state waters or along the coast that shall be
distributed to facilities and local and state agencies. The maps
shall designate those areas that have particularly high priority for
protection against oil spills.
(3) A plan for protection actions required to be taken in the
event of an oil spill for each of the environmentally and
ecologically sensitive areas and protection priorities for the first
24 to 48 hours after an oil spill shall be specified.
(4) The location of available response equipment and the
availability of trained personnel to deploy the equipment to protect
the priority environmentally and ecologically sensitive areas.
(5) A program for systemically testing and revising, if necessary,
protection strategies for each of the priority environmentally and
ecologically sensitive areas.
(6) Any recommendations for action that cannot be financed or
implemented pursuant to existing authority of the administrator,
which shall also be reported to the Legislature along with
recommendations for financing those actions.
(e) A reporting element that addresses the requirements for the
reporting of oil spills. Spills of any amount of oil to state waters
shall be reported.
SEC. 4. Section 8574.8 of the Government Code is amended to read:
8574.8. (a) The administrator shall submit to the Governor and
the Legislature an amended California oil spill contingency plan
required, pursuant to Section 8574.7, by January 1, 1993. The
administrator shall thereafter submit revised plans every three
years, until the amended plan required pursuant to subdivision (b) is
submitted.
(b) The administrator shall submit to the Governor and the
Legislature an amended California oil spill contingency plan required
pursuant to Section 8574.7, on or before January 1, 2017, that
addresses marine and inland oil spills. The administrator shall
thereafter submit revised plans every three years.
SEC. 5. Section 8670.2 of the Government Code is amended to read:
8670.2. The Legislature finds and declares as follows:
(a) Each year, billions of gallons of crude oil and petroleum
products are transported by vessel, railroad, truck, or pipeline
across and through the waters of this state.
(b) Recent accidents in southern California, Alaska, other parts
of the nation, and Canada, have shown that transportation of oil can
be a significant threat to the environment of sensitive areas and to
the public health.
(c) Existing prevention programs are not able to reduce
sufficiently the risk of significant discharge of petroleum into
state waters.
(d) Response and cleanup capabilities and technology are unable to
remove consistently the majority of spilled oil when major oil
spills occur in state waters.
(e) California's lakes, rivers, other inland waters, coastal
waters, estuaries, bays, and beaches are treasured environmental and
economic resources that the state cannot afford to place at undue
risk from an oil spill.
(f) Because of the inadequacy of existing cleanup and response
measures and technology, the emphasis must be put on prevention, if
the risk and consequences of oil spills are to be minimized.
(g) Improvements in the design, construction, and operation of
rail tank cars, tank trucks, tank ships, terminals, and pipelines;
improvements in marine safety; maintenance of emergency response
stations and personnel; and stronger inspection and enforcement
efforts are necessary to reduce the risks of and from a major oil
spill.
(h) A major oil spill in state waters is extremely expensive
because of the need to clean up discharged oil, protect sensitive
environmental areas, and restore ecosystem damage.
(i) Immediate action must be taken to improve control and cleanup
technology in order to strengthen the capabilities and capacities of
cleanup operations.
(j) California government should improve its response and
management of oil spills that occur in state waters.
(k) Those who transport oil through or near the waters of the
state must meet minimum safety standards and demonstrate financial
responsibility.
( l ) The federal government plays an important role in
preventing and responding to petroleum spills and it is in the
interests of the state to coordinate with agencies of the federal
government, including the Coast Guard, to the greatest degree
possible.
(m) California has approximately 1,100 miles of coast, including
four marine sanctuaries that occupy 88,767 square miles. The weather,
topography, and tidal currents in and around California's coastal
ports and waterways make vessel navigation challenging. The state's
major ports are among the busiest in the world. Approximately 700
million barrels of oil are consumed annually by California, with over
500 million barrels being transported by vessel. The peculiarities
of California's maritime coast require special precautionary measures
regarding oil pollution.
(n) California has approximately 158,500 square miles of interior
area where there are approximately 6,800 miles of pipeline used for
oil distribution, 5,800 miles of Class I railroad track, and 172,100
miles of maintained roads.
SEC. 6. Section 8670.3 of the Government Code is amended to read:
8670.3. Unless the context requires otherwise, the following
definitions shall govern the construction of this chapter:
(a) "Administrator" means the administrator for oil spill response
appointed by the Governor pursuant to Section 8670.4.
(b) (1) "Best achievable protection" means the highest level of
protection that can be achieved through both the use of the best
achievable technology and those manpower levels, training procedures,
and operational methods that provide the greatest degree of
protection achievable. The administrator's determination of which
measures provide the best achievable protection shall be guided by
the critical need to protect valuable natural resources and state
waters, while also considering all of the following:
(A) The protection provided by the measure.
(B) The technological achievability of the measure.
(C) The cost of the measure.
(2) The administrator shall not use a cost-benefit or
cost-effectiveness analysis or any particular method of analysis in
determining which measures provide the best achievable protection.
The administrator shall instead, when determining which measures
provide best achievable protection, give reasonable consideration to
the protection provided by the measures, the technological
achievability of the measures, and the cost of the measures when
establishing the requirements to provide the best achievable
protection for the natural resources of the state.
(c) (1) "Best achievable technology" means that technology that
provides the greatest degree of protection, taking into consideration
both of the following:
(A) Processes that are being developed, or could feasibly be
developed anywhere in the world, given overall reasonable
expenditures on research and development.
(B) Processes that are currently in use anywhere in the world.
(2) In determining what is the best achievable technology pursuant
to this chapter, the administrator shall consider the effectiveness
and engineering feasibility of the technology.
(d) "California oil spill contingency plan" means the California
oil spill contingency plan prepared pursuant to Article 3.5
(commencing with Section 8574.1) of Chapter 7.
(e) "Dedicated response resources" means equipment and personnel
committed solely to oil spill response, containment, and cleanup that
are not used for any other activity that would adversely affect the
ability of that equipment and personnel to provide oil spill response
services in the timeframes for which the equipment and personnel are
rated.
(f) "Environmentally sensitive area" means an area defined
pursuant to the applicable area contingency plans or geographic
response plans, as created and revised by the Coast Guard, the United
States Environmental Protection Agency, and the administrator.
(g) (1) "Facility" means any of the following located in state
waters or located where an oil spill may impact state waters:
(A) A building, structure, installation, or equipment used in oil
exploration, oil well drilling operations, oil production, oil
refining, oil storage, oil gathering, oil processing, oil transfer,
oil distribution, or oil transportation.
(B) A marine terminal.
(C) A pipeline that transports oil.
(D) A railroad that transports oil as cargo.
(E) A drill ship, semisubmersible drilling platform, jack-up type
drilling rig, or any other floating or temporary drilling platform.
(2) "Facility" does not include any of the following:
(A) A vessel, except a vessel located and used for any purpose
described in subparagraph (E) of paragraph (1).
(B) An owner or operator subject to Chapter 6.67 (commencing with
Section 25270) or Chapter 6.75 (commencing with Section 25299.10) of
Division 20 of the Health and Safety Code.
(C) Operations on a farm, nursery, logging site, or construction
site, not exceeding 20,000 gallons in a single storage tank.
(D) A small craft refueling dock.
(h) "Local government" means a chartered or general law city, a
chartered or general law county, or a city and county.
(i) (1) "Marine terminal" means any marine facility used for
transferring oil to or from a tank ship or tank barge.
(2) "Marine terminal" includes, for purposes of this chapter, all
piping not integrally connected to a tank facility, as defined in
subdivision (n) of Section 25270.2 of the Health and Safety Code.
(j) "Mobile transfer unit" means a vehicle, truck, or trailer,
including all connecting hoses and piping, used for the transferring
of oil at a location where a discharge could impact waters of the
state.
(k) "Nondedicated response resources" means those response
resources identified by an Oil Spill Response Organization for oil
spill response activities that are not dedicated response resources.
(l) "Nonpersistent oil" means a petroleum-based oil, such as
gasoline or jet fuel, that evaporates relatively quickly and is an
oil with hydrocarbon fractions, at least 50 percent of which, by
volume, distills at a temperature of 645 degrees Fahrenheit, and at
least 95 percent of which, by volume, distills at a temperature of
700 degrees Fahrenheit.
(m) "Nontank vessel" means a vessel of 300 gross tons
or greater that carries oil, but does not carry that oil as cargo.
(n) "Oil" means any kind of petroleum, liquid hydrocarbons, or
petroleum products or any fraction or residues therefrom, including,
but not limited to, crude oil, bunker fuel, gasoline, diesel fuel,
aviation fuel, oil sludge, oil refuse, oil mixed with waste, and
liquid distillates from unprocessed natural gas.
(o) "Oil spill cleanup agent" means a chemical, or any other
substance, used for removing, dispersing, or otherwise cleaning up
oil or any residual products of petroleum in, or on, any of the
waters of the state.
(p) "Oil spill contingency plan" or "contingency plan" means the
oil spill contingency plan required pursuant to Article 5 (commencing
with Section 8670.28).
(q) (1) "Oil Spill Response Organization" or "OSRO" means an
individual, organization, association, cooperative, or other entity
that provides, or intends to provide, equipment, personnel, supplies,
or other services directly related to oil spill containment,
cleanup, or removal activities.
(2) "OSRO" does not include an owner or operator with an oil spill
contingency plan approved by the administrator or an entity that
only provides spill management services, or who provides services or
equipment that are only ancillary to containment, cleanup, or removal
activities.
(r) (1) "Owner" or "operator" means any of the following:
(A) In the case of a vessel, a person who owns, has an ownership
interest in, operates, charters by demise, or leases, the vessel.
(B) In the case of a facility, a person who owns, has an ownership
interest in, or operates the facility.
(C) Except as provided in subparagraph (D), in the case of a
vessel or facility, where title or control was conveyed due to
bankruptcy, foreclosure, tax delinquency, abandonment, or similar
means to an entity of state or local government, a person who owned,
held an ownership interest in, operated, or otherwise controlled
activities concerning the vessel or facility immediately beforehand.
(D) An entity of the state or local government that acquired
ownership or control of a vessel or facility, when the entity of the
state or local government has caused or contributed to a spill or
discharge of oil into waters of the state.
(2) "Owner" or "operator" does not include a person who, without
participating in the management of a vessel or facility, holds
indicia of ownership primarily to protect the person's security
interest in the vessel or facility.
(3) "Operator" does not include a person who owns the land
underlying a facility or the facility itself if the person is not
involved in the operations of the facility.
(s) "Person" means an individual, trust, firm, joint stock
company, or corporation, including, but not limited to, a government
corporation, partnership, and association. "Person" also includes a
city, county, city and county, district, and the state or any
department or agency thereof, and the federal government, or any
department or agency thereof, to the extent permitted by law.
(t) "Pipeline" means a pipeline used at any time to transport oil.
(u) "Railroad" means a railroad, railway, rail car, rolling stock,
or train.
(v) "Rated OSRO" means an OSRO that has received a satisfactory
rating from the administrator for a particular rating level
established pursuant to Section 8670.30.
(w) "Responsible party" or "party responsible" means any of the
following:
(1) The owner or transporter of oil or a person or entity
accepting responsibility for the oil.
(2) The owner, operator, or lessee of, or a person that charters
by demise, a vessel or facility, or a person or entity accepting
responsibility for the vessel or facility.
(x) "Small craft" means a vessel, other than a tank ship or tank
barge, that is less than 20 meters in length.
(y) "Small craft refueling dock" means a waterside operation that
dispenses only nonpersistent oil in bulk and small amounts of
persistent lubrication oil in containers primarily to small craft and
meets both of the following criteria:
(1) Has tank storage capacity not exceeding 20,000 gallons in any
single storage tank or tank compartment.
(2) Has total usable tank storage capacity not exceeding 75,000
gallons.
(z) "Small marine fueling facility" means either of the following:
(1) A mobile transfer unit.
(2) A fixed facility that is not a marine terminal, that dispenses
primarily nonpersistent oil, that may dispense small amounts of
persistent oil, primarily to small craft, and that meets all of the
following criteria:
(A) Has tank storage capacity greater than 20,000 gallons but not
more than 40,000 gallons in any single storage tank or storage tank
compartment.
(B) Has total usable tank storage capacity not exceeding 75,000
gallons.
(C) Had an annual throughput volume of over-the-water transfers of
oil that did not exceed 3,000,000 gallons during the most recent
preceding 12-month period.
(aa) "Spill," discharge," "discharge,
" or "oil spill" means a release of any amount of oil
into waters of the state that is not authorized by a federal, state,
or local government entity.
(ab) "Tank barge" means a vessel that carries oil in commercial
quantities as cargo but is not equipped with a means of
self-propulsion.
(ac) "Tank ship" means a self-propelled vessel that is constructed
or adapted for the carriage of oil in bulk or in commercial
quantities as cargo.
(ad) "Tank vessel" means a tank ship or tank barge.
(ae) "Vessel" means a watercraft or ship of any kind, including
every structure adapted to be navigated from place to place for the
transportation of merchandise or persons.
(af) "Vessel carrying oil as secondary cargo" means a vessel that
does not carry oil as a primary cargo, but does carry oil as cargo.
The administrator may establish minimum oil volume amounts or other
criteria by regulations.
(ag) "Waters of the state" or "state waters" means any surface
water, including saline waters and marine waters, within the
boundaries of the state, but does not include groundwater.
SEC. 7. Section 8670.5 of the Government Code is amended to read:
8670.5. The Governor shall ensure that the state fully and
adequately responds to all oil spills in waters of the state. The
administrator, acting at the direction of the Governor, shall
implement activities relating to oil spill response, including drills
and preparedness and oil spill containment and cleanup. The
administrator shall also represent the state in any coordinated
response efforts with the federal government.
SEC. 8. Section 8670.7 of the Government Code is amended to read:
8670.7. (a) The administrator, subject to the Governor, has the
primary authority to direct prevention, removal, abatement, response,
containment, and cleanup efforts with regard to all aspects of any
oil spill in waters of the state, in accordance with any applicable
facility or vessel contingency plan and the California oil spill
contingency plan. The administrator shall cooperate with any federal
on-scene coordinator, as specified in the National Contingency Plan.
(b) The administrator shall implement the California oil spill
contingency plan, required pursuant to Section 8574.1, to the fullest
extent possible.
(c) The administrator shall do both of the following:
(1) Be present at the location of any oil spill of more than
100,000 gallons in waters of the state, as soon as possible after
notice of the discharge.
(2) Ensure that persons trained in oil spill response and cleanup,
whether employed by the responsible party, the state, or another
private or public person or entity, are onsite to respond to,
contain, and clean up any oil spill in waters of the state, as soon
as possible after notice of the discharge.
(d) Throughout the response and cleanup process, the administrator
shall apprise the air quality management district or air pollution
control district having jurisdiction over the area in which the oil
spill occurred and the local government entities that are affected by
the spill.
(e) The administrator, with the assistance, as needed, of the
Office of the State Fire Marshal, the State Lands Commission, or
other state agency, and the federal on-scene coordinator, shall
determine the cause and amount of the discharge.
(f) The administrator shall have the state authority over the use
of all response methods, including, but not limited to, in situ
burning, dispersants, and any oil spill cleanup agents in connection
with an oil discharge. The administrator shall consult with the
federal on-scene coordinator prior to exercising authority under this
subdivision.
(g) (1) The administrator shall conduct workshops, consistent with
the intent of this chapter, with the participation of appropriate
local, state, and federal agencies, including the State Air Resources
Board, air pollution control districts, and air quality management
districts, and affected private organizations, on the subject of oil
spill response technologies, including in situ burning. The workshops
shall review the latest research and findings regarding the efficacy
and toxicity of oil spill cleanup agents and other technologies,
their potential public health and safety and environmental impacts,
and any other relevant factors concerning their use in oil spill
response. In conducting these workshops, the administrator shall
solicit the views of all participating parties concerning the use of
these technologies, with particular attention to any special
considerations that apply
to coastal areas and waters of the state.
(2) The administrator shall publish guidelines and conduct
periodic reviews of the policies, procedures, and parameters for the
use of in situ burning, which may be implemented in the event of an
oil spill.
(h) (1) The administrator shall ensure that, as part of the
response to any significant spill, biologists or other personnel are
present and provided any support and funding necessary and
appropriate for the assessment of damages to natural resources and
for the collection of data and other evidence that may help in
determining and recovering damages.
(2) (A) The administrator shall coordinate all actions required by
state or local agencies to assess injury to, and provide full
mitigation for injury to, or to restore, rehabilitate, or replace,
natural resources, including wildlife, fisheries, wildlife or
fisheries habitat, beaches, and coastal areas, that are damaged by an
oil spill. For purposes of this subparagraph, "actions required by
state or local agencies" include, but are not limited to, actions
required by state trustees under Section 1006 of the Oil Pollution
Act of 1990 (33 U.S.C. Sec. 2706) and actions required pursuant to
Section 8670.61.5.
(B) The responsible party shall be liable for all coordination
costs incurred by the administrator.
(3) This subdivision does not give the administrator any authority
to administer state or local laws or to limit the authority of
another state or local agency to implement and enforce state or local
laws under its jurisdiction, nor does this subdivision limit the
authority or duties of the administrator under this chapter or limit
the authority of an agency to enforce existing permits or permit
conditions.
(i) (1) The administrator shall enter into a memorandum of
understanding with the executive director of the State Water
Resources Control Board, acting for the State Water Resources Control
Board and the California regional water quality control boards, and
with the approval of the State Water Resources Control Board, to
address discharges, other than dispersants, that are incidental to,
or directly associated with, the response, containment, and cleanup
of an existing or threatened oil spill conducted pursuant to this
chapter.
(2) The memorandum of understanding entered into pursuant to
paragraph (1) shall address any permits, requirements, or
authorizations that are required for the specified discharges. The
memorandum of understanding shall be consistent with requirements
that protect state water quality and beneficial uses and with any
applicable provisions of the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act
(Division 7 (commencing with Section 13000) of the Water Code) or
the federal Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. Sec. 1251 et seq.), and shall
expedite efficient oil spill response.
SEC. 9. Section 8670.8 of the Government Code is amended to read:
8670.8. (a) The administrator shall carry out programs to provide
training for individuals in response, containment, and cleanup
operations and equipment, equipment deployment, and the planning and
management of these programs. These programs may include training for
members of the California Conservation Corps, other response
personnel employed by the state, personnel employed by other public
entities, personnel from marine facilities, commercial fishermen and
other mariners, and interested members of the public. Training may be
offered for volunteers.
(b) The administrator may offer training to anyone who is required
to take part in response and cleanup efforts under the California
oil spill contingency plan or under local government contingency
plans prepared and approved under this chapter.
(c) Upon request by a local government, the administrator shall
provide a program for training and certification of a local emergency
responder designated as a local spill response manager by a local
government with jurisdiction over or directly adjacent to waters of
the state.
(d) Trained and certified local spill response managers shall
participate in all drills upon request of the administrator.
(e) As part of the training and certification program, the
administrator shall authorize a local spill response manager to train
and certify volunteers.
(f) In the event of an oil spill, local spill response managers
trained and certified pursuant to subdivision (c) shall provide the
state onscene coordinator with timely information on activities and
resources deployed by local government in response to the oil spill.
The local spill response manager shall cooperate with the
administrator and respond in a manner consistent with the area
contingency plan to the extent possible.
(g) Funding for activities undertaken pursuant to subdivisions (a)
to (c), inclusive, shall be from the Oil Spill Prevention and
Administration Fund created pursuant to Section 8670.38.
(h) All training provided by the administrator shall follow the
requirements of applicable federal and state occupational safety and
health standards adopted by the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration of the Department of Labor and the Occupational Safety
and Health Standards Board.
SEC. 10. Section 8670.8.3 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
8670.8.3. The administrator shall offer grants to a local
government with jurisdiction over or directly adjacent to waters of
the state to provide oil spill response equipment to be deployed by a
local spill response manager certified pursuant to Section 8670.8.
The administrator shall request the Legislature to appropriate funds
from the Oil Spill Prevention and Administration Fund created
pursuant to Section 8670.38 for the purposes of this section.
SEC. 11. Section 8670.8.5 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
8670.8.5. The administrator may use volunteer workers in
response, containment, restoration, wildlife rehabilitation, and
cleanup efforts for oil spills in waters of the state. The volunteers
shall be deemed employees of the state for the purpose of workers'
compensation under Article 2 (commencing with Section 3350) of
Chapter 2 of Part 1 of Division 4 of the Labor Code. Any payments for
workers' compensation pursuant to this section shall be made from
the Oil Spill Response Trust Fund created pursuant to Section
8670.46.
SEC. 12. Section 8670.9 of the Government Code is amended to read:
8670.9. (a) The administrator shall enter into discussions on
behalf of the state with the States of Alaska, Hawaii, Oregon, and
Washington, for the purpose of developing interstate agreements
regarding oil spill prevention and response. The agreements shall
address, including, but not limited to, all of the following:
(1) Coordination of vessel safety and traffic.
(2) Spill prevention equipment and response required on vessels
and at facilities.
(3) The availability of oil spill response and cleanup equipment
and personnel.
(4) Other matters that may relate to the transport of oil and oil
spill prevention, response, and cleanup.
(b) The administrator shall coordinate the development of these
agreements with the Coast Guard, the Province of British Columbia in
Canada, and the Republic of Mexico.
SEC. 13. Section 8670.12 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
8670.12. (a) The administrator shall conduct studies and
evaluations necessary for improving oil spill response, containment,
and cleanup and oil spill wildlife rehabilitation in waters of the
state and oil transportation systems. The administrator may expend
moneys from the Oil Spill Prevention and Administration Fund created
pursuant to Section 8670.38, enter into consultation agreements, and
acquire necessary equipment and services for the purpose of carrying
out these studies and evaluations.
(b) The administrator shall study the use and effects of
dispersants, incineration, bioremediation, and any other methods used
to respond to a spill. The study shall periodically be updated to
ensure the best achievable protection from the use of those methods.
Based upon substantial evidence in the record, the administrator may
determine in individual cases that best achievable protection is
provided by establishing requirements that provide the greatest
degree of protection achievable without imposing costs that
significantly outweigh the incremental protection that would
otherwise be provided. The studies shall do all of the following:
(1) Evaluate the effectiveness of dispersants and other chemical
agents in oil spill response under varying environmental conditions.
(2) Evaluate potential adverse impacts on the environment and
public health including, but not limited to, adverse toxic impacts on
water quality, fisheries, and wildlife with consideration to
bioaccumulation and synergistic impacts, and the potential for human
exposure, including skin contact and consumption of contaminated
seafood.
(3) Recommend appropriate uses and limitations on the use of
dispersants and other chemical agents to ensure they are used only in
situations where the administrator determines they are effective and
safe.
(c) The administrator shall evaluate the feasibility of using
commercial fishermen and other mariners for oil spill containment and
cleanup. The study shall examine the following:
(1) Equipment and technology needs.
(2) Coordination with private response personnel.
(3) Liability and insurance.
(4) Compensation.
(d) The studies shall be performed in conjunction with any studies
performed by federal, state, and international entities. The
administrator may enter into contracts for the studies.
SEC. 14. Section 8670.14 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
8670.14. The administrator shall coordinate the oil spill
prevention and response programs and facility, tank vessel, and
nontank vessel safety standards of the state with federal programs as
appropriate and to the maximum extent possible.
SEC. 15. Section 8670.19 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
8670.19. (a) The administrator shall periodically conduct a
comprehensive review of all oil spill contingency plans. The
administrator shall do both of the following:
(1) Segment the coast into appropriate areas as necessary.
(2) Evaluate the oil spill contingency plans for each area to
determine if deficiencies exist in equipment, personnel, training,
and any other area determined to be necessary, including those
response resources properly authorized for cascading into the area,
to ensure the best achievable protection of state waters from oil
spills.
(b) If the administrator finds that deficiencies exist, the
administrator shall, by the process set forth in Section 8670.31,
remand any oil spill contingency plans to the originating party with
recommendations for amendments necessary to ensure that the waters of
the state are protected.
SEC. 16. Section 8670.25 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
8670.25. (a) A person who, without regard to intent or
negligence, causes or permits any oil to be discharged in or on the
waters of the state shall immediately contain, clean up, and remove
the oil in the most effective manner that minimizes environmental
damage and in accordance with the applicable contingency plans,
unless ordered otherwise by the Coast Guard or the administrator.
(b) If there is a spill, an owner or operator shall comply with
the applicable oil spill contingency plan approved by the
administrator.
SEC. 17. Section 8670.25.5 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
8670.25.5. (a) (1) Without regard to intent or negligence, any
party responsible for the discharge or threatened discharge of oil in
waters of the state shall report the discharge immediately to the
Office of Emergency Services pursuant to Section 25510 of the Health
and Safety Code.
(2) If the information initially reported pursuant to paragraph
(1) was inaccurate or incomplete, or if the quantity of oil
discharged has changed, any party responsible for the discharge or
threatened discharge of oil in waters of the state shall report the
updated information immediately to the Office of Emergency Services
pursuant to paragraph (1). The report shall contain the accurate or
complete information, or the revised quantity of oil discharged.
(b) Immediately upon receiving notification pursuant to
subdivision (a), the Office of Emergency Services shall notify the
administrator, the State Lands Commission, the California Coastal
Commission, the California regional water quality control board
having jurisdiction over the location of the discharged oil, and the
appropriate local governmental agencies in the area surrounding the
discharged oil, and take the actions required by subdivision (d) of
Section 8589.7. If the spill has occurred within the jurisdiction of
the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission, the
Office of Emergency Services shall notify that commission. Each
public agency specified in this subdivision shall adopt an internal
protocol over communications regarding the discharge of oil and file
the internal protocol with the Office of Emergency Services.
(c) The 24-hour emergency telephone number of the Office of
Emergency Services shall be posted at every railroad dispatch,
pipeline operator control center, marine terminal, at the area of
control of every marine facility, and on the bridge of every tankship
in marine waters.
(d) Except as otherwise provided in this section and Section
8589.7, a notification made pursuant to this section shall satisfy
any immediate notification requirement contained in any permit issued
by a permitting agency.
SEC. 18. Section 8670.26 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
8670.26. Any local or state agency responding to an oil spill
shall notify the Office of Emergency Services, if notification is
required under Section 8670.25.5, Section 13272 of the Water Code, or
any other notification procedure adopted in the California oil spill
contingency plan has not occurred.
SEC. 19. Section 8670.28 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
8670.28. (a) The administrator, taking into consideration the
facility or vessel contingency plan requirements of the State Lands
Commission, the Office of the State Fire Marshal, the
California Coastal Commission, and other state and federal agencies,
shall adopt and implement regulations governing the adequacy of oil
spill contingency plans to be prepared and implemented under this
article. All regulations shall be developed in consultation with the
Oil Spill Technical Advisory Committee, and shall be consistent with
the California oil spill contingency plan and not in conflict with
the National Contingency Plan. The regulations shall provide for the
best achievable protection of waters and natural resources of the
state. The regulations shall permit the development, application, and
use of an oil spill contingency plan for similar vessels, pipelines,
terminals, and facilities within a single company or organization,
and across companies and organizations. The regulations shall, at a
minimum, ensure all of the following:
(1) All areas of state waters are, at all times, protected by
prevention, response, containment, and cleanup equipment and
operations.
(2) Standards set for response, containment, and cleanup equipment
and operations are maintained and regularly improved to protect the
resources of the state.
(3) All appropriate personnel employed by operators required to
have a contingency plan receive training in oil spill response and
cleanup equipment usage and operations.
(4) Each oil spill contingency plan provides for appropriate
financial or contractual arrangements for all necessary equipment and
services, for the response, containment, and cleanup of a reasonable
worst case oil spill scenario for each area the plan addresses.
(5) Each oil spill contingency plan demonstrates that all
protection measures are being taken to reduce the possibility of an
oil spill occurring as a result of the operation of the facility or
vessel. The protection measures shall include, but not be limited to,
response to disabled vessels and an identification of those measures
taken to comply with requirements of Division 7.8 (commencing with
Section 8750) of the Public Resources Code.
(6) Each oil spill contingency plan identifies the types of
equipment that can be used, the location of the equipment, and the
time taken to deliver the equipment.
(7) Each facility, as determined by the administrator, conducts a
hazard and operability study to identify the hazards associated with
the operation of the facility, including the use of the facility by
vessels, due to operating error, equipment failure, and external
events. For the hazards identified in the hazard and operability
studies, the facility shall conduct an offsite consequence analysis
which that , for the most likely
hazards, assumes pessimistic water and air dispersion and other
adverse environmental conditions.
(8) Each oil spill contingency plan contains a list of contacts to
call in the event of a drill, threatened discharge of oil, or
discharge of oil.
(9) Each oil spill contingency plan identifies the measures to be
taken to protect the recreational and environmentally sensitive areas
that would be threatened by a reasonable worst case oil spill
scenario.
(10) Standards for determining a reasonable worst case oil spill.
However, for a nontank vessel, the reasonable worst case is a spill
of the total volume of the largest fuel tank on the nontank vessel.
(11) Each oil spill contingency plan specifies an agent for
service of process. The agent shall be located in this state.
(b) The regulations and guidelines adopted pursuant to this
section shall also include provisions to provide public review and
comment on submitted oil spill contingency plans.
(c) The regulations adopted pursuant to this section shall
specifically address the types of equipment that will be necessary,
the maximum time that will be allowed for deployment, the maximum
distance to cooperating response entities, the amounts of dispersant,
and the maximum time required for application, should the use of
dispersants be approved. Upon a determination by the administrator
that booming is appropriate at the site and necessary to provide best
achievable protection, the regulations shall require that vessels
engaged in lightering operations be boomed prior to the commencement
of operations.
(d) The administrator shall adopt regulations and guidelines for
oil spill contingency plans with regard to mobile transfer units,
small marine fueling facilities, and vessels carrying oil as
secondary cargo that acknowledge the reduced risk of damage from oil
spills from those units, facilities, and vessels while maintaining
the best achievable protection for the public health and safety and
the environment.
(e) The regulations adopted pursuant to subdivision (d) shall be
exempt from review by the Office of Administrative Law. Subsequent
amendments and changes to the regulations shall not be exempt from
review by the Office of Administrative Law review
.
SEC. 20. Section 8670.29 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
8670.29. (a) In accordance with the rules, regulations, and
policies established by the administrator pursuant to Section
8670.28, an owner or operator of a facility, small marine fueling
facility, or mobile transfer unit, or an owner or operator of a tank
vessel, nontank vessel, or vessel carrying oil as secondary cargo,
while operating in the waters of the state or where a spill could
impact waters of the state, shall have an oil spill contingency plan
that has been submitted to, and approved by, the administrator
pursuant to Section 8670.31. An oil spill contingency plan shall
ensure the undertaking of prompt and adequate response and removal
action in case of a spill, shall be consistent with the California
oil spill contingency plan, and shall not conflict with the National
Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP) ,
Part 300 of Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations .
(b) An oil spill contingency plan shall, at a minimum, meet all of
the following requirements:
(1) Be a written document, reviewed for feasibility and
executability, and signed by the owner or operator, or their
his or her designee.
(2) Provide for the use of an incident command system to be used
during a spill.
(3) Provide procedures for reporting oil spills to local, state,
and federal agencies, and include a list of contacts to call in the
event of a drill, threatened spill, or spill.
(4) Describe the communication plans to be used during a spill, if
different from those used by a recognized incident command system.
(5) Describe the strategies for the protection of environmentally
sensitive areas.
(6) Identify at least one rated OSRO for each rating level
established pursuant to Section 8670.30. Each identified rated OSRO
shall be directly responsible by contract, agreement, or other
approved means to provide oil spill response activities pursuant to
the oil spill contingency plan. A rated OSRO may provide oil spill
response activities individually, or in combination with another
rated OSRO, for a particular owner or operator.
(7) Identify a qualified individual.
(8) Provide the name, address, and telephone and facsimile numbers
for an agent for service of process, located within the state and
designated to receive legal documents on behalf of the owner or
operator.
(9) Provide for training and drills on elements of the plan at
least annually, with all elements of the plan subject to a drill at
least once every three years.
(c) An oil spill contingency plan for a vessel shall also include,
but is not limited to, all of the following requirements:
(1) The plan shall be submitted to the administrator at least
seven days prior to the vessel entering waters of the state.
(2) The plan shall provide evidence of compliance with the
International Safety Management Code, established by the
International Maritime Organization, as applicable.
(3) If the oil spill contingency plan is for a tank vessel, the
plan shall include both of the following:
(A) The plan shall specify oil and petroleum cargo capacity.
(B) The plan shall specify the types of oil and petroleum cargo
carried.
(4) If the oil spill contingency plan is for a nontank vessel, the
plan shall include both of the following:
(A) The plan shall specify the type and total amount of fuel
carried.
(B) The plan shall specify the capacity of the largest fuel tank.
(d) An oil spill contingency plan for a facility shall also
include, but is not limited to, all of the following provisions, as
appropriate:
(1) Provisions for site security and control.
(2) Provisions for emergency medical treatment and first aid.
(3) Provisions for safety training, as required by state and
federal safety laws for all personnel likely to be engaged in oil
spill response.
(4) Provisions detailing site layout and locations of
environmentally sensitive areas requiring special protection.
(5) Provisions for vessels that are in the operational control of
the facility for loading and unloading.
(e) Unless in conflict with federal law or regulations, an oil
spill contingency plan for a railroad shall also include, but is not
limited to, all of the following:
(1) A list of the types of train cars that may make up the
consist.
(2) A list of the types of oil and petroleum products that may be
transported.
(3) A map of track routes and facilities.
(4) A list, description, and map of any prestaged spill response
equipment and personnel for deployment of the equipment.
(f) The oil spill contingency plan shall be available to response
personnel and to relevant state and federal agencies for inspection
and review.
(g) The oil spill contingency plan shall be reviewed periodically
and updated as necessary. All updates shall be submitted to the
administrator pursuant to this article.
(h) In addition to the regulations adopted pursuant to Section
8670.28, the administrator shall adopt regulations and guidelines to
implement this section. The regulations and guidelines shall provide
for the best achievable protection of waters and natural resources of
the state. The administrator may establish additional oil spill
contingency plan requirements, including, but not limited to,
requirements based on the different geographic regions of the state.
All regulations and guidelines shall be developed in consultation
with the Oil Spill Technical Advisory Committee.
(i) Notwithstanding subdivision (a) and paragraph (6) of
subdivision (b), a vessel or facility operating where a spill could
impact state waters that are not tidally influenced does not have to
identify a rated OSRO in the contingency plan until January 1, 2016.
SEC. 21. Section 8670.30.5 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
8670.30.5. (a) The administrator may review each oil spill
contingency plan that has been approved pursuant to Section 8670.29
to determine whether it complies with Sections 8670.28 and 8670.29.
(b) If the administrator finds the approved oil spill contingency
plan is deficient, the plan shall be returned to the operator with
written reasons why the approved plan was found inadequate and, if
practicable, suggested modifications or alternatives. The operator
shall submit a new or modified plan within 30 days that responds to
the deficiencies identified by the administrator.
SEC. 22. Section 8670.31 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
8670.31. (a) Each oil spill contingency plan required under this
article shall be submitted to the administrator for review and
approval.
(b) The administrator shall review each submitted contingency plan
to determine whether it complies with the administrator's rules,
policies, and regulations adopted pursuant to Section 8670.28 and
8670.29. The administrator may issue a preliminary approval pending
final approval or disapproval.
(c) Each contingency plan submitted shall be approved or
disapproved within 30 days after receipt by the administrator. The
administrator may approve or disapprove portions of a plan. A plan is
not deemed approved until all portions are approved pursuant to this
section. The disapproved portion shall be subject to the procedures
contained in subdivision (d).
(d) If the administrator finds the submitted contingency plan is
inadequate under the rules, policies, and regulations of the
administrator, the plan shall be returned to the submitter with
written reasons why the plan was found inadequate and,
if practicable, suggested
modifications or alternatives, if appropriate. The submitter shall
submit a new or modified plan within 30 days after the earlier plan
was returned, responding to the findings and incorporating any
suggested modifications. The resubmittal shall be treated as a new
submittal and processed according to the provisions of this section,
except that the resubmitted plan shall be deemed approved unless the
administrator acts pursuant to subdivision (c).
(e) The administrator may make inspections and require drills of
any oil spill contingency plan that is submitted.
(f) After the plan has been approved, it shall be resubmitted
every five years thereafter. The administrator may require earlier or
more frequent resubmission, if warranted. Circumstances that would
require an earlier resubmission include, but are not limited to,
changes in regulations, new oil spill response technologies,
deficiencies identified in the evaluation conducted pursuant to
Section 8670.19, or a need for a different oil spill response because
of increased need to protect endangered species habitat. The
administrator may deny approval of the resubmitted plan if it is no
longer considered adequate according to the adopted rules,
regulations, and policies of the administrator at the time of
resubmission.
(g) Each owner or operator of a tank vessel, nontank vessel
carrying oil as a secondary cargo, or facility who is required to
file an oil spill response plan or update pursuant to provisions of
federal law regulating oil spill response plans shall, upon request
of the administrator, for informational purposes only, submit a copy
of that plan or update to the administrator at the time that it is
approved by the relevant federal agency.
SEC. 23. Section 8670.32 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
8670.32. (a) To reduce the risk of an oil spill as a result of
fuel, cargo, and lube oil transfers, the administrator shall develop
and implement a screening mechanism and a comprehensive risk-based
monitoring program for inspecting the bunkering and lightering
operations of vessels at anchor and alongside a dock. This program
shall identify those bunkering and lightering operations that pose
the highest risk of a pollution incident.
(b) The administrator shall ensure that all bunkering and
lightering operations that, pursuant to subdivision (a), pose the
highest risk of a pollution incident are routinely monitored and
inspected. The administrator shall coordinate the monitoring and
inspection program with the United States Coast Guard.
(c) The administrator shall establish regulations to provide for
the best achievable protection during bunkering and lightering
operations.
SEC. 24. Section 8670.32.5 is added to the Government Code, to
read:
8670.32.5. (a) To reduce the risk of an oil spill as a result of
fuel, cargo, and lube oil transfers during nonvessel transport, the
administrator shall develop and implement a screening mechanism and
comprehensive risk-based monitoring program for inspecting nonvessel
handling and transport of oil. This program shall identify those
operations that pose the highest risk of a pollution incident.
(b) Pursuant to subdivision (a), the administrator shall ensure
that those operations that pose the highest risk of a pollution
incident are routinely monitored and inspected. The administrator
shall coordinate the monitoring and inspection program with the
appropriate regulators, and shall establish regulations to provide
the best achievable protection for spills associated with these
operations.
SEC. 25. Section 8670.33 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
8670.33. (a) If the operator of a tank ship or tank barge for
which a contingency plan has not been approved desires to have the
tank ship or tank barge enter waters of the state, the administrator
may give approval by telephone or facsimile machine for the entry of
the tank ship or tank barge into waters of the state under an
approved contingency plan applicable to a terminal or tank ship, if
all of the following are met:
(1) The terminal or tank ship is the destination of the tank ship
or tank barge.
(2) The operator of the terminal or the tank ship provides the
administrator advance written assurance that the operator assumes all
responsibility for the operations of the tank ship or tank barge
while it is in waters of the state traveling to or from the terminal.
The assurance may be delivered by hand or by mail or may be sent by
facsimile machine, followed by delivery of the original.
(3) The approved terminal or tank ship contingency plan includes
all conditions the administrator requires for the operations of tank
ship or tank barges traveling to and from the terminal.
(4) The tank ship or tank barge and its operations meet all
requirements of the contingency plan for the tank ship or terminal
that is the destination of the tank ship or tank barge.
(5) The tank ship or tank barge without an approved contingency
plan has not entered waters of the state more than once in the
12-month period preceding the request made under this section.
(b) At all times that a tank ship or tank barge is in waters of
the state pursuant to subdivision (a), its operators and all their
agents and employees shall operate the vessel in accordance with the
applicable operations manual or, if there is an oil spill, in
accordance with the directions of the administrator and the
applicable contingency plan.
SEC. 26. Section 8670.34 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
8670.34. This article shall not apply to any tank vessel, nontank
vessel, or vessel carrying oil as a secondary cargo that enters
waters of the state because of imminent danger to the lives of crew
members or if entering waters of the state will substantially aid in
preventing an oil spill or other harm to public safety or the
environment, if the operators of the tank vessel, nontank vessel, or
vessel carrying oil as a secondary cargo comply with all of the
following:
(a) The operators or crew of the tank vessel, nontank vessel, or
vessel carrying oil as a secondary cargo comply at all times with all
orders and directions given by the administrator, or his or her
designee, while the tank vessel, nontank vessel, or vessel carrying
oil as a secondary cargo is in waters of the state, unless the orders
or directions are contradicted by orders or directions of the Coast
Guard.
(b) Except for fuel, oil may be transferred to or from the tank
vessel, nontank vessel, or vessel carrying oil as a secondary cargo
while it is in waters of the state only if permission is obtained for
the transfer of oil and one of the following conditions is met:
(1) The transfer is necessary for the safety of the crew.
(2) The transfer is necessary to prevent harm to public safety or
the environment.
(3) An oil spill contingency plan is approved or made applicable
to the tank vessel, nontank vessel, or vessel carrying oil as a
secondary cargo, under subdivision (c).
(c) The tank vessel, nontank vessel, or vessel carrying oil as a
secondary cargo shall leave the waters of the state as soon as it may
do so without imminent risk of harm to the crew, public safety, or
the environment, unless an oil spill contingency plan is approved or
made applicable to it under this article.
SEC. 27. Section 8670.35 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
8670.35. (a) The administrator, taking into consideration the
California oil spill contingency plan, shall promulgate regulations
regarding the adequacy of oil spill elements of area plans required
pursuant to Section 25503 of the Health and Safety Code. In
developing the regulations, the administrator shall consult with the
Oil Spill Technical Advisory Committee.
(b) The administrator may offer, to a unified program agency with
jurisdiction over or directly adjacent to waters of the state, a
grant to complete, update, or revise an oil spill element of the area
plan.
(c) Each oil spill element established under this section shall
include provisions for training fire and police personnel in oil
spill response and cleanup equipment use and operations.
(d) Each oil spill element prepared under this section shall be
consistent with the local government's local coastal program as
certified under Section 30500 of the Public Resources Code, the
California oil spill contingency plan, and the National Contingency
Plan.
(e) If a grant is awarded, the administrator shall review and
approve each oil spill element established pursuant to this section.
If, upon review, the administrator determines that the oil spill
element is inadequate, the administrator shall return it to the
agency that prepared it, specifying the nature and extent of the
inadequacies, and, if practicable, suggesting modifications. The
unified program agency shall submit a new or modified element within
90 days after the element was returned, responding to the findings
and incorporating any suggested modifications.
(f) The administrator shall periodically review the preparedness
of unified program agencies to determine whether a program of grants
for completing oil spill elements is desirable and should be
continued. If the administrator determines that local government
preparedness should be improved, the administrator shall request the
Legislature to appropriate funds from the Oil Spill Prevention and
Administration Fund for the purposes of this section. Beginning
January 1, 2015, the administrator shall perform this review no less
often than every five years and the administrator's determination
shall be reported to the Legislature, consistent with Section 9795,
and made public.
SEC. 28. Section 8670.36 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
8670.36. The administrator shall, within five working days after
receipt of a contingency plan prepared pursuant to Section 8670.28 or
8670.35, post a notice that the plan is available for review. The
administrator shall send a copy of the plan within two working days
after receiving a request from the Oil Spill Technical Advisory
Committee. The State Lands Commission and the California Coastal
Commission shall review the plans for facilities or local governments
within the coastal zone. The San Francisco Bay Conservation and
Development Commission shall review the plans for facilities or local
governments within the area described in Sections 66610 and 29101 of
the Public Resources Code. The California Environmental
Protection Agency and the Office of Emergency Services shall
review the plans for facilities or local governments located
outside of the coastal zone. Any state agency or committee that
comments shall submit its comments to the administrator within 15
days of receipt of the plan. The administrator shall consider all
comments.
SEC. 29. Section 8670.37 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
8670.37. (a) The administrator, with the assistance of the State
Lands Commission, the California Coastal Commission, the Executive
Director of the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development
Commission, or other appropriate agency, shall carry out studies with
regard to improvements to contingency planning and oil spill
response equipment and operations.
(b) To the greatest extent possible, these studies shall be
coordinated with studies being done by the federal government, and
other appropriate state and international entities, and duplication
with the efforts of other entities shall be minimized.
(c) The administrator, the State Lands Commission, the California
Coastal Commission, and the Executive Director
executive director of the San Francisco Bay Conservation
and Development Commission, or other appropriate agency, may be
reimbursed for all costs incurred in carrying out the studies under
this section from the Oil Spill Prevention and Administration Fund.
SEC. 30. Section 8670.37.5 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
8670.37.5. (a) The administrator shall establish a network of
rescue and rehabilitation stations for wildlife injured by oil
spills, including sea otters and other marine mammals. In addition to
rehabilitative care, the primary focus of the Oiled Wildlife Care
Network shall include proactive oiled wildlife search and collection
rescue efforts. These facilities shall be established and maintained
in a state of preparedness to provide the best achievable treatment
for wildlife, mammals mammals, and
birds affected by an oil spill in waters of the state. The
administrator shall consider all feasible management alternatives for
operation of the network.
(b) (1) The first rescue and rehabilitation station established
pursuant to this section shall be located within the sea otter range
on the central coast. The administrator shall establish regional
oiled wildlife rescue and rehabilitation facilities in the Los
Angeles Harbor area, the San Francisco Bay area, the San Diego area,
the Monterey Bay area, the Humboldt County area, and the Santa
Barbara area, and may establish those facilities in other areas of
the state as the administrator determines to be necessary. One or
more of the oiled wildlife rescue and rehabilitation stations shall
be open to the public for educational purposes and shall be available
for marine wildlife health research. Wherever possible in the
establishment of these facilities, the administrator shall improve
existing authorized mammal rehabilitation facilities and may expand
or take advantage of existing educational or scientific programs and
institutions for oiled wildlife rehabilitation purposes. Expenditures
shall be reviewed by the agencies and organizations specified in
subdivision (c).
(2) The administrator may also establish additional stations or
facilities in the interior of the state primarily for the rescue and
rehabilitation of wildlife affected by inland spills.
(c) The administrator shall consult with the United States Fish
and Wildlife Service, the National Marine Fisheries Service, the
California Coastal Commission, the Executive Director
executive director of the San Francisco Bay
Conservation and Development Commission, the Marine Mammal Center,
and the International Bird Rescue Center
in the design, planning, construction, and operation of the
rescue and rehabilitation stations. All proposals for the rescue and
rehabilitation stations shall be presented before a public hearing
prior to the construction and operation of any rehabilitation
station, and, upon completion of the coastal protection element of
the California oil spill contingency plan, shall be consistent with
the coastal protection element.
(d) The administrator may enter into agreements with nonprofit
organizations to establish and equip wildlife rescue and
rehabilitation stations and to ensure that they are operated in a
professional manner in keeping with the pertinent guidance documents
issued by the administrator. The implementation of the agreement
shall not constitute a California public works project. The agreement
shall be deemed a contract for wildlife rehabilitation as authorized
by Section 8670.61.5.
(e) In the event of a spill, the responsible party may request
that the administrator perform the rescue and rehabilitation of oiled
wildlife required of the responsible party pursuant to this chapter
if the responsible party and the administrator enter into an
agreement for the reimbursement of the administrator's costs incurred
in taking the requested action. If the administrator performs the
rescue and rehabilitation of oiled wildlife, the administrator shall
primarily utilize the network of rescue and rehabilitation stations
established pursuant to subdivision (a), unless more immediate care
is required. Any of those activities conducted pursuant to this
section or Section 8670.56.5 or 8670.61.5 shall be performed under
the direction of the administrator. This subdivision does not remove
the responsible party from liability for the costs of, nor
or the responsibility for, the rescue and
rehabilitation of oiled wildlife, as established by this chapter.
This subdivision does not prohibit an owner or operator from
retaining, in a contingency plan prepared pursuant to this article,
wildlife rescue and rehabilitation services different from the rescue
and rehabilitation stations established pursuant to this section.
(f) (1) The administrator shall appoint a rescue and
rehabilitation advisory board to advise the administrator regarding
operation of the network of rescue and rehabilitation stations
established pursuant to subdivision (a), including the economic
operation and maintenance of the network. For the purpose of
assisting the administrator in determining what constitutes the best
achievable treatment for oiled wildlife, the advisory board shall
provide recommendations to the administrator on the care achieved by
current standard treatment methods, new or alternative treatment
methods, the costs of treatment methods, and any other information
that the advisory board believes that the administrator might find
useful in making that determination. The administrator shall consult
with the advisory board in preparing the administrator's submission
to the Legislature pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 8670.40.5.
The administrator shall present the recommendations of the advisory
board to the Oil Spill Technical Advisory Committee created pursuant
to Article 8 (commencing with Section 8670.54), upon the request of
the committee.
(2) The advisory board shall consist of a balance between
representatives of the oil industry, wildlife rehabilitation
organizations, and academia. One academic representative shall be
from a veterinary school within this state. The United States Fish
and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service shall
be requested to participate as ex officio members.
(3) (A) The Legislature hereby finds and declares that since the
administrator may rely on the expertise provided by the volunteer
members of the advisory board and may be guided by their
recommendations in making decisions that relate to the operation of
the network of rescue and rehabilitation stations, those members
should be entitled to the same immunity from liability that is
provided other public employees.
(B) Members of the advisory board, while performing functions
within the scope of advisory board duties, shall be entitled to the
same rights and immunities granted public employees by Article 3
(commencing with Section 820) of Chapter 1 of Part 2 of Division 3.6
of Title 1. Those rights and immunities are deemed to have attached,
and shall attach, as of the date of appointment of the member to the
advisory board.
(g) The administrator shall ensure the state's ability to prevent
the contamination of wildlife and to identify, collect, rescue, and
treat oiled wildlife through all of the following:
(1) Providing for the recruitment and training of an adequate
network of wildlife specialists and volunteers from Oiled Wildlife
Care Network participant organizations who can be called into
immediate action in the event of an oil spill to assist in the field
with collection of live oiled wildlife. The training shall include a
process for certification of trained volunteers and renewal of
certifications. The initial wildlife rescue training shall include
field experience in species identification and appropriate field
collection techniques for species at risk in different spills. In
addition to training in wildlife rescue, the administrator shall
provide for appropriate hazardous materials training for new
volunteers and contract personnel, with refresher courses offered as
necessary to allow for continual readiness of search and collection
teams. Moneys in the Oil Spill Prevention and Administration Fund
shall not be used to reimburse volunteers for time or travel
associated with required training.
(2) Developing and implementing a plan for the provision of
emergency equipment for wildlife rescue in strategic locations to
facilitate ready deployment in the case of an oil spill. The
administrator shall ensure that the equipment identified as necessary
in his or her wildlife response plan is available and deployed in a
timely manner to assist in providing the best achievable protection
and collection efforts.
(3) Developing the capacity of the Oiled Wildlife Care Network to
recruit and train an adequate field team for collection of live oiled
wildlife, as specified in paragraph (1), by providing staffing for
field operations, coordination, and volunteer outreach for the Oiled
Wildlife Care Network. The duties of the field operations and
volunteer outreach staff shall include recruitment and coordination
of additional participation in the Oiled Wildlife Care Network by
other existing organizations with experience and expertise in
wildlife rescue and handling, including scientific organizations,
educational institutions, public agencies, and nonprofit
organizations dedicated to wildlife conservation, and recruitment,
training, and supervision of volunteers from Oiled Wildlife Care
Network participating organizations.
(4) Ensuring that qualified persons with experience and expertise
in wildlife rescue are assigned to oversee and supervise wildlife
recovery search and collection efforts, as specified in the
administrator's wildlife response plan. The administrator shall
provide for and ensure that all persons involved in field collection
of oiled wildlife receive training in search and capture techniques
and hazardous materials certification, as appropriate.
SEC. 31. Section 8670.37.51 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
8670.37.51. (a) A tank vessel or vessel carrying oil as a
secondary cargo shall not be used to transport oil across waters of
the state unless the owner or operator has applied for and obtained a
certificate of financial responsibility issued by the administrator
for that vessel or for the owner of all of the oil contained in and
to be transferred to or from that vessel.
(b) An operator of a marine terminal within the state shall not
transfer oil to or from a tank vessel or vessel carrying oil as a
secondary cargo unless the operator of the marine terminal has
received a copy of a certificate of financial responsibility issued
by the administrator for the operator of that vessel or for all of
the oil contained in and to be transferred to or from that vessel.
(c) An operator of a marine terminal within the state shall not
transfer oil to or from any vessel that is or is intended to be used
for transporting oil as cargo to or from a second vessel unless the
operator of the marine terminal has first received a copy of a
certificate of financial responsibility issued by the administrator
for the person responsible for both the first and second vessels or
all of the oil contained in both vessels, as well as all the oil to
be transferred to or from both vessels.
(d) A person shall not operate a facility unless the owner or
operator of the facility has first obtained a certificate of
financial responsibility from the administrator for the facility.
SEC. 32. Section 8670.37.52 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
8670.37.52. The certificate of financial responsibility shall be
conclusive evidence that the person or entity holding the certificate
is the party responsible for the specified vessel, facility, or oil
for purposes of determining liability pursuant to this chapter.
SEC. 33. Section 8670.37.53 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
8670.37.53. (a) To receive a certificate of financial
responsibility for a tank vessel or for all of the oil contained
within the tank vessel, the applicant shall demonstrate to the
satisfaction of the administrator the financial ability to pay at
least one billion dollars ($1,000,000,000) for any damages that may
arise during the term of the certificate.
(b) The administrator may establish a lower standard of financial
responsibility for small tank barges, vessels carrying oil as a
secondary cargo, and small marine fueling facilities. The standard
shall be based on the quantity of oil that can be carried or stored
and the risk of spill into waters of the state. The administrator
shall not set a standard that is less than the expected costs from a
reasonable worst case oil spill into waters of the state.
(c) (1) To receive a certificate of financial responsibility for a
facility, the applicant shall demonstrate to the satisfaction of the
administrator the financial ability to pay for any damages that
might arise during a reasonable worst case oil spill into waters of
the state that results from the operations of the facility. The
administrator shall consider criteria including, but not necessarily
limited to, the amount of oil that could be spilled into waters of
the state from the facility, the cost of cleaning up spilled oil, the
frequency of operations at the facility, and the damages that could
result from a spill.
(2) The administrator shall adopt regulations to implement this
section.
SEC. 34. Section 8670.37.55 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
8670.37.55. (a) An owner or operator of more than one tank
vessel, vessel carrying oil as a secondary cargo, nontank vessel, or
facility shall only be required to obtain one certificate of
financial responsibility for all of those vessels and facilities
owned or operated.
(b) If a person holds a certificate for more than one tank vessel,
vessel carrying oil as a secondary cargo, nontank vessel, or
facility and a spill or spills occurs from one or more of those
vessels or facilities for which the owner or operator may be liable
for damages in an amount exceeding 5 percent of the financial
resources reflected by the certificate, as determined by the
administrator, the certificate shall immediately be considered
inapplicable to any vessel or facility not associated with the spill.
In that event, the owner or operator shall demonstrate to the
satisfaction of the administrator the amount of financial ability
required pursuant to this article, as well as the financial ability
to pay all damages that arise or have arisen from the spill or spills
that have occurred.
SEC. 35. Section 8670.37.58 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
8670.37.58. (a) A nontank vessel shall not enter waters of the
state unless the nontank vessel owner or operator has provided to the
administrator evidence of financial responsibility that
demonstrates, to the administrator's satisfaction, the ability to pay
at least three hundred million dollars ($300,000,000) to cover
damages caused by a spill, and the owner or operator of the nontank
vessel has obtained a certificate
of financial responsibility from the administrator for the
nontank vessel.
(b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), the administrator may
establish a lower standard of financial responsibility for a nontank
vessel that has a carrying capacity of 6,500 barrels of oil or less,
or for a nontank vessel that is owned and operated by California or a
federal agency and has a carrying capacity of 7,500 barrels of oil
or less. The standard shall be based upon the quantity of oil that
can be carried by the nontank vessel and the risk of an oil spill
into waters of the state. The administrator shall not set a standard
that is less than the expected cleanup costs and damages from an oil
spill into waters of the state.
(c) The administrator may adopt regulations to implement this
section.
SEC. 36. Section 8670.40 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
8670.40. (a) The State Board of Equalization shall collect a fee
in an amount annually determined by the administrator to be
sufficient to pay the reasonable regulatory costs to carry out the
purposes set forth in subdivision (e), and a reasonable reserve for
contingencies. The annual assessment for the year beginning January
1, 2015, and ending December 1, 2015, shall not exceed six and
one-half cents ($0.065) per barrel of crude oil or petroleum
products.
(b) (1) The oil spill prevention and administration fee shall be
based on each barrel of crude oil or petroleum products received at a
marine terminal, and shall be imposed upon a person owning crude oil
at the time that the crude oil is received at a marine
terminal by any mode of delivery, from within or outside the state,
and upon a person who owns petroleum products at the time that those
petroleum products are received at a marine terminal, by any mode of
delivery, from outside this state. The fee shall be collected by the
marine terminal operator from the owner of the crude oil or petroleum
products.
(2) An operator of a pipeline shall pay the oil spill prevention
and administration fee for each barrel of crude oil originating from
a production facility in waters of the state and transported in the
state by means of a pipeline operating across, under, or through the
waters of the state.
(3) The oil spill prevention and administration fee shall be
imposed upon a person owning crude oil at the time the crude oil is
received at a refinery within the state by any method of transport,
whether from within or outside the state. The refinery shall collect
the fee from the owner of the crude oil, for each barrel received.
(4) The fees shall be remitted to the board
State Board of Equalization by the owner of the oil, the
refinery, the terminal, or pipeline operator on the 25th day of the
month based upon the number of barrels of crude oil or petroleum
products received at a refinery or marine terminal, or transported by
pipeline, during the preceding month. A fee shall not be imposed
pursuant to this section with respect to crude oil or petroleum
products if the person who would be liable for that fee, or
responsible for its collection, establishes that the fee has been
collected by a refinery or terminal operator registered under this
chapter or paid to the board State Board of
Equalization with respect to the crude oil or petroleum
product.
(5) An owner of crude oil or petroleum products is liable for the
fee until it has been paid to the board State
Board of Equalization , except that payment to a refinery or
marine terminal operator registered under this chapter is sufficient
to relieve the owner from further liability for the fee.
(6) On or before January 20, the administrator shall annually
prepare a plan that projects revenues and expenses over three fiscal
years, including the current year. Based on the plan, the
administrator shall set the fee so that projected revenues, including
any interest, are equivalent to expenses as reflected in the current
Budget Act and in the proposed budget submitted by the Governor. In
setting the fee, the administrator may allow for a surplus if the
administrator finds that revenues will be exhausted during the period
covered by the plan or that the surplus is necessary to cover
possible contingencies. The administrator shall notify the
board State Board of Equalization of the adjusted
fee rate, which shall be rounded to no more than four decimal
places, to be effective the first day of the month beginning not less
than 30 days from the date of the notification.
(c) The moneys collected pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be
deposited into the fund.
(d) The board State Board of Equalization
shall collect the fee and adopt regulations for implementing
the fee collection program.
(e) The fee described in this section shall be collected solely
for all of the following purposes:
(1) To implement oil spill prevention programs through rules,
regulations, leasing policies, guidelines, and inspections and to
implement research into prevention and control technology.
(2) To carry out studies that may lead to improved oil spill
prevention and response.
(3) To finance public health, environmental, and economic studies
relating to the effects of oil spills.
(4) To implement, install, and maintain emergency programs,
equipment, and facilities to respond to, contain, and clean up oil
spills and to ensure that those operations will be carried out as
intended.
(5) To reimburse the board State Board of
Equalization for costs incurred to implement this chapter and
to carry out Part 24 (commencing with Section 46001) of Division 2 of
the Revenue and Taxation Code.
(6) To fund the Oiled Wildlife Care Network pursuant to Section
8670.40.5.
(f) The moneys deposited in the fund shall not be used for
responding to an oil spill.
(g) The moneys deposited in the fund shall not be used to provide
a loan to any other fund.
(h) Every person who operates an oil refinery, marine terminal, or
a pipeline, shall register with the State Board of Equalization,
pursuant to Section 46101 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
SEC. 37. Section 8670.40.5 is added to the Government Code, to
read:
8670.40.5. (a) For each fiscal year, consistent with this
article, the administrator shall submit, as a proposed appropriation
in the Governor's Budget, an amount up to two million five hundred
thousand dollars ($2,500,000) for the purpose of equipping,
operating, and maintaining the network of oiled wildlife rescue and
rehabilitation stations and proactive oiled wildlife search and
collection rescue efforts established pursuant to Section 8670.37.5
and for the support of technology development and research
related to oiled wildlife care.
(b) The administrator shall report to the Legislature upon
request, on the progress and effectiveness of the network of oiled
wildlife rescue and rehabilitation stations established pursuant to
Section 8670.37.5, 8670.37.5 and the
adequacy of the Oil Spill Prevention and Administration Fund to meet
the purposes for which the network was established.
(c) At the administrator's request, the funds made available
pursuant to this section may be directly appropriated to a suitable
program for wildlife health and rehabilitation within a school of
veterinary medicine within this state, if an agreement exists,
consistent with this chapter, between the administrator and an
appropriate representative of the program for carrying out that
purpose. The administrator shall attempt to have an agreement in
place at all times. The agreement shall ensure that the training of,
and the care provided by, the program staff are at levels that are
consistent with those standards generally accepted within the
veterinary profession.
(d) The funds made available pursuant to this section shall not be
considered an offset to any other state funds appropriated to the
program, the program's associated school of veterinary medicine, or
the program's associated college or university, and the funds shall
not be used for any other purpose. If an offset does occur or the
funds are used for an unintended purpose, the administrator may
terminate expenditure of any funds appropriated pursuant to this
section and the administrator may request a reappropriation to
accomplish the intended purpose. The administrator shall annually
review and approve the proposed uses of any funds made available
pursuant to this section.
SEC. 38. Section 8670.42 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
8670.42. (a) The administrator and the State Lands Commission,
independently, shall contract with the Department of Finance for the
preparation of a detailed report that shall be submitted on or before
January 1, 2013, and no less than once every four years thereafter,
to the Governor and the Legislature on the financial basis and
programmatic effectiveness of the state's oil spill prevention,
response, and preparedness program. This report shall include an
analysis of all of the oil spill prevention, response, and
preparedness program's major expenditures, fees and fines collected,
staffing and equipment levels, spills responded to, and other
relevant issues. The report shall recommend measures to improve the
efficiency and effectiveness of the state's oil spill prevention,
response, and preparedness program, including, but not limited to,
measures to modify existing contingency plan requirements, to improve
protection of sensitive shoreline sites, and to ensure adequate and
equitable funding for the state's oil spill prevention, response, and
preparedness program.
(b) A report to be submitted pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be
submitted in compliance with Section 9795.
SEC. 39. Section 8670.47.5 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
8670.47.5. The following shall be deposited into the fund:
(a) The fee required pursuant to Section 8670.48.
(b) Any federal funds received to pay for response, containment,
abatement, and rehabilitation costs from an oil spill in waters of
the state.
(c) Any money borrowed by the Treasurer pursuant to Article 7.5
(commencing with Section 8670.53.1) or any draw on the financial
security obtained by the Treasurer pursuant to subdivision (o) of
Section 8670.48.
(d) Any interest earned on the moneys in the fund.
(e) Any costs recovered from responsible parties pursuant to
Section 8670.53 and subdivision (e) of Section 8670.53.1.
SEC. 40. Section 8670.48 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
8670.48. (a) (1) A uniform oil spill response fee in an amount
not exceeding twenty-five cents ($0.25) for each barrel of petroleum
products, as set by the administrator pursuant to subdivision (f),
shall be imposed upon a person who owns petroleum products at the
time the petroleum products are received at a marine terminal within
this state by means of a vessel from a point of origin outside this
state. The fee shall be collected by the marine terminal and remitted
to the State Board of Equalization by the terminal operator on the
25th day of each month based upon the number of barrels of petroleum
products received during the preceding month.
(2) An owner of petroleum products is liable for the fee until it
has been paid to the state, except that payment to a marine terminal
operator registered under this chapter is sufficient to relieve the
owner from further liability for the fee.
(b) An operator of a pipeline shall also pay a uniform oil spill
response fee in an amount not exceeding twenty-five cents ($0.25) for
each barrel of petroleum products, as set by the administrator
pursuant to subdivision (f), transported into the state by means of a
pipeline operating across, under, or through the waters of the
state. The fee shall be paid on the 25th day of each month based upon
the number of barrels of petroleum products so transported into the
state during the preceding month.
(c) An operator of a refinery shall pay a uniform oil spill
response fee in an amount not exceeding twenty-five cents ($0.25) for
each barrel of crude oil, as set by the administrator pursuant to
subdivision (f), received at a refinery within the state by any
method of transport. The fee shall be paid on the 25th day of each
month based upon the number of barrels of crude oil so received
during the preceding month.
(d) A marine terminal operator shall pay a uniform oil spill
response fee in an amount not exceeding twenty-five cents ($0.25), in
accordance with subdivision (g), for each barrel of crude oil, as
set by the administrator pursuant to subdivision (f), that is
transported from within this state by means of a vessel to a
destination outside this state.
(e) An operator of a pipeline shall pay a uniform oil spill
response fee in an amount not exceeding twenty-five cents ($0.25), in
accordance with subdivision (g), for each barrel of crude oil, as
set by the administrator pursuant to subdivision (f), transported out
of the state by pipeline.
(f) (1) The fees required pursuant to this section shall be
collected during any period for which the administrator determines
that collection is necessary for any of the following reasons:
(A) The amount in the fund is less than or equal to 95 percent of
the designated amount specified in subdivision (a) of Section 46012
of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
(B) Additional money is required to pay for the purposes specified
in subdivision (k).
(C) The revenue is necessary to repay a draw on a financial
security obtained by the Treasurer pursuant to subdivision (o) or
borrowing by the Treasurer pursuant to Article 7.5 (commencing with
Section 8670.53.1) including any principal, interest, premium, fees,
charges, or costs of any kind incurred in connection with those
borrowings or financial security.
(2) The administrator, in consultation with the State Board of
Equalization, and with the approval of the Treasurer, may direct the
State Board of Equalization to cease collecting the fee when the
administrator determines that further collection of the fee is not
necessary for the purposes specified in paragraph (1).
(3) The administrator, in consultation with the State Board of
Equalization, shall set the amount of the oil spill response fees.
The oil spill response fees shall be imposed on all feepayers in the
same amount. The administrator shall not set the amount of the fee at
less than twenty-five cents ($0.25) for each barrel of petroleum
products or crude oil, unless the administrator finds that the
assessment of a lesser fee will cause the fund to reach the
designated amount specified in subdivision (a) of Section 46012 of
the Revenue and Taxation Code within four months. The fee shall not
be less than twenty-five cents ($0.25) for each barrel of petroleum
products or crude oil if the administrator has drawn upon the
financial security obtained by the Treasurer pursuant to subdivision
(o) or if the Treasurer has borrowed money pursuant to Article 7.5
(commencing with Section 8670.53.1) and principal, interest, premium,
fees, charges, or costs of any kind incurred in connection with
those borrowings remain outstanding or unpaid, unless the Treasurer
has certified to the administrator that the money in the fund is not
necessary for the purposes specified in paragraph (1).
(g) The fees imposed by subdivisions (d) and (e) shall be imposed
in any calendar year beginning the month following the month when the
total cumulative year-to-date barrels of crude oil transported
outside the state by all feepayers by means of vessel or pipeline
exceed 6 percent by volume of the total barrels of crude oil and
petroleum products subject to oil spill response fees under
subdivisions (a), (b), and (c) for the prior calendar year.
(h) For purposes of this chapter, "designated amount" means the
amounts specified in Section 46012 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
(i) The administrator, in consultation with the State Board of
Equalization and with the approval of the Treasurer, shall authorize
refunds of any money collected that is not necessary for the purposes
specified in paragraph (1) of subdivision (f). The State Board of
Equalization, as directed by the administrator, and in accordance
with Section 46653 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, shall refund the
excess amount of fees collected to each feepayer who paid the fee to
the state, in proportion to the amount that each feepayer paid into
the fund during the preceding 12 monthly reporting periods in which
there was a fee due, including the month in which the fund exceeded
the specified amount. If the total amount of money in the fund
exceeds the amount specified in this subdivision by 10 percent or
less, refunds need not be ordered by the administrator. This section
does not require the refund of excess fees as provided in this
subdivision more frequently than once each year.
(j) The State Board of Equalization shall collect the fee and
adopt regulations implementing the fee collection program. All fees
collected pursuant to this section shall be deposited in the Oil
Spill Response Trust Fund.
(k) The fee described in this section shall be collected solely
for any of the following purposes:
(1) To provide funds to cover promptly the costs of response,
containment, and cleanup of oil spills into waters of the state,
including damage assessment costs, and wildlife rehabilitation as
provided in Section 8670.61.5.
(2) To cover response and cleanup costs and other damages suffered
by the state or other persons or entities from oil spills into
waters of the state , which that cannot
otherwise be compensated by responsible parties or the federal
government.
(3) To pay claims for damages pursuant to Section 8670.51.
(4) To pay claims for damages, except for damages described in
paragraph (7) of subdivision (h) of Section 8670.56.5, pursuant to
Section 8670.51.1.
(5) To pay for the cost of obtaining financial security in the
amount specified in subdivision (b) of Section 46012 of the Revenue
and Taxation Code, as authorized by subdivision (o).
(6) To pay indemnity and related costs and expenses as authorized
by Section 8670.56.6.
(7) To pay principal, interest, premium, if any, and fees,
charges, and costs of any kind incurred in connection with moneys
drawn by the administrator on the financial security obtained by the
Treasurer pursuant to subdivision (o) or borrowed by the Treasurer
pursuant to Article 7.5 (commencing with Section 8670.53.1).
(8) Reserved]
( l ) The interest that the state earns on the funds
deposited into the Oil Spill Response Trust Fund shall be deposited
in the fund and shall be used to maintain the fund at the designated
amount specified in subdivision (a) of Section 46012 of the Revenue
and Taxation Code. If the amount in the fund exceeds that designated
amount, the interest shall be deposited into the Oil Spill Prevention
and Administration Fund, and shall be available for the purposes
authorized by Article 6 (commencing with Section 8670.38).
(m) The Legislature finds and declares that effective response to
oil spills requires that the state have available sufficient funds in
a response fund. The Legislature further finds and declares that
maintenance of that fund is of utmost importance to the state and
that the money in the fund shall be used solely for the purposes
specified in subdivision (k).
(n) Reserved]
(o) The Treasurer shall obtain financial security, in the
designated amount specified in subdivision (b) of Section 46012 of
the Revenue and Taxation Code, in a form which
that , in the event of an oil spill, may be drawn upon
immediately by the administrator upon making the determinations
required by paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 8670.49. The
financial security may be obtained in any of the forms described in
subdivision (b) of Section 8670.53.3, as determined by the Treasurer.
(p) This section does not limit the authority of the administrator
to raise oil spill response fees pursuant to Section 8670.48.5.
(q) Moneys in the fund may be used to respond to an imminent
threat of a spill in accordance with the provisions of Section
8670.62 pertaining to threatened discharges.
SEC. 41. Section 8670.48.3 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
8670.48.3. (a) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1)
of subdivision (f) of Section 8670.48, a loan or other transfer of
money from the fund to the General Fund pursuant to the Budget Act
that reduces the balance of the Oil Spill Response Trust Fund to less
than or equal to 95 percent of the designated amount specified in
subdivision (a) of Section 46012 of the Revenue and Taxation Code
shall not obligate the administrator to resume collection of the oil
spill response fee otherwise required by this article if both of the
following conditions are met:
(1) The annual Budget Act requires a transfer or loan from the
fund to be repaid to the fund with interest calculated at a rate
earned by the Pooled Money Investment Account as if the money had
remained in the fund.
(2) The annual Budget Act requires all transfers or loans to be
repaid to the fund on or before June 30, 2017.
(b) A transfer or loan described in subdivision (a) shall be
repaid as soon as possible if a spill occurs and the administrator
determines that response funds are needed immediately.
(c) If there is a conflict between this section and any other law
or enactment, this section shall control.
(d) This section shall remain in effect until July 1, 2017, and as
of that date is repealed.
SEC. 42. Section 8670.49 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
8670.49. (a) (1) The administrator may only expend money from the
fund to pay for any of the following, subject to the lien
established in Section 8670.53.2:
(A) To pay the cost of obtaining financial security as authorized
by paragraph (5) of subdivision (k) and subdivision (o) of Section
8670.48.
(B) To pay the principal, interest, premium, if any, and fees,
charges, and costs of any kind incurred in connection with moneys
drawn by the administrator on the financial security obtained by the
Treasurer, or the moneys borrowed by the Treasurer, as authorized by
paragraph (7) of subdivision (k) of Section 8670.48.
(C) To pay for the expansion, in the VTS area, pursuant to Section
445 of the Harbors and Navigation Code, of the vessel traffic
service system (VTS system) authorized pursuant to subdivision (f) of
Section 8670.21.
(2) If a spill has occurred, the administrator may expend the
money in the fund for the purposes identified in paragraphs (1), (2),
(3), (4), and (6) of subdivision (k) of Section 8670.48 only upon
making the following determinations:
(A) Except as authorized by Section 8670.51.1, a responsible party
does not exist or the responsible party is unable or unwilling to
provide adequate and timely cleanup and to pay for the damages
resulting from the spill. The administrator shall make a reasonable
effort to have the party responsible remove the oil or agree to pay
for any actions resulting from the spill that may be required by law,
provided that the efforts are not detrimental to fish, plant,
animal, or bird life in the affected waters. The reasonable effort of
the administrator shall include attempting to access the responsible
parties' insurance or other proof of financial responsibility.
(B) Sufficient federal oil spill funds are not available or will
not be available in an adequate period of time.
(3) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subdivision, the
administrator may expend money from the fund for authorized
expenditures when a reimbursement procedure is in place to receive
reimbursements for those expenditures from federal oil spill funds.
(b) Upon making the determinations specified in paragraph (2) of
subdivision (a), the administrator shall immediately make whatever
payments are necessary for responding to, containing, or cleaning up,
the spill, including any wildlife rehabilitation required by law and
payment of claims pursuant to Sections 8670.51 and 8670.51.1,
subject to the lien established by Section 8670.53.2.
SEC. 43. Section 8670.50 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
8670.50. (a) Money from the fund may only be expended to cover
the costs incurred by the state and local governments and agencies
for any of the following:
(1) Responding promptly to, containing, and cleaning up the
discharge, if those efforts are any of the following:
(A) Undertaken pursuant to the state and local oil spill
contingency plans established under this chapter, and the California
oil spill contingency plan established under Article 3.5 (commencing
with Section 8574.1) of Chapter 7.
(B) Undertaken consistent with the standardized emergency
management system established pursuant to Section 8607.
(C) Undertaken at the direction of the administrator.
(2) Meeting the requirements of Section 8670.61.5,
8670.61.5 relating to wildlife rehabilitation.
(3) Making the payments authorized by subdivision (k) of Section
8670.48.
(b) In the event of an oil spill, the administrator shall make
whatever expenditures are necessary and appropriate from the fund to
cover the costs described in subdivision (a), subject to the lien
established pursuant to Section 8670.53.2.
SEC. 44. Section 8670.51 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
8670.51. (a) When a person has obtained a final judgment for
damages resulting from an oil spill in waters of the state, but is
unable, within one year after the date of its entry, to enforce the
judgment pursuant to Title 9 (commencing with Section 680.010) of the
Code of Civil Procedure, or is unable to obtain satisfaction of the
judgment from the federal government within 90 additional days, the
administrator shall pay an amount not to exceed those amounts that
cannot be recovered from a responsible party and the fund shall be
subrogated to all rights, claims, and causes of action that the
claimant has under this chapter, Article 3. 5 (commencing with
Section 8574.1) of Chapter 7, Section 8670.61.5, and Division 7.8
(commencing with Section 8750) of the Public Resources Code.
(b) Any person may apply to the fund for compensation for damages
and losses suffered as a result of an oil spill in waters of the
state under any of the following conditions:
(1) The responsible party or parties cannot be ascertained.
(2) A responsible party is not liable for noneconomic damages
caused by another.
(3) Subdivision (i) of Section 8670.56.6 is applicable to the
claim.
(c) The administrator shall not approve any claim in an amount
that exceeds the amount to which the person would otherwise be
entitled pursuant to Section 8670.56.5, and
shall pay claims from the fund which
that are approved pursuant to this section.
SEC. 45. Section 8670.53 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
8670.53. The Attorney General, in consultation with the
administrator, shall undertake actions to recover all costs to the
funds from any responsible party for an oil spill into waters of the
state for which expenditures are made from the fund. The recovery of
costs pursuant to this section shall not foreclose the Attorney
General from any other actions allowed by law.
SEC. 46. Section 8670.54 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
8670.54. (a) The Oil Spill Technical Advisory Committee,
hereafter in this article, the committee, is hereby established to
provide public input and independent judgment of the actions of the
administrator. The committee shall consist of 14
15 members, of whom eight nine
shall be appointed by the Governor, three by the Speaker of the
Assembly, and three by the Senate Committee on Rules. The
appointments shall be made in the following manner:
(1) The Speaker of the Assembly and Senate Committee on Rules
shall each appoint a member who shall be a representative of the
public.
(2) The Governor shall appoint a member who has a demonstrable
knowledge of marine transportation.
(3) The Speaker of the Assembly and the Senate Rules
Committee on Rules shall each appoint two
members who have demonstrable knowledge of environmental protection
and the study of ecosystems.
(4) The Governor shall appoint a member who has served as a local
government elected official or who has worked for a local government.
(5) The Governor shall appoint a member who has experience in oil
spill response and prevention programs.
(6) The Governor shall appoint a member who has been employed in
the petroleum industry.
(7) The Governor shall appoint a member who has worked in state
government.
(8) The Governor shall appoint a member who has demonstrable
knowledge of the dry cargo vessel industry.
(9) The Governor shall appoint a member who has demonstrable
knowledge of the railroad industry.
(10) The Governor shall appoint a member who has demonstrable
knowledge of the oil production industry.
(11) The Governor shall appoint a member who has a demonstrable
knowledge of the truck transportation industry.
(b) The committee shall meet as often as required, but at least
twice per year. Members shall be paid one hundred dollars ($100) per
day for each meeting and all necessary travel expenses at state per
diem rates.
(c) The administrator and any personnel the administrator
determines to be appropriate shall serve as staff to the committee.
(d) A chair and vice chair shall be elected by a majority vote of
the committee.
SEC. 47. Section 8670.55 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
8670.55. (a) (1) The committee shall provide recommendations to
the administrator, the State Lands Commission, the California Coastal
Commission, the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development
Commission, the Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal
Resources, the Office of the State Fire Marshall
Marshal , and the Public Utilities Commission on any
provision of this chapter including the promulgation of all rules,
regulations, guidelines, and policies.
(2) Pursuant to paragraph (1), the committee shall monitor and
evaluate the modes of transportation of oil into and within the state
and the properties of the oil to identify any necessary changes in
oil spill response and preparedness programs to meet the goals of
this chapter.
(b) The committee may, at its own discretion, study, comment on,
or evaluate, any aspect of oil spill prevention and response in the
state. To the greatest extent possible, these studies shall be
coordinated with studies being done by the federal government, the
administrator, the State Lands Commission, the State Water Resources
Control Board, and other appropriate state and international
entities. Duplication with the efforts of other entities shall be
minimized.
(c) The committee may attend any drills called pursuant to Section
8670.10 or any oil spills, if practicable.
(d) The committee shall report biennially to the Governor and the
Legislature on its evaluation of oil spill response and preparedness
programs within the state and may prepare and send any additional
reports it determines to be appropriate to the Governor and the
Legislature.
SEC. 48. Section 8670.56.5 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
8670.56.5. (a) A responsible party, as defined in Section
8670.3, shall be absolutely liable without regard to fault for any
damages incurred by any injured party that arise out of, or are
caused by a spill.
(b) A responsible person is not liable to an injured party under
this section for any of the following:
(1) Damages, other than costs of removal incurred by the state or
a local government, caused solely by any act of war, hostilities,
civil war, or insurrection or by an unanticipated grave natural
disaster or other act of God of an exceptional, inevitable, and
irresistible character, which that
could not have been prevented or avoided by the exercise of due care
or foresight.
(2) Damages caused solely by the negligence or intentional
malfeasance of that injured party.
(3) Damages caused solely by the criminal act of a third party
other than the defendant or an agent or employee of the defendant.
(4) Natural seepage not caused by a responsible party.
(5) Discharge or leaking of oil or natural gas from a private
pleasure boat or vessel.
(6) Damages that arise out of, or are caused by, a discharge that
is authorized by a state or federal permit.
(c) The defenses provided in subdivision (b) shall not be
available to a responsible person who fails to comply with Sections
8670.25, 8670.25.5, 8670.27, and 8670.62.
(d) Upon motion and sufficient showing by a party deemed to be
responsible under this section, the court shall join to the action
any other party who may be responsible under this section.
(e) In determining whether a party is a responsible party under
this section, the court shall consider the results of chemical or
other scientific tests conducted to determine whether oil or other
substances produced, discharged, or controlled by the defendant
matches the oil or other substance that caused the damage to the
injured party. The defendant shall have the burden of producing the
results of tests of samples of the substance that caused the injury
and of substances for which the defendant is responsible, unless it
is not possible to conduct the tests because of unavailability of
samples to test or because the substance is not one for which
reliable tests have been developed. At the request of a party, any
other party shall provide samples of oil or other substances within
its possession or control for testing.
(f) The court may award reasonable costs of the suit,
attorneys' attorney's fees, and the costs of
necessary expert witnesses to a prevailing plaintiff. The court may
award reasonable costs of the suit and attorneys'
attorney's fees to a prevailing defendant if the court
finds that the plaintiff commenced or prosecuted the suit
under pursuant to this section in bad faith or
solely for purposes of harassing the defendant.
(g) This section does not prohibit a person from bringing an
action for damages caused by oil or by exploration, under any other
provision or principle of law, including, but not limited to, common
law. However, damages shall not be awarded pursuant to this section
to an injured party for loss or injury for which the party is or has
been awarded damages under any other provision or principle of law.
Subdivision (b) does not create a defense not otherwise available
regarding an action brought under any other provision or principle of
law, including, but not limited to, common law.
(h) Damages for which responsible parties are liable under this
section include the following:
(1) All costs of response, containment, cleanup, removal, and
treatment, including, but not limited to, monitoring and
administration costs incurred pursuant to the California oil spill
contingency plan or actions taken pursuant to directions by the
administrator.
(2) Injury to, or economic losses resulting from destruction of or
injury to, real or personal property, which shall be recoverable by
any claimant who has an ownership or leasehold interest in property.
(3) Injury to, destruction of or loss of, natural resources,
including, but not limited to, the reasonable costs of rehabilitating
wildlife, habitat, and other resources and the reasonable costs of
assessing that injury, destruction, or loss, in an action brought by
the state, a county, city, or district. Damages for the loss of
natural resources may be determined by any reasonable method,
including, but not limited to, determination according to the costs
of restoring the lost resource.
(4) Loss of subsistence use of natural resources, which shall be
recoverable by a claimant who so uses natural resources that have
been injured, destroyed, or lost.
(5) Loss of taxes, royalties, rents, or net profit shares caused
by the injury, destruction, loss, or impairment of use of real
property, personal property, or natural resources.
(6) Loss of profits or impairment of earning capacity due to the
injury, destruction, or loss of real property, personal property, or
natural resources, which shall be recoverable by any claimant who
derives at least 25 percent of his or her earnings from the
activities that utilize the property or natural resources, or, if
those activities are seasonal in nature, 25 percent of his or her
earnings during the applicable season.
(7) Loss of use and enjoyment of natural resources, public
beaches, and other public resources or facilities, in an action
brought by the state, a county, city, or district.
(i) Except as provided in Section 1431.2 of the Civil Code,
liability under this section shall be joint and several. However,
this section does not bar a cause of action that a responsible party
has or would have, by reason of subrogation or otherwise, against a
person.
(j) This section does not apply to claims for damages for personal
injury or wrongful death, and does not limit the right of a person
to bring an action for personal injury or wrongful death
under pursuant to any provision or principle of
law.
(k) Payments made by a responsible party to cover liabilities
arising from a discharge of oil, whether under
pursuant to this division or any other provision of
federal, state, or local law, shall not be charged against royalties,
rents, or net profits owed to the United States, the state, or any
other public entity.
( l ) An action that a private or public individual or
entity may have against a responsible party under this section may
be brought directly by the individual or entity or by the state on
behalf of the individual or entity. However, the state shall not
pursue an action on behalf of a private individual or entity that
requests the state not to pursue that action.
(m) For the purposes of this section, "vessels" means vessels as
defined in Section 21 of the Harbors and Navigation Code.
SEC. 49. Section 8670.56.6 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
8670.56.6. (a) (1) Except as provided in subdivisions (b) and
(d), and subject to subdivision (c), a person, including, but not
limited to, an oil spill cooperative, its agents, subcontractors, or
employees, shall not be liable under this chapter or the laws of the
state to any person for costs, damages, or other claims or expenses
as a result of actions taken or omitted in good faith in the course
of rendering care, assistance, or advice in accordance with the
National Contingency Plan, the California oil spill contingency plan,
or at the direction of the administrator, onsite coordinator, or the
Coast Guard in response to a spill or threatened spill.
(2) The qualified immunity under this section shall not apply to
any oil spill response action that is inconsistent with the
following:
(A) The directions of the unified command, consisting of at least
the Coast Guard and the administrator.
(B) In the absence of a unified command, the directions of the
administrator pursuant to Section 8670.27.
(C) In the absence of directions pursuant to subparagraph (A) or
(B), applicable oil spill contingency plans implemented under this
division.
(3) Nothing in this section shall, in any manner or respect,
affect or impair any cause of action against or any liability of any
person or persons responsible for the spill, for the discharged oil,
or for the vessel, terminal, pipeline, or facility from which the oil
was discharged. The responsible person or persons shall remain
liable for any and all damages arising from the discharge, including
damages arising from improperly carried out response efforts, as
otherwise provided by law.
(b) Nothing in this section shall, in any manner or respect,
affect or impair any cause of action against or any liability of any
party or parties responsible for the spill, or the responsible party'
s agents, employees, or subcontractors, except persons immunized
under subdivision (a) for response efforts, for the discharged oil,
or for the vessel, truck, terminal, pipeline, or facility
from which the oil was discharged.
(c) The responsible party or parties shall be subject to both of
the following:
(1) Notwithstanding subdivision (b) or (i) of Section 8670.56.5,
or any other provision of law, be strictly and
jointly and severally liable for all damages arising pursuant to
subdivision (h) of Section 8670.56.5 from the response efforts of its
agents, employees, subcontractors, or an oil spill cooperative of
which it is a member or with which it has a contract or other
arrangement for cleanup of its oil spills, unless it would have a
defense to the original spill.
(2) Remain strictly liable for any and all damages arising from
the response efforts of a person other than a person specified in
paragraph (1).
(d) Nothing in this section shall immunize a cooperative or any
other person from liability for acts of gross negligence or willful
misconduct in connection with the cleanup of a spill.
(e) This section does not apply to any action for personal injury
or wrongful death.
(f) As used in this section, a "cooperative" means an organization
of private persons which that is
established for the primary purpose and activity of preventing or
rendering care, assistance, or advice in response to a spill or
threatened spill.
(g) Except for the responsible party, membership in a cooperative
shall not be grounds , in and of itself, be
grounds for liability resulting from cleanup activities of
the cooperative.
(h) For purposes of this section, there shall be a rebuttable
presumption that an act or omission described in subdivision (a) was
taken in good faith.
(i) In any situation in which immunity is granted pursuant to
subdivision (a) and a responsible party is not liable, is not liable
for noneconomic damages caused by another, or is partially or totally
insolvent, the fund provided for in Article 7 (commencing with
Section 8670.46) shall reimburse , in accordance with its
terms, reimburse claims of any injured party for
which a person who is granted immunity pursuant to this section would
otherwise be liable.
(j) (1) The immunity granted by this section shall only apply to
response efforts that are undertaken after the administrator
certifies that contracts with qualified and responsible persons are
in place to ensure an adequate and expeditious response to any
foreseeable oil spill that may occur in waters of the state for which
the responsible party (A) cannot be identified or (B) is unable or
unwilling to respond, contain, and clean up the oil spill in an
adequate and timely manner. In negotiating these contracts, the
administrator shall procure , to the maximum extent
practicable, procure the services of persons who
are willing to respond to oil spills with no, or lesser, immunity
than that conferred by this section, but, in no event, a greater
immunity. The administrator shall make the certification required by
this subdivision on an annual basis. Upon certification, the immunity
conferred by this section shall apply to all response efforts
undertaken during the calendar year to which the certification
applies. In the absence of the certification required by this
subdivision, the immunity conferred by this section shall not attach
to any response efforts undertaken by any person in waters of the
state.
(2) In addition to the authority to negotiate contracts described
in paragraph (1), the administrator may also negotiate and enter into
indemnification agreements with qualified and financially
responsible persons to respond to oil spills that may occur in waters
of the state for which the responsible party (A) cannot be
identified or (B) is unable or unwilling to respond, contain, and
clean up the oil spill in an adequate and timely manner.
(3) The administrator may indemnify response contractors for (A)
all damages payable by means of settlement or judgment that arise
from response efforts to which the immunity conferred by this section
would otherwise apply, and (B) reasonably related legal costs and
expenses incurred by the responder, provided that indemnification
shall only apply to response efforts undertaken after the expiration
of any immunity that may exist as the result of the contract
negotiations authorized in this subdivision. In negotiating these
contracts, the administrator shall procure , to the
maximum extent practicable, procure the services
of persons who are willing to respond to oil spills with no, or as
little, right to indemnification as possible. All indemnification
shall be paid by the administrator from the Oil Spill Response Trust
Fund.
(4) (A) The contracts required by this section, and any other
contracts entered into by the administrator for response,
containment, or cleanup of an existing spill, or for response of an
imminent threat of a spill, the payment of which is to be made from
the Oil Spill Response Trust Fund created pursuant to Section
8670.46, shall be exempt from Part 2 (commencing with Section 10100)
of Division 2 of the Public Contract Code and Article 6 (commencing
with Section 999) of Chapter 6 of Division 4 of the Military and
Veterans Code.
(B) The exemption specified in subparagraph (A) applies only to
contracts for which the services are used for a period of less than
90 days, cumulatively, per year.
(C) This paragraph shall not be construed as limiting the
administrator's authority to exercise the emergency powers granted
pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 8670.62, including the
authority to enter into emergency contracts that are exempt from
approval by the Department of General Services.
(k) (1) With regard to a person who is regularly engaged in the
business of responding to oil spills, the immunity conferred by this
section shall not apply to any response efforts by that person that
occur later than 60 days after the first day the person's response
efforts commence.
(2) Notwithstanding the limitation contained in paragraph (1), the
administrator may extend , upon making all the following
findings, extend the period of time, not to exceed
30 days, during which the immunity conferred by this section applies
to response efforts:
(A) Due to inadequate or incomplete containment and stabilization,
there exists a substantial probability that the size of the spill
will significantly expand and (i) threaten previously uncontaminated
resources, (ii) threaten already contaminated resources with
substantial additional contamination, or (iii) otherwise endanger the
public health and safety or harm the environment.
(B) The remaining work is of a difficult or perilous nature that
extension of the immunity is clearly in the public interest.
(C) No other qualified and financially responsible contractor is
prepared and willing to complete the response effort in the absence
of the immunity, or a lesser immunity, as negotiated by contract.
(3) The administrator shall provide five days' notice of his or
her proposed decision to either extend, or not extend, the immunity
conferred by this section. Interested parties shall be given an
opportunity to present oral and written evidence at an informal
hearing. In making his or her proposed decision, the administrator
shall specifically seek and consider the advice of the relevant Coast
Guard representative. The administrator's decision to not extend the
immunity shall be announced at least 10 working days before the
expiration of the immunity to provide persons an opportunity to
terminate their response efforts as contemplated by paragraph (4).
(4) No A person or their agents,
subcontractors, or employees shall not incur any liability
under this chapter or any other provision of law solely as a result
of that person's decision to terminate their response efforts because
of the expiration of the immunity conferred by this section. A
person's decision to terminate response efforts because of the
expiration of the immunity conferred by this section shall not in any
manner impair, curtail, limit, or otherwise affect the immunity
conferred on the person with regard to the person's response efforts
undertaken during the period of time the immunity applied to those
response efforts.
(5) The immunity granted under this section shall attach, without
the limitation contained in this subdivision, to the response efforts
of any person who is not regularly engaged in the business of
responding to oil spills. A person who is not regularly engaged in
the business of responding to oil spills includes, but is not limited
to, (A) a person who is primarily dedicated to the preservation and
rehabilitation of wildlife and (B) a person who derives his or her
livelihood primarily from fishing.
( l ) As used in this section, "response efforts" means
rendering care, assistance, or advice in accordance with the
National Contingency Plan, the California oil spill contingency plan,
or at the direction of the administrator, United States
Environmental Protection Agency, or the Coast Guard in response to a
spill or threatened spill into waters of the state.
SEC. 50. Section 8670.61.5 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
8670.61.5. (a) For purposes of this chapter, "wildlife
rehabilitation" means those actions that are necessary to fully
mitigate for the damage caused to wildlife, fisheries, wildlife
habitat, and fisheries habitat, including beaches, from a spill.
(b) Responsible parties shall fully mitigate adverse impacts to
wildlife, fisheries, wildlife habitat, and fisheries habitat. Full
mitigation shall be provided by successfully carrying out
environmental projects or funding restoration activities required by
the administrator in carrying out projects complying with the
requirements of this section. Responsible parties are also liable for
the costs incurred by the administrator or other government agencies
in carrying out this section.
(c) If any significant wildlife rehabilitation is necessary, the
administrator may require the responsible party to prepare and submit
to the administrator, and to implement, a wildlife rehabilitation
plan. The plan shall describe the actions that will be implemented to
fully meet the requirements of subdivision (b), describe contingency
measures that will be carried out in the event that any of the plan
actions are not fully successful, provide a reasonable implementation
schedule, describe the monitoring and compliance program, and
provide a financing plan. The administrator shall review and
determine whether to approve the plan within 60 days of submittal.
Before approving a plan, the administrator shall first find that the
implementation of the plan will fully mitigate the adverse impacts to
wildlife, fisheries, wildlife habitat, and fisheries habitat. If the
habitat contains beaches that are or were used for recreational
purposes, the Department of Parks and Recreation shall review the
plan and provide comments to the administrator.
(d) The plan shall place first priority on avoiding and minimizing
any adverse impacts. For impacts that do occur, the plan shall
provide for full onsite restoration of the damaged resource to the
extent feasible. To the extent that full onsite restoration is not
feasible, the plan shall provide for offsite in-kind mitigation to
the extent feasible. To the extent that adverse impacts still have
not been fully mitigated, the plan shall provide for the enhancement
of other similar resources to the extent necessary to meet the
requirements of subdivision (b). In evaluating whether a wildlife
rehabilitation plan is adequate, the administrator may use the
habitat evaluation methods or procedures established by the United
States Fish and Wildlife Service or any other reasonable methods as
determined by the Department of Fish and Wildlife.
(e) The administrator shall prepare regulations to implement this
section. The regulations shall include deadlines for the submittal of
plans. In establishing the deadlines, the administrator shall
consider circumstances such as the size of the spill and the time
needed to assess damage and mitigation.
SEC. 51. Section 8670.62 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
8670.62. (a) Any person who discharges oil into waters of the
state, upon order of the administrator, shall do all of the
following:
(1) Clean up the oil.
(2) Abate the effects of the discharge.
(3) In the case of a threatened discharge, take other necessary
remedial action.
(b) Upon failure of any person to comply with a cleanup or
abatement order, the Attorney General or a district attorney, at the
request of the administrator, shall petition the superior court for
that county for the issuance of an injunction requiring the person to
comply with the order. In any such suit, the
court shall have jurisdiction to grant a prohibitory or mandatory
injunction, either preliminary or permanent, as the facts may
warrant.
(c) Consistent with the state contingency plan, the administrator
may expend available money to perform any response; containment;
cleanup; wildlife rehabilitation, which includes assessment of
resource injuries and damages, or remedial work required pursuant to
subdivision (a) which that , in the
administrator's judgment, is required by the circumstances or the
urgency of prompt action required to prevent
pollution, nuisance, or injury to the
environment of the state. The action may be taken in default of, or
in addition to, remedial work by the responsible party or other
persons, and regardless of whether injunctive relief is sought. The
administrator may perform the work in cooperation with any other
governmental agency, and may use rented tools or equipment, either
with or without operators furnished. Notwithstanding any other
provisions of law, the administrator may enter
into oral contracts for the work, and the contracts, whether written
or oral, may include provisions for equipment rental and the
furnishing of labor and materials necessary to accomplish the work.
The contracts shall be exempt from Part 2 (commencing with Section
10100) of Division 2 of the Public Contract Code and Article 6
(commencing with Section 999) of Chapter 6 of Division 4 of the
Military and Veterans Code.
(d) If the discharge is cleaned up, or attempted to be cleaned up,
the effects thereof abated, or, in the case of threatened pollution
or nuisance, other necessary remedial action is taken by any
governmental agency, the person or persons who discharged the waste,
discharged the oil, or threatened to cause or permit the discharge of
the oil within the meaning of subdivision (a), shall be liable to
that governmental agency for the reasonable costs actually incurred
in cleaning up that waste, abating the effects thereof, or taking
other remedial action. The amount of the costs shall be recoverable
in a civil action by, and paid to, the applicable governmental agency
and the administrator, to the extent the administrator contributed
to the cleanup costs from the Oil Spill Response Trust Fund or other
available funds.
(e) If, despite reasonable effort by the administrator to identify
the party responsible for the discharge of oil or the condition of
pollution or nuisance, the person is not identified at the time
cleanup, abatement, or remedial work must be performed, the
administrator shall not be required to issue an order under this
section. The absence of a responsible party shall not in any way
limit the powers of the administrator under this section.
(f) "Threaten," for For purposes of
this section, "threaten " means a condition
creating a substantial probability of harm, when the probability and
potential extent of harm makes it reasonably necessary to take
immediate action to prevent, reduce, or mitigate damages to persons,
property, or natural resources.
SEC. 52. Section 8670.64 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
8670.64. (a) A person who commits any of the following acts,
shall, upon conviction, be punished by imprisonment in a county jail
for not more than one year or by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision
(h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code:
(1) Except as provided in Section 8670.27, knowingly fails to
follow the direction or orders of the administrator in connection
with an oil spill.
(2) Knowingly fails to notify the Coast Guard that a vessel is
disabled within one hour of the disability and the vessel, while
disabled, causes a discharge of oil which
that enters marine waters. For the purposes
of this paragraph, "vessel" means a vessel, as defined in Section 21
of the Harbors and Navigation Code, of 300 gross registered tons or
more.
(3) Knowingly engages in or causes the discharge or spill of oil
into waters of the state, or a person who reasonably should have
known that he or she was engaging in or causing the discharge or
spill of oil into waters of the state, unless the discharge is
authorized by the United States, the state, or another agency with
appropriate jurisdiction.
(4) Knowingly fails to begin cleanup, abatement, or removal of
spilled oil as required in Section 8670.25.
(b) The court shall also impose upon a person convicted of
violating subdivision (a), a fine of not less than five thousand
dollars ($5,000) or more than five hundred thousand dollars
($500,000) for each violation. For purposes of this subdivision, each
day or partial day that a violation occurs is a separate violation.
(c) (1) A person who knowingly does any of the acts specified in
paragraph (2) shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not
less than two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) or more than two
hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000), or by imprisonment in a
county jail for not more than one year, or by both the fine and
imprisonment. Each day or partial day that a violation occurs is a
separate violation. If the conviction is for a second or subsequent
violation of this subdivision, the person shall be punished by
imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal
Code, or in a county jail for not more than one year, or by a fine
of not less than five thousand dollars ($5,000) or more than five
hundred thousand dollars ($500,000), or by both that fine and
imprisonment:
(2) The acts subject to this subdivision are all of the following:
(A) Failing to notify the Office of Emergency Services in
violation of Section 8670.25.5.
(B) Knowingly making a false or misleading oil spill report to the
Office of Emergency Services.
(C) Continuing operations for which an oil spill contingency plan
is required without an oil spill contingency plan approved pursuant
to Article 5 (commencing with Section 8670.28).
(D) Except as provided in Section 8670.27, knowingly failing to
follow the material provisions of an applicable oil spill contingency
plan.
SEC. 53. Section 8670.66 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
8670.66. (a) A person who intentionally or negligently does any
of the following acts shall be subject to a civil penalty for a spill
of not less than fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) or more than one
million dollars ($1,000,000), for each violation, and each day or
partial day that a violation occurs is a separate violation:
(1) Except as provided in Section 8670.27, fails to follow the
direction or orders of the administrator in connection with a spill
or inland spill.
(2) Fails to notify the Coast Guard that a vessel is disabled
within one hour of the disability and the vessel, while disabled,
causes a spill that enters marine waters. For the
purposes of this paragraph, "vessel" means a vessel, as defined in
Section 21 of the Harbors and Navigation Code, of 300 gross
registered tons or more.
(3) Is responsible for a spill, unless the discharge is authorized
by the United States, the state, or other agency with appropriate
jurisdiction.
(4) Fails to begin cleanup, abatement, or removal of oil as
required in Section 8670.25.
(b) Except as provided in subdivision (a), any person who
intentionally or negligently violates any provision of this chapter,
or Division 7.8 (commencing with Section 8750) of the Public
Resources Code, or any permit, rule, regulation, standard, or
requirement issued or adopted pursuant to those provisions, shall be
liable for a civil penalty not to exceed two hundred fifty thousand
dollars ($250,000) for each violation of a separate provision, or,
for continuing violations, for each day that violation continues.
(c) A person shall not be liable for a civil penalty imposed under
this section and for a civil penalty imposed pursuant to Section
8670.67 for the same act or failure to act.
SEC. 54. Section 8670.67 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
8670.67. (a) Any person who intentionally or negligently does any
of the following acts shall be subject to an administrative civil
penalty for a spill not to exceed two hundred thousand dollars
($200,000), for each violation as imposed by the administrator
pursuant to Section 8670.68, and each day or partial day that a
violation occurs is a separate violation:
(1) Except as provided in Section 8670.27, fails to follow the
applicable contingency plans or the direction or orders of the
administrator in connection with a spill or inland spill.
(2) Fails to notify the Coast Guard that a vessel is disabled
within one hour of the disability and the vessel, while disabled,
causes a discharge that enters marine waters or inland waters. For
the purposes of this paragraph, "vessel" means a
vessel, as defined in Section 21 of the Harbors and Navigation Code,
of 300 gross registered tons or more.
(3) Is responsible for a spill, unless the discharge is authorized
by the United States, the state, or other agency with appropriate
jurisdiction.
(4) Fails to begin cleanup, abatement, or removal of spilled oil
as required by Section 8670.25.
(b) Except as provided in subdivision (a), any person who
intentionally or negligently violates any provision of this chapter,
or Division 7.8 (commencing with Section 8750) of the Public
Resources Code, or any permit, rule, regulation, standard, cease and
desist order, or requirement issued or adopted pursuant to those
provisions, shall be liable for an administrative civil penalty as
imposed by the administrator pursuant to Section 8670.68, not to
exceed one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for each violation of
a separate provision, or, for continuing violations, for each day
that violation continues.
(c) No A person shall not
be liable for a civil penalty imposed under this section and for a
civil penalty imposed pursuant to Section 8670.66 for the same act or
failure to act.
SEC. 55. Section 8670.67.5 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
8670.67.5. (a) Any person who without regard to intent or
negligence causes or permits a spill shall be strictly liable civilly
in accordance with subdivision (b) or (c).
(b) A penalty may be administratively imposed by the administrator
in accordance with Section 8670.68 in an amount not to exceed twenty
dollars ($20) per gallon for a spill. The amount of the penalty
shall be reduced for every gallon of released oil that is recovered
and properly disposed of in accordance with applicable law.
(c) Whenever the release of oil resulted from gross negligence or
reckless conduct, the administrator shall, in accordance with Section
8670.68, impose a penalty in an amount not to exceed sixty dollars
($60) for a spill. The amount of the penalty shall be reduced for
every gallon of released oil that is recovered and properly disposed
of in accordance with applicable law.
(d) The administrator shall adopt regulations governing the method
for determining the amount of oil that is cleaned up.
SEC. 56. Section 8670.69.4 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
8670.69.4. (a) When the administrator determines that any person
has undertaken, or is threatening to undertake, any activity or
procedure that (1) requires a permit, certificate, approval, or
authorization under this chapter, without securing a permit,
certificate, approval, or authorization, or (2) is inconsistent
with any of the permits, certificates, rules, regulations,
guidelines, or authorizations, previously issued or adopted by the
administrator, or (3) threatens to cause or substantially increases
the risk of unauthorized discharge of oil into the waters of the
state, the administrator may issue an order requiring that person to
cease and desist.
(b) Any cease and desist order issued by the administrator may be
subject to terms and conditions as the administrator may determine
are necessary to ensure compliance with this division.
(c) Any cease and desist order issued by the administrator shall
become null and void 90 days after issuance.
(d) A cease and desist order issued by the administrator shall be
effective upon the issuance thereof, and copies shall be served
immediately by certified mail upon the person or governmental agency
being charged with the actual or threatened violation.
(e) Any cease and desist order issued by the administrator shall
be consistent with subdivision (a) of Section 8670.27.
SEC. 57. Section 8670.69.7 of the Government Code is repealed.
SEC. 58. Section 8670.71 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
8670.71. (a) The administrator shall fund only those projects
approved by the Environmental Enhancement Committee.
(b) For the purposes of this article, an enhancement project is a
project that acquires habitat for preservation, or improves habitat
quality and ecosystem function above baseline conditions, and that
meets all of the following requirements:
(1) Is located within or immediately adjacent to waters of the
state, as defined in Section 8670.3.
(2) Has measurable outcomes within a predetermined timeframe.
(3) Is designed to acquire, restore, or improve habitat or restore
ecosystem function, or both, to benefit fish and wildlife.
SEC. 59. Section 8670.90 is added to the Government Code, to read:
8670.90. (a) To the extent possible under federal law, and in
order to provide public transparency, it is the policy of the state
that local communities that face significant risks associated with
the transport or planned transport of significant quantities of crude
oil through or near them be notified of the quantities and
properties of the crude oil in a timely manner. For purposes of
this section, "transport or planned transport" includes transport by
vessel, truck, railroad, or pipeline.
(b) Each railroad intending to transport crude oil into or within
the state shall provide to the administrator on at least an annual
basis the following information:
(1) A list of the type and quantity of crude oil transported
during the previous 12-month period.
(2) A description of the method of properly handling each type of
crude oil in case of an incident.
(3) The name, address, and telephone number of the railroad's
person in charge of education and training related to handling of
crude oil.
(4) The approximate normal operating schedules for trains carrying
crude oil.
(5) Normal procedures for placement of cars carrying crude oil in
trains.
(6) Means to obtain information from the railroad, including the
railroad's 24-hour emergency telephone number, in case of an
incident.
SEC. 60. Section 8670.95 is added to the Government Code, to read:
8670.95. If any provision of this chapter or the application
thereof to any person or circumstances is held invalid, that
invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of the
chapter that can be given effect without the invalid provision or
application, and to this end the provisions of this chapter are
severable.
SEC. 61. No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to
Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because
the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school
district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or
infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty
for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the
Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the
meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California
Constitution.