The definitions in this section
apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires
otherwise.
(1) "Barge" means a vessel that is not self-propelled.
(2) "Cargo vessel" means a self-propelled ship in commerce,
other than a tank vessel, fishing vessel, or a passenger vessel,
of three hundred or more gross tons.
(3) "Bulk" means material that is stored or transported in a
loose, unpackaged liquid, powder, or granular form capable of
being conveyed by a pipe, bucket, chute, or belt system.
(4) "Covered vessel" means a tank vessel, cargo vessel, or
passenger vessel.
(5) "Department" means the department of ecology.
(6) "Director" means the director of the department of
ecology.
(7)(a) "Facility" means any structure, group of structures,
equipment, pipeline, or device, other than a vessel, located on
or near the navigable waters of the state that transfers oil in
bulk to or from any vessel with an oil carrying capacity over two
hundred fifty barrels or pipeline, that is used for producing,
storing, handling, transferring, processing, or transporting oil
in bulk.
(b) A facility does not include any: (i) Railroad car,
motor vehicle, or other rolling stock while transporting oil over
the highways or rail lines of this state; (ii) retail motor
vehicle motor fuel outlet; (iii) facility that is operated as
part of an exempt agricultural activity as provided in RCW 82.04.330; (iv) underground storage tank regulated by the
department or a local government under chapter 90.76 RCW; or (v)
marine fuel outlet that does not dispense more than three
thousand gallons of fuel to a ship that is not a covered vessel,
in a single transaction.
(8) "Fishing vessel" means a self-propelled commercial
vessel of three hundred or more gross tons that is used for
catching or processing fish.
(9) "Gross tons" means tonnage as determined by the United
States coast guard under 33 C.F.R. section 138.30.
(10) "Hazardous substances" means any substance listed as of
March 1, 2003, in Table 302.4 of 40 C.F.R. Part 302 adopted under
section 101(14) of the federal comprehensive environmental
response, compensation, and liability act of 1980, as amended by
P.L. 99-499. The following are not hazardous substances for
purposes of this chapter:
(a) Wastes listed as F001 through F028 in Table 302.4; and
(b) Wastes listed as K001 through K136 in Table 302.4.
(11) "Navigable waters of the state" means those waters of
the state, and their adjoining shorelines, that are subject to
the ebb and flow of the tide and/or are presently used, have been
used in the past, or may be susceptible for use to transport
intrastate, interstate, or foreign commerce.
(12) "Oil" or "oils" means oil of any kind that is liquid at
atmospheric temperature and any fractionation thereof, including,
but not limited to, crude oil, petroleum, gasoline, fuel oil,
diesel oil, biological oils and blends, oil sludge, oil refuse,
and oil mixed with wastes other than dredged spoil. Oil does not
include any substance listed as of March 1, 2003, in Table 302.4
of 40 C.F.R. Part 302 adopted under section 101(14) of the
federal comprehensive environmental response, compensation, and
liability act of 1980, as amended by P.L. 99-499.
(13) "Offshore facility" means any facility located in, on,
or under any of the navigable waters of the state, but does not
include a facility any part of which is located in, on, or under
any land of the state, other than submerged land.
(14) "Onshore facility" means any facility any part of which
is located in, on, or under any land of the state, other than
submerged land, that because of its location, could reasonably be
expected to cause substantial harm to the environment by
discharging oil into or on the navigable waters of the state or
the adjoining shorelines.
(15)(a) "Owner or operator" means (i) in the case of a
vessel, any person owning, operating, or chartering by demise,
the vessel; (ii) in the case of an onshore or offshore facility,
any person owning or operating the facility; and (iii) in the
case of an abandoned vessel or onshore or offshore facility, the
person who owned or operated the vessel or facility immediately
before its abandonment.
(b) "Operator" does not include any person who owns the land
underlying a facility if the person is not involved in the
operations of the facility.
(16) "Passenger vessel" means a ship of three hundred or
more gross tons with a fuel capacity of at least six thousand
gallons carrying passengers for compensation.
(17) "Ship" means any boat, ship, vessel, barge, or other
floating craft of any kind.
(18) "Spill" means an unauthorized discharge of oil into the
waters of the state.
(19) "Tank vessel" means a ship that is constructed or
adapted to carry, or that carries, oil in bulk as cargo or cargo
residue, and that:
(a) Operates on the waters of the state; or
(b) Transfers oil in a port or place subject to the
jurisdiction of this state.
(20) "Waters of the state" includes lakes, rivers, ponds,
streams, inland waters, underground water, salt waters,
estuaries, tidal flats, beaches and lands adjoining the seacoast
of the state, sewers, and all other surface waters and
watercourses within the jurisdiction of the state of Washington.
[2007 c 347 § 4; 2003 c 56 § 2; 2000 c 69 § 30; 1992 c 73 § 12; 1991 c 200 § 702.]
NOTES:
Finding -- Intent -- 2003 c 56: "The legislature finds that the current financial responsibility laws for vessels are in need of update and revision. The legislature intends that, whenever possible, the standards set for Washington state provide the highest level of protection consistent with other western states and to ultimately achieve a more uniform system of financial responsibility on the Pacific Coast." [2003 c 56 § 1.]
Effective dates -- Severability -- 1992 c 73: See RCW 82.23B.902 and 90.56.905.
Effective dates -- Severability -- 1991 c 200: See RCW 90.56.901 and 90.56.904.