WAC 468-550-090   Reimbursement for costs associated with the management of the rail safety oversight program.  (1) Owners of rail fixed guideway systems shall reimburse WSDOT for costs incurred for its management of the Washington state rail safety oversight program. These reimbursable costs can be grouped as follows:

     (a) Costs for conducting triennial safety and security audits.

     (b) Costs for WSDOT staff and/or consultants to conduct investigations of incidents or unacceptable hazards, as necessary.

     (c) Labor, administrative, and travel costs incurred by WSDOT for its administration of the Washington state rail safety oversight program. These include but are not limited to:

     (i) Staff hours dedicated to the oversight of system safety program plan and security and emergency preparedness plan development and implementation.

     (ii) Office support and supplies necessary to carry out this oversight.

     (iii) Travel and labor costs associated with WSDOT's administration of the program including for the attendance at federal and state safety, security, and emergency preparedness conferences, workshops, meetings, and trainings which enhance WSDOT oversight of system safety program plan and security and emergency preparedness plan development and implementation.

     (2) Triennial safety and security audits. Within ninety days after receipt of an invoice, each RFGS shall reimburse the reasonable expenses of the department in carrying out its responsibilities pursuant to WAC 468-550-060. The department shall notify the RFGS of the estimated expenses at least six months in advance of when the department audits the system.

     (3) Investigations of incidents or unacceptable hazards. WSDOT at its discretion may choose to conduct an independent investigation of unacceptable hazards or incidents given that they meet the incident reporting thresholds established in the Washington state safety program standard. Costs associated with these investigations are to be reimbursed in full by the owners of the rail fixed guideway systems being investigated. This includes the cost of hiring consultants to conduct investigations, if determined necessary by WSDOT.

     (4) Administrative costs. All other reimbursable costs of the Washington state rail safety oversight program are allocated to each rail fixed guideway system owner based on a formula. This formula allocates the total of all reimbursable costs for the management of the program to each rail fixed guideway system. The owners of the rail fixed guideway systems are responsible for the reimbursement of costs allocated to each rail fixed guideway system for which they own. The allocation of such reimbursable costs is determined as follows:

     (a) Fifty percent of all reimbursable costs, except those for investigations of unacceptable hazards or incidents, are allocated in equal share among rail fixed guideway systems. This allocation of reimbursable costs is equal among rail fixed guideway systems, regardless of the number of passengers they carry or the length of their system. The amount of all such reimbursable costs is arrived at by dividing all such reimbursable costs by the number of RFGS, and then multiplying that result by fifty percent or (reimbursable costs/number of RFGS) x fifty percent.

     (b) Fifty percent of all reimbursable costs, excluding those for investigations of unacceptable hazards or incidents, are allocated based on route mileage that is funded, obligated, and/or operational. These reimbursable costs are allocated to rail fixed guideway systems based on their share of the total directional route miles falling under the oversight of the Washington state rail safety oversight program. The owners of the rail fixed guideway systems are responsible for the reimbursement costs allocated to each rail fixed guideway system for which they own. The amount of all such reimbursable costs is arrived at by dividing the RFGS's route miles by total route miles, and then multiplying that result by the product of reimbursable costs multiplied by fifty percent or (RFGS route miles/total route miles) x (reimbursable costs x fifty percent).

     (c) The total allocation of reimbursable costs to owners of rail fixed guideway systems is the total of the fifty percent of costs allocated based on an equal share allocation, and the fifty percent allocated based on directional route miles.

     (d) WSDOT will provide monthly invoices to owners of rail fixed guideway systems for the reimbursement of costs described above.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 81.104.115. 08-15-078, § 468-550-090, filed 7/15/08, effective 8/15/08.]