RCW 88.46.240 Salish Sea shared waters forum. (Expires July 1, 2021.)

(1) The department must establish the Salish Sea shared waters forum to address common issues in the cross-boundary waterways between Washington state and British Columbia such as: Enhancing efforts to reduce oil spill risk; addressing navigational safety; and promoting data sharing.

(2) The department must:

(a) Coordinate with provincial and federal Canadian agencies when establishing the Salish Sea shared waters forum; and

(b) Seek participation from each potentially affected federally recognized Indian treaty fishing tribe, other federally recognized treaty tribes with potentially affected interests, first nations, and stakeholders that, at minimum, includes representatives of the following: State, provincial, and federal governmental entities, regulated entities, and environmental organizations.

(3) The Salish Sea shared waters forum must meet at least once per year to consider the following:

(a) Gaps and conflicts in oil spill policies, regulations, and laws;

(b) Opportunities to reduce oil spill risk, including requiring tug escorts for oil tankers, articulated tug barges, and towed waterborne vessels or barges;

(c) Enhancing oil spill prevention, preparedness, and response capacity;

(d) Beginning in 2019, whether an emergency response system in Haro Strait, Boundary Pass, and Rosario Strait will decrease oil spill risk. In advance of the 2019 meeting, the department must discuss the options of an emergency response system with all potentially affected federally recognized Indian treaty tribes and, as relevant, with organizations such as, but not limited to, the coast Salish gathering, which provides a transboundary natural resource policy dialogue of elected officials representing federal, state, provincial, first nations, and tribal governments within the Salish Sea; and

(e) The impacts of vessel traffic on treaty-protected fishing.

(4) The definitions in this subsection apply throughout this section unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

(a) "Articulated tug barge" means a tank barge and a towing vessel joined by hinged or articulated fixed mechanical equipment affixed or connecting to the stern of the tank barge.

(b) "Waterborne vessel or barge" means any ship, barge, or other watercraft capable of traveling on the navigable waters of this state and capable of transporting any crude oil or petroleum product in quantities of ten thousand gallons or more for purposes other than providing fuel for its motor or engine.

(5) This section expires July 1, 2021.

[ 2019 c 289 § 6; 2018 c 262 § 204.]

NOTES:

Finding—Intent—2019 c 289: See note following RCW 88.16.190.

Findings—Intent—Report—2018 c 262: See notes following RCW 82.23B.010.