§ 468B.355 — Contingency plans; participation in maritime association; lien; liability of maritime association; exemption from liability

Oregon § 468B.355

• Jurisdiction: Oregon
• Vol.: 13
• Title 36A: Housing; Lottery and Games; Environment
• Ch. 468B: Water Quality

Text

(1) A contingency plan for a facility or covered vessel shall be submitted to the Department of Environmental Quality within 12 months after the Environmental Quality Commission adopts rules under ORS 468B.350. The department may adopt a schedule for submission of an oil contingency plan within the 12-month period. The schedule for the Columbia River shall be coordinated with the State of Washington. The department may adopt an alternative schedule for the Oregon coast and the Willamette River.
(2) The contingency plan for a facility shall be submitted by the owner or operator of the facility or by a qualified oil spill response cooperative in which the facility owner or operator is a participating member.
(3) The contingency plan for a tank vessel shall be submitted by:
(a) The owner or operator of the tank vessel;
(b) The owner or operator of the facility at which the vessel will be loading or unloading its cargo; or
(c) A qualified oil spill response cooperative in which the tank vessel owner or operator is a participating member.
(4) Subject to conditions imposed by the department, the contingency plan for a tank vessel, if submitted by the owner or operator of a facility, may be submitted as a single plan for all tank vessels of a particular class that will be loading or unloading cargo at the facility.
(5) The contingency plan for a cargo vessel or passenger vessel may be submitted by the owner or operator of the vessel, or the agent for the vessel resident in this state. Subject to conditions imposed by the department, the owner, operator, agent or a maritime association may submit a single contingency plan for cargo vessels or passenger vessels of a particular class.
(6) A person that has contracted with a facility or covered vessel to provide containment and cleanup services and that meets the standards established by the commission under ORS 468B.350 may submit the contingency plan for any facility or covered vessel for which the person is contractually obligated to provide services. Subject to conditions imposed by the department, the person may submit a single plan for more than one covered vessel.
(7) The requirements of submitting a contingency plan under this section may be satisfied by a covered vessel by submission of proof of assessment participation by the vessel in a maritime association. Subject to conditions imposed by the department, the association may submit a single plan for more than one facility or covered vessel or may submit a single plan providing contingencies to respond for different classes of covered vessels.
(8) A contingency plan prepared for an agency of the federal government or an adjacent state that satisfies the requirements of ORS 468B.345 to 468B.360 and the rules adopted by the Environmental Quality Commission may be accepted as a plan under ORS 468B.345. The commission shall assure that to the greatest extent possible, requirements for a contingency plan under ORS 468B.345 to 468B.360 are consistent with requirements for a plan under federal law.
(9) Covered vessels may satisfy the requirements of submitting a contingency plan under this section through proof of current assessment participation in an approved plan maintained with the department by a maritime association.
(10) A maritime association may submit a contingency plan for a cooperative group of covered vessels. Covered vessels that have not previously obtained approval of a plan may enter the navigable waters of the state if, upon entering such waters, the vessel pays the established assessment for participation in the approved plan maintained by the association.
(11) A maritime association shall have a lien on the responsible vessel if the vessel owner or operator fails to remit any regular operating assessments and shall further have a lien for the recovery for any direct costs provided to or for the vessel by the maritime association for oil spill response or spill related communications services. The lien shall be enforced in accordance with applicable law.
(12) Obligations incurred by a maritime association and any other liabilities or claims against the association shall be enforced only against the assets of the association, and no liability for the debts or action of the association exists against either the State of Oregon or any other subdivision or instrumentality thereof, or against any member, officer, employee or agent of the association in an individual or representative capacity.
(13) Except as otherwise provided in ORS chapters 468, 468A and 468B, neither the members of the association, its officers, agents or employees, nor the business entities by whom the members are regularly employed, may be held individually responsible for errors in judgment, mistakes or other acts, either of commission or omission, as principal, agent, person or employee, save for their own individual acts of dishonesty or crime.
(14) Assessment participation in a maritime association does not constitute a defense to liability imposed under ORS 468B.345 to 468B.415 or other state or federal law. Such assessment participation shall not relieve a covered vessel from complying with those portions of the approved maritime association contingency plan that may require vessel specific oil spill response equipment, training or capabilities for that vessel.
(15) A person providing a contingency plan for a cargo or passenger vessel under this section shall be exempt from liability as provided under ORS 468B.425 for any action taken or omitted in the course of providing contingency planning service.

Legislative History

1991 c.651 §6; 1995 c.535 §3