Vetoed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with Senate amendments and pass a bill that requires the adoption of regulations governing marine oil transfers and increases the maximum limit for the oil spill prevention and administration fee.

Highlights:

• Increases the maximum allowable amount for the oil spill prevention and administration fee that is imposed upon owners of crude oil and petroleum products at the time such oil or products are received at a marine terminal from outside of the state from 5 cents per barrel of crude oil or petroleum products to 6 cents per barrel (Sec. 2).

• Requires the Administrator for Oil Spill Response to adopt regulations that require oil transfer units to preboom each oil transfer for the duration of the transfer, unless prebooming is determined not to be safe and effective, and requires the Administrator to determine alternatives to prebooming for instances when it is determined not to be safe and effective (Sec. 1).

• Requires, on or before March 1, 2011, that the Commission report to the Legislature on regulatory action and statutory recommendations to ensure "maximum safety and prevention of harm" during offshore oil drilling, and requires that the report include the following (Sec. 4):
• A set of requirements for offshore oil drilling rigs operating in state waters to have fully redundant and functioning safety systems to prevent a failure of a blowout preventer from causing a major oil spill;
• A complete description of the response plan to control a blowout and manage the accompanying discharge of hydrocarbons; and
• Requirements for the use of the "best available and safest" technologies and practices, if the failure of equipment would have a "significant" effect on safety, health, or the environment.

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires the adoption of regulations governing marine oil transfers and increases the maximum limit for the oil spill prevention and administration fee.

Highlights:

• Increases the maximum allowable amount for the oil spill prevention and administration fee that is imposed upon owners of crude oil and petroleum products at the time such oil or products are received at a marine terminal from outside of the state from 5 cents per barrel of crude oil or petroleum products to 6 cents per barrel (Sec. 2).

• Requires the Administrator for Oil Spill Response to adopt regulations that require oil transfer units to preboom each oil transfer for the duration of the transfer, unless prebooming is determined not to be safe and effective, and requires the Administrator to determine alternatives to prebooming for instances when it is determined not to be safe and effective (Sec. 1).

• Requires, on or before March 1, 2011, that the Commission report to the Legislature on regulatory action and statutory recommendations to ensure "maximum safety and prevention of harm" during offshore oil drilling, and requires that the report include the following (Sec. 4):
• A set of requirements for offshore oil drilling rigs operating in state waters to have fully redundant and functioning safety systems to prevent a failure of a blowout preventer from causing a major oil spill;
• A complete description of the response plan to control a blowout and manage the accompanying discharge of hydrocarbons; and
• Requirements for the use of the "best available and safest" technologies and practices, if the failure of equipment would have a "significant" effect on safety, health, or the environment.

Full Bill Text