Signed by Governor Gavin Newsom

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that increases penalties for oil spills.

Highlights:

• Increases the amount that an applicant for a certificate of financial responsibility, for a tank vessel shall demonstrate their financial ability, to at least $2 billion (Sec. 1).

• Increases the amount that applicants for a certificate of financial responsibility, for a non-tank vessel to demonstrate their financial ability to pay, to at least $600 million (Sec. 2).

• Increases the fine for committing any of the following acts to between $10,000 and $1 million, and authorizes the court to impose a fine of up to $10,000 per gallon of oil spilled for (Sec. 3): 

• Knowingly failing to follow the orders of the administrator in connection with an oil spill;

• Knowingly failing to notify the Coast Guard that a vessel is disabled within one hour, and the disabled vessel spills oil; 

• Knowingly causing an oil spill; or

• Knowingly failing to begin the cleanup of spilled oil.

• Increases the fine for committing any of the following acts to between $5,000 and $500,000 (Sec. 3):

• Failing to notify the Office of Emergency Services;

• Knowingly making a false or misleading oil spill report to the Office of Emergency Services;

• Continuing operations for which an oil spill contingency plan is required without an approved oil spill contingency plan; or 

• Knowingly failing to follow the material provisions of an applicable oil spill contingency plan.

• Increases the fine for committing a second or subsequent violation to between $10,000 and $1 million (Sec. 3).

• Specifies that a person convicted of any of these acts will be punished by either a fine, imprisonment in a county jail for up to one year, or both (Sec. 3).

Full Bill Text