2020 Louisiana Laws
Revised Statutes
Title 30 - Minerals, Oil, and Gas and Environmental Quality
§2457. Regulatory authority; coordinator
RS 2457 - Regulatory authority; coordinator
A. The coordinator shall from time to time adopt, amend, repeal, and enforce reasonable regulations not in conflict with federal law or regulations, including but not limited to those relating to the following matters regarding the threatened or actual unauthorized discharge of oil:
(1) Standards and requirements for discharge prevention programs and response capabilities of terminal facilities and vessels.
(2) Standards, procedures, and methods consistent with federal law or regulations for designating persons in charge and reporting threatened or actual unauthorized discharges and violations of this Chapter.
(3) Standards, procedures, methods, means, and equipment to be used in the abatement, containment, and removal of pollution.
(4) Development and implementation of criteria and plans of response to unauthorized discharges of various degrees and kinds, including realistically foreseeable worst-case scenarios consistent with federal regulations.
(5) Requirements for complete and thorough audits of vessel contingency and response plans covered by this Chapter.
(6) Requirements for complete and thorough inspections of terminal facilities covered by this Chapter.
(7) Certification of discharge cleanup organizations.
(8) Requirements for the safety and operation of vessels, motor vehicles, motorized equipment, and other equipment involved in the transfer of oil at terminal facilities and the approach and departure from terminal facilities.
(9) Requirements that required containment equipment be on hand, maintained, and deployed by trained personnel.
(10) Standards for reporting material changes in discharge prevention and response plans and response capability for purposes of terminal facility certificate reviews.
(11) Such other rules and regulations consistent with this Chapter and appropriate or necessary to carry out the intent of this Chapter, consistent with federal law or regulations.
B. The coordinator may establish as a prerequisite for certification of any discharge cleanup organization, other than the Marine Spill Response Corporation and any discharge cleanup organization operated for profit or that has multi-state response jurisdiction, that the organization maintain on its governing body a minimum of two representatives from local governments within the area served by the organization.
C.(1) Any rule, regulation, guideline, or plan authorized by this Chapter, excluding Part VI, shall be proposed or adopted pursuant to the rulemaking procedures set forth in the Administrative Procedure Act and shall be subject to approval by the House Committee on Natural Resources and Environment, Senate Committee on Natural Resources, and the Senate Committee on Environmental Quality.
(2) Any rule or regulation authorized to be adopted or promulgated in Part VI shall be subject to approval by the House Committee on Ways and Means and the Senate Committee on Revenue and Fiscal Affairs. Such approval shall be presumed unless either committee submits objections or notification of a hearing in writing to the coordinator within fifteen days after receipt of the proposed rule, regulation, or guideline. Such written objections or disapproval shall be subject to override by the governor within five days after receipt of the objections or notice of disapproval by the governor.
(3) The coordinator shall submit an annual budget to the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget for the approval of a majority of members of the committee. The budget shall show all proposed expenditures by the office from the fund or otherwise.
Acts 1991, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 7, §1, eff. April 23, 1991; Acts 1995, No. 740, §1; Acts 1996, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 36, §1, eff. May 7, 1996; Acts 2008, No. 580, §2.
