{"data":{"id":"us-wa/rcw-88.16.170","jurisdiction":"us-wa","citation":"RCW 88.16.170","heading":"Oil tankers—Intent and purpose.","body":"Because of the danger of spills, the legislature finds that the transportation of crude oil and refined petroleum products by tankers on the Columbia river and on Puget Sound and adjacent waters creates a great potential hazard to important natural resources of the state and to jobs and incomes dependent on these resources.\nThe legislature recognizes that the Columbia river has many natural obstacles to navigation and shifting navigation channels that create the risk of an oil spill. The legislature also recognizes Puget Sound and adjacent waters are a relatively confined saltwater environment with irregular shorelines and therefore there is a greater than usual likelihood of long-term damage from any large oil spill.\nThe legislature further recognizes that certain areas of the Columbia river and Puget Sound and adjacent waters have limited space for maneuvering a large oil tanker and that these waters contain many natural navigational obstacles as well as a high density of commercial and pleasure boat traffic.\nFor these reasons, it is important that large oil tankers be piloted by highly skilled persons who are familiar with local waters and that such tankers have sufficient capability for rapid maneuvering responses.\nIt is therefore the intent and purpose of RCW 88.16.180 and 88.16.190 to decrease the likelihood of oil spills on the Columbia river and on Puget Sound and its shorelines by requiring all oil tankers above a certain size to employ licensed pilots and to be escorted by a tug or tugs while navigating on certain areas of Puget Sound and adjacent waters.","path":["Title 88","Chapter 88.16"],"source_url":"https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=88.16.170","current_through":"July 15, 2026","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-06T01:36:37Z","sha256":"a4ac505d377e36ab8bc82bb35e2e42c4a5b466efd5a07826a1076fafe37670e4","source_id":"us-wa","stale":false,"prev":"us-wa/rcw-88.16.160","next":"us-wa/rcw-88.16.180"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}