Oil spills: fishing: water closure: grants: liability.

Senator Laird's oil spill legislation revises California's framework for responding to coastal and inland spills, modifying closure protocols and expanding tribal access to response resources. The bill transforms the Director of Fish and Wildlife's mandatory closure authority into a discretionary power, while requiring closures when the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment determines a public health threat exists or is likely.

The legislation establishes specific thresholds that trigger mandatory consultation between the Director and OEHHA, including spills of one or more barrels in inland waters or affecting coastal shorelines, and five or more barrels in open ocean waters. Both agencies gain authority to seek reimbursement from responsible parties for costs incurred during spill response activities.

The measure extends grant eligibility to federally recognized tribes for oil spill response equipment and environmental enhancement projects previously limited to other government entities. It also removes liability exemptions for oil or natural gas discharges from private pleasure vessels, making their operators subject to the same absolute liability standards as other responsible parties.

A new Environmental Enhancement Fund, supported by penalties collected from spill violations, will finance environmental projects through a competitive grant program open to nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and federally recognized tribes. The funds cannot be used for spill cleanup or restoration activities and require legislative appropriation before distribution.