Texas Administrative Code
Title 31 - NATURAL RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION
Part 1 - GENERAL LAND OFFICE
Chapter 19 - OIL SPILL PREVENTION AND RESPONSE
Subchapter E - VESSELS
Section 19.60 - Applicability, Definitions, Exemptions

(1) MARPOL 73/78--The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as modified by the Protocol of 1978, as amended.

(2) Annex I of MARPOL--Regulations for the Prevention of Pollution by Oil.

(3) Oil Tanker--A vessel constructed or adapted primarily to carry oil in bulk in its cargo spaces and includes combination carriers and any "chemical tanker" as defined in Annex II of MARPOL 73/78 when it is carrying a cargo or part cargo of oil in bulk.

(4) Regulation 26 of Annex I of MARPOL--The regulation adopted in July of 1991 by the Marine Environment Protection Committee of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), requiring every oil tanker of 150 gross tons and above and every other vessel of 400 gross tons and above to carry on board a shipboard oil pollution emergency plan approved by its flag state, or authorized organization.

(5) Vessel--Every description of watercraft or other contrivance used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water, whether self-propelled or otherwise, including barges.

(6) Authorized Person--The person who is responsible for and in control of all oil spill response operations on behalf of the vessel.

(7) Official Number--The unique number assigned to a vessel for purposes of identification, e.g., the Texas State Registration Number, IMO Number, OPA Plan Number, etc.

(8) Preparedness Manager--As required by MARPOL 73/78, the person responsible for ensuring that personnel aboard an international vessel are properly trained in mitigating and controlling an unauthorized discharge of oil.

(9) Qualified Individual--The person authorized by the owner or operator of a vessel to conduct and assume responsibility for all emergency response operations for the vessel.

(1) The GLO may grant an exemption from compliance with any requirement in this subchapter if special circumstances such as those listed below are identified by a vessel owner or operator and a request for exemption is submitted to the GLO as soon as possible before the effective period of the exemption being requested. Requests for exemptions will be considered by the GLO for the following situations, which are not meant to be exclusive of other situations where an exemption may be appropriate.

(2) A request for exemption must be made in writing and can be submitted in the following ways:

(3) All written requests for an exemption must include the following information:

(4) The GLO will respond to requests for exemption as soon as possible. The vessel's owner or operator is responsible for obtaining the exemption before entering Texas coastal waters. If the exemption is denied, the GLO will provide its reasoning for denial.