895.55 Liability exemption; oil discharge control.
(1) In this section:
(a) “Damages" means those damages specified in 33 USC 2702 (b) (2) and includes the cost of assessing those damages.
(b) “Discharge" means, but is not limited to, spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, emitting, emptying or dumping.
(c) “Federal on-scene coordinator" means the federal official designated by the federal environmental protection agency or the U.S. coast guard to coordinate and direct responses under the national contingency plan.
(d) “National contingency plan" means the plan prepared and published under 33 USC 1321 (d).
(e) “Oil" means petroleum, hydrocarbon, vegetable or mineral oil of any kind or in any form and includes oil mixed with wastes other than dredged spoil.
(f) “Person" means an individual, owner, operator, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association, municipality, interstate agency, state agency or federal agency.
(g) “Removal" means the containment and elimination of oil from water, shorelines and beaches or the taking of other actions, including disposal, as may be necessary to minimize or mitigate damages to public health and welfare, including to fish, shellfish, wildlife and public or private property, shorelines and beaches.
(h) “Removal costs" means the costs of removal that are incurred after an oil discharge occurs or, if there is a substantial threat of an oil discharge, the costs to prevent, minimize or mitigate an oil discharge.
(i) “State contingency plan" means the plan prepared and published under s. 292.11 (5).
(2) Notwithstanding any provision of s. 93.57, 299.11, 299.13, 299.31, 299.43, 299.45, 299.51, 299.53 or 299.55, subchs. II and IV of ch. 30, ch. 29, 281, 283, 289, 291, 292, or 323 or subch. II of ch. 295, or any other provision of this chapter, a person is immune from liability for damages resulting from the person's acts or omissions and for the removal costs resulting from the person's acts or omissions if all of the following conditions are met:
(a) Those acts or omissions were taken while rendering assistance, advice or care related to the threat of an oil discharge into the navigable waters of this state or related to the removal of oil resulting from an oil discharge into the navigable waters of this state.
(b) The assistance, advice or care was consistent with the national contingency plan or the state contingency plan or was otherwise directed by the federal on-scene coordinator or the secretary of natural resources.
(3) The immunity under sub. (2) does not extend to any person:
(a) Who is required to act under s. 292.11 (3) because the person possessed or controlled the oil that was initially discharged into the navigable waters of this state or caused the initial discharge or initial threat of discharge of the oil into the navigable waters of this state.
(b) Whose act or omission involves gross negligence or reckless, wanton or intentional misconduct.
(c) Who causes personal injury or wrongful death.
(4) A person under sub. (3) (a) is liable for any damages or removal costs that another person is immune from under sub. (2).
(5) Nothing in this section affects the responsibility of a person under sub. (3) (a) to fulfill that person's requirements under s. 292.11.
History: 1995 a. 192; 1997 a. 35, 252; 2003 a. 33; 2009 a. 42.
Structure Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 895 - Damages, liability, and miscellaneous provisions regarding actions in courts.
895.01 - What actions survive; actions not to abate.
895.02 - Measure of damages against personal representative.
895.03 - Recovery for death by wrongful act.
895.031 - Recovery from estate of wrongdoer.
895.035 - Parental liability for acts of minor child.
895.037 - Abortions on or for a minor without parental consent or judicial waiver.
895.038 - Partial-birth abortions; liability.
895.04 - Plaintiff in wrongful death action.
895.044 - Damages for maintaining certain claims and counterclaims.
895.045 - Contributory negligence.
895.046 - Remedies against manufacturers, distributors, sellers, and promoters of products.
895.048 - Recovery by auto or motorboat owner limited.
895.05 - Damages in actions for libel.
895.052 - Defamation by radio and television.
895.055 - Gaming contracts void.
895.056 - Recovery of money wagered.
895.057 - Action against judicial officer for loss caused by misconduct.
895.06 - Recovery of divisible personalty.
895.065 - Radioactive waste emergencies.
895.07 - Claims against contractors and suppliers.
895.08 - Sport shooting ranges; actions related to safety.
895.09 - Scrap metal or plastic bulk merchandise container theft; civil liability.
895.10 - Tort actions in residential real estate transactions.
895.14 - Tenders of money and property.
895.33 - Limitation of surety's liability.
895.34 - Renewal of sureties upon becoming insufficient and effects thereof.
895.345 - Justification of individual sureties.
895.346 - Bail, deposit in lieu of bond.
895.35 - Expenses in actions against municipal and other officers.
895.36 - Process against corporation or limited liability company officer.
895.37 - Abrogation of defenses in employee personal injury actions.
895.375 - Abrogation of defense that contract was champertous.
895.42 - Deposit of undistributed money and property by personal representatives and others.
895.43 - Intentional killing by beneficiary of contract.
895.435 - Intentional killing by beneficiary of certain death benefits.
895.441 - Sexual exploitation by a therapist; action for.
895.442 - Sexual exploitation by a member of the clergy; action for.
895.444 - Injury caused by criminal gang activity; action for.
895.445 - Damage to certain machines; action for.
895.446 - Property damage or loss caused by crime; action for.
895.447 - Certain agreements to limit or eliminate tort liability void.
895.448 - Safety devices on farm equipment, ordinary negligence.
895.449 - Action for loss caused by failure to pay for gasoline or diesel fuel.
895.45 - Service representatives for adult abusive conduct complainants.
895.453 - Payments of chiropractic services from attorney contingency fees.
895.455 - Limits on recovery by prisoners.
895.457 - Limiting felon's right to damages.
895.46 - State and political subdivisions thereof to pay judgments taken against officers.
895.472 - Indemnification of a financial institution.
895.475 - Exemption from civil liability for furnishing safety inspection or advisory services.
895.476 - Civil liability exemption; exposure to the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19.
895.478 - Civil liability exemption; opioid antagonists.
895.48 - Civil liability exemption; emergency medical care.
895.4801 - Immunity for health care providers during COVID-19 emergency.
895.4802 - Civil liability exemption; hazardous materials.
895.4803 - Civil liability exemption; information concerning paternity.
895.481 - Civil liability exemption; equine activities.
895.482 - Civil liability exemption; ski patrol members.
895.484 - Civil liability exemption; entering a vehicle to render assistance.
895.485 - Civil liability exemption; out-of-home care providers and child-placing agencies.
895.486 - Civil immunity exemption; reports of insurance fraud.
895.487 - Civil liability exemption; employment references.
895.488 - Civil liability exemption; owner or person in lawful possession of the premises.
895.489 - Civil liability exemption; tenancy references.
895.492 - Civil liability exemption; certificate of qualification for employment.
895.501 - Civil liability exemption; credit card reencoders and scanning devices.
895.506 - Civil liability exemption; weight gain and obesity claims.
895.508 - Liability exemption; provision of previously owned eyeglasses.
895.512 - Civil liability exemption; access to toilet facility.
895.514 - Civil liability exemption; Health Insurance Risk-Sharing Plan and Authority.
895.515 - Civil liability exemption; equipment or technology donation.
895.517 - Civil liability exemption: solid waste donation or sale.
895.519 - Civil liability exemption; private campgrounds.
895.52 - Recreational activities; limitation of property owners' liability.
895.526 - Participation in an alpine sport; restrictions on civil liability, assumption of risk.
895.5265 - Civil liability exemption; placement of certain structures in waterways.
895.527 - Sport shooting range activities; limitations on liability and restrictions on operation.
895.528 - Civil liability exemption; placement of markers in waterways.
895.529 - Civil liability limitation; duty of care owed to trespassers.
895.53 - Civil and criminal liability exemption; tests for intoxication.
895.535 - Civil and criminal liability exemption; body cavity search.
895.537 - Liability exemption; sexual assault evidence collection.
895.54 - Liability exemption; notification of release.
895.55 - Liability exemption; oil discharge control.
895.555 - Civil liability exemption; anhydrous ammonia.
895.57 - Damages and immunity; unauthorized release of animals.
895.58 - Liability exemption; use of special waste under public works contracts.
895.61 - Asbestos successor corporation; limitation on liability.
895.66 - Mandatory disclosures.
895.67 - Approval of transfers of structured settlement payment rights.
895.68 - Effects of transfer of structured settlement payment rights.