(1) An officer or employee of an authorized public entity, or the department of ecology at the request of an authorized public entity, may, consistent with subsection (2) of this section, board any vessel at any reasonable time for the purpose of:

(a) Administering this chapter, including identifying ownership of a vessel, assessing the structural integrity of a vessel, and assessing whether a vessel meets the criteria described under RCW 79.100.040(3); or

(b) For the department of ecology only, mitigating a potential threat to health, safety, or the environment under the authority provided in chapter 90.56 RCW.

(2)(a) Prior to boarding any vessel under the authority of this section, an officer or employee of an authorized public entity or the department of ecology must apply for and obtain an administrative search warrant in either Thurston county superior court or the superior court in the county where the vessel is located, unless a warrant is not otherwise required by law. The court may issue an administrative search warrant where the court has reasonable cause to believe it is necessary to achieve the purposes of this section.

(b) Prior to requesting an administrative search warrant under this subsection, the officer or employee must make a reasonable effort to contact the owner or the owner's designee and obtain consent to board the vessel.

(3) Nothing in this section affects an authorized public entity's authority to carry out actions under RCW 79.100.040 or any agency's existing authority to enter onto vessels under any other statute.