The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 By: Sarah Eteminan

Established Signed into national law in August 1990 It improved the nation’s ability to prevent and respond to oil spills by establishing provisions that expand the federal government’s ability, and provide the money and resources necessary, to respond to oil spills A trust fund (Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund) financed by a tax on oil is available to clean up spills when the responsible party is incapable or unwilling to do so Primary revenues ceased in 1994 due to a ‘sunset’ provision law It increased penalties for regulatory noncompliance, broadened the response and enforcement authorities of the Federal government, and preserved State authority to establish law governing oil spill prevention and response

Regulation and Enforcement The National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP) Federal government is required to direct all public and private response efforts for certain types of spill events Area Committees (composed of federal, state, and local government officials) must develop detailed, location-specific Area Contingency Plans Owners or operators of vessels and certain facilities that pose a serious threat to the environment must prepare their own Facility Response Plans

OPA Office of Pipeline Safety established: responsible for implementing the OPA for onshore pipelines OPA amends Section 311 of the Clean Water Act and the Federal Water Pollution Act The Coast Guard Maritime Transportation Act of 2004 amended portions of the OPA by providing exemption liability for passive financial entities who are lessors in vessel lease financing transactions