Title: Clean Water Act (CWA) | Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
Headings: Clean Water Act (CWA)
Clean Water Act (CWA)
CWA - Legal Responsibility and Regulatory Enforcement
CWA - Guidelines and Standards
Technology-Based Effluent Limitations Guidelines
New Source Performance Standards
Oil Pollution Prevention
Cooling Water Intake
CWA – Permitting
Status of Current NPDES Permits:
EPA Region 4
EPA Region 6
EPA Region 9
EPA Region 10

Content: Exploratory wells are not considered new sources because site preparation is not considered significant. Oil Pollution Prevention
Originally published in 1973 under the authority of Section 311 of the CWA, the Oil Pollution Prevention regulation sets forth requirements for prevention of, preparedness for, and response to oil discharges at specific non-transportation-related facilities. To prevent oil from reaching navigable waters and adjoining shorelines, and to contain discharges of oil, the regulation requires these facilities to develop and implement Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) Plans and establishes procedures, methods, and equipment requirements (Subparts A, B, and C). The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90) amended the CWA, and provided new requirements for contingency planning by government and industry under the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan. OPA 90 also increased penalties for regulatory noncompliance, broadened the response and enforcement authorities of the federal government, and preserved state authority to establish laws governing oil spill prevention and response. On July 1, 1994, EPA finalized the revisions that direct facility owners or operators to prepare and submit plans for responding to a worst-case discharge of oil (Subpart D). OPA 90 gave the Secretary of the Interior authority over offshore facilities and associated pipelines, with the exception of deepwater ports, for State and Federal offshore waters. The Secretary in turn delegated this OPA 90 authority to BOEM or BSEE. The resulting tasks for BOEM include the following: reviewing exploration and development plans, reviewing spill financial liability limits, and certifying spill financial responsibility.