Title: Oil Pollution Act of 1990
Headings: United States Coast Guard
Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA)
OPA Overview
Title I of OPA
NPFC Created to Implement OPA, Title I

Content: Oil Pollution Act of 1990
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Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA)
On March 24, 1989, the Exxon Valdez spilled over 11 million gallons of Alaskan crude into the water of Prince William Sound. There were many lessons learned the aftermath of the Valdez oil spill. Two of the most obvious were: The United States lacked adequate resources, particularly Federal funds, to respond to spills, and
The scope of damages compensable under federal law to those impacted by a spill was fairly narrow. Although the environmental damage and massive cleanup efforts were the most visible effects of this casualty, one of the most important outcomes was the enactment of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA), which addressed both these deficiencies. OPA Overview
The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 ( 33 U.S.C. 2701-2761) amended the Clean Water Act and addressed the wide range of problems associated with preventing, responding to, and paying for oil pollution incidents in navigable waters of the United States. It created a comprehensive prevention, response, liability, and compensation regime to deal with vessel- and facility-caused oil pollution to U.S. navigable waters. OPA greatly increased federal oversight of maritime oil transportation, while providing greater environmental safeguards by: Setting new requirements for vessel construction and crew licensing and manning,
Mandating contingency planning,
Enhancing federal response capability,
Broadening enforcement authority,
Increasing penalties,
Creating new research and development programs,
Increasing potential liabilities, and
Significantly broadening financial responsibility requirements. Title I of OPA
Title I of OPA established new and higher liability limits for oil spills, with commensurate changes to financial responsibility requirements.