Laws & Statutes
The NPFC manages the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund and the Coast Guard's use of Superfund and Stafford Act funding under the guidance of several laws.
Act |
US Code |
Summary |
Clean
Water Act |
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The Clean Water Act (CWA), as amended by the Oil Pollution Act of
1990, provides the basic statutory authority for pollution prevention,
contingency planning, and response activities within the 200-mile
Exclusive Economic
Zone for oil and hazardous substances. |
CERCLA
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The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability
Act (CERCLA), also known as Superfund, extends the response
provisions of the Clean Water Act to a wide range of "hazardous substances,
pollutants, and contaminants" and to releases that threaten not
only coastal or navigable waters but also those that may threaten
other environments, such as the air or ground. Read More.... |
Title I of Oil Pollution Act of 1990 |
33 U.S.C. 2701-2761
26 U.S.C. 9509 (OSLTF) |
The Oil Pollution Act of 1990, which amended the Clean Water Act, addresses a wide range of issues associated with preventing, responding to, and paying for oil pollution. Title I of OPA established oil spill liability and compensation requirements, including the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund (OSLTF), to help facilitate cleanup activities and compensate for damages from oil spills. In 1991, the United States Coast Guard created the National Pollution Funds Center (NPFC) to implement Title I of OPA, administer the OSLTF, and ensure effective response and recovery. Read More.... |
Title 46 Shipping Laws |
Title 46
Title 46A |
The Shipping Laws provide a broad basis for vessel and maritime personnel standards, federal regulations, inspection and examination, issuance of certificates and licenses, casualty investigations, and personnel actions, including subpoena authority. |
Stafford Act |
42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq. |
The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act supports state and local governments and their citizens when disasters overwhelm them. This law establishes a process for requesting and obtaining a Presidential disaster declaration, defines the type and scope of assistance available, and sets the conditions for obtaining that assistance. Read More.... |
CFO Act |
Public Law 101-576 |
The Chief Financial Officers (CFO) Act lays a foundation for comprehensive reform of Federal financial management. The act establishes a leadership structure, provides for long-range planning, requires audited financial statements, and strengthens accountability reporting. |
Debt Collection Act of 1982 |
15 U.S.C. 1692 |
This act, which was amended and renamed the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996, governs how Federal entities collect debt and how interest and fees are to be applied. |
Energy Policy Act of 2005 |
Public Law 109-58 |
This act increased the size of the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund to $2.7 billion and revived a 5-cents-per-barrel tax, effective April 2006. |
Title VI of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2006 |
Public Law 109-241 |
This act amended the limits of liability for oil removal costs and damages that result from discharges or substantial threats of discharge of oil from vessels. Read More.... |
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Federal Regulations
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National Resource Damage Assessments |
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Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund; State
Access Regulations |
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Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund,
Claims Procedures; Designation of Source; and Advertisement |
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Financial Responsibility for Water Pollution (Vessels) |
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National
Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP) |
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National Response Framework
The National Response Framework describes how the federal government coordinates with state, local, and tribal governments and the private sector during incidents such as natural disasters, terrorist acts, and oil spills. All funding for spill and pollution response that NPFC manages falls under the NRF. Read More....
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