The Oil Pollution Act (OPA) of 1990, part of which
amended Section 311 of the Clean Water Act (CWA), expanded
the role of the federal government in both preventing
and responding to oil spills, and in assuring that those
responsible pay damages and are subject to severe penalties
for such spills. Section 311(b)(3) of the CWA prohibits
the discharge of threshold amounts of oil or hazardous
substances to navigable waters of the United States.
To reduce the likelihood of a spill, regulations issued
under CWA Section 311(j) (published at 40 CFR Part 112)
require facilities that store oil in significant amounts
to prepare spill prevention, control, and countermeasure
(SPCC) plans and to adopt certain measures to keep accidental
releases from reaching navigable waters. Certain types
of facilities that pose a greater risk of release must
also develop plans to respond promptly to clean up any
spills that do occur.
NEW
WEBSITE FOR CWA PUBLIC NOTICES |
The Clean
Water Act (CWA) requires EPA
to provide interested parties
public notice of a proposed
CWA Section 309(g) or Section
311(b)(6)(B)(ii) administrative
penalty and a reasonable opportunity
to comment on its issuance.
Beginning in February 2004,
it is expected that these public
notices will no longer be published
in local newspapers by EPA New
England and will instead be
made available only on our website. |
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