Environmental cleanup of oil production sites in southern Illinois
On January 2, 1988, a 4 million gallon aboveground oil storage tank collapsed in Pennsylvania, resulting in a spill of approximately 3.8 million gallons of diesel fuel. Of that amount, approximately 750,000 gallons entered the Monongahela River. On March 23, 1989, the Exxon Valdez, loaded with 1.26 million barrels (54 million gallons) of crude oil struck the rocks of Bligh Reef near Valdez, Alaska. As a result, more than 11 million gallons of crude oil was released into Prince William Sound within 5 hours of the event. The environmental damage and massive cleanup efforts were the most visible effects of these spills. However, one of the most important, but least discussed outcomes was the enactment of the Oil Pollution Act (OPA), which George Bush signed into law on August 18, 1990. The Oil Pollution Act contains many provisions; one of them is the strengthening of the national response system by providing better coordination of spill contingency planning among federal, state, and local authorities. Another provision is the increase in liability for parties responsible for costs and damages resulting from oil spills. In situations where there is no responsible party, OPA provides funding for the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund. In this fund, there is $50 million in an emergency appropriation which can be used to contain and remove oil discharges that affect or threaten to affect the surface waters of the United States.
- OSTI ID:
- 430936
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-960201--
- Journal Information:
- Interstate Oil and Gas Compact and Committee Bulletin, Journal Name: Interstate Oil and Gas Compact and Committee Bulletin; ISSN 1046-2333; ISSN IOGBEL
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
The Oil Pollution Act of 1990: Legislation in the wake of a crisis
A parable of oil and water: Revisiting Prince William Sound, four years after