EPA Regulations for Oil Spills

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, in 2010, oil spills occured in less than 1 percent of the oil handled each year. Despite that, oil spills still happen, and the Environmental Protection Agency developed regulations for managing and cleaning spills whether on land or in water. Whether the spill is due to natural causes or human error, these regulations provide an efficient method for reducing damage to the environment.

Responsibilities

Under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, the Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, is responsible for prevention, containment and cleanup of oil spills. This act also gave the EPA the power to issue and enforce administrative clean up orders to the owners or operators of the facilities who caused the oil spill, including the costs associated with the spill. Underground pipelines and oil storage facilities can be a cause of oil spills on land. These facilities are often owned by large oil corporations and attached to processing plants where crude oil is processed into motor oil.

Reporting Oil Spills

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the Coast Guard National Response Center is the point of contact for reporting an oil spill on land or water. Any party responsible for causing an oil spill is legally required to report the situation as soon as possible. Facilities, or anyone who notices an oil spill on land can report the situation to 800-424-8802, which is the official number for the Coast Guard National Response Center.

Being Ready for Oil Spills

The EPA holds a leadership position in the National Response System. As part of this role, the Environmental Protection agency is responsible for regulating contingency plans on a federal level, and providing financial or technical assistance on a state or local level. These plans must include provisions for responding to an oil spill, and list the parties responsible. The Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, the Oil Program Center and the office of Office of Emergency and Remedial Response inside the EPA are responsible for maintaining the oil spill contingency plan and regulating the 11 regional offices of the EPA, including monitoring the protection of plants and wildlife in the affected area. The EPA's Environmental Response Team is responsible for reporting to the oil spill and regulating clean up activities on a ground level.

Responding to Oil Spills

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, nearly 14,000 oil spills are reported each year. The EPA is responsible for reporting and tracking each of these spills through the Emergency Response Notification System. If on land, the Environmental Protection Agency is then responsible for managing response and cleanup of the spill. For example, in 2010 an oil rig explosion caused thousands of gallons of oil to spill into the Gulf of Mexico. Shortly after, the oil reached the coast of Louisiana. The EPA took responsibility for responding to the oil that had reached the coastal lands, while the Coast Guard maintained clean up duties within the Gulf of Mexico.

Placing Responsibility

Under the Clean Water Act, the Environmental Protection Agency has the authority to enforce clean up on the parties responsible for the oil spill, while simultaneously regulating the overall response. The EPA also has the authority to bring civil action against owners or operators for unlawful oil spills, including a fine of up to $1,100 per barrel of oil spilled. The Clean Water Act covers oil spills on land as well, where refineries or storage tank owners could be responsible for clean up.

Basic Information About Clean Up, The Environmental Protection Agency
Oil Clean Up, The Environmental Protection Agency
Maintaining Response Readiness, The Environmental Protection Agency
Response to Oil Spills, The Environmental Protection Agency
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