Comprehensive Oil Pollution Liability and Compensation Act

Summary

Comprehensive Oil Pollution Liability and Compensation Act - Title I: Domestic Oil Pollution Liability, Compensation, and Fund - Establishes in the Treasury of the United States a fund for the purpose of paying for otherwise uncompensated losses resulting from oil pollution. Enumerates the sources of moneys to be deposited in such fund, including a fee, not to exceed three cents per barrel of oil, imposed upon owners of facilities receiving oil. Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to issue obligations to the Secretary of the Treasury at times when fund assets are insufficient to meet fund liabilities. Lists the types of injuries which may be compensated under this Act and the potential claimants who have standing to assert claims involving each such type of damage. Imposes joint, several, and strict liability on the owners and operators of each pollution source. Specifies liability limits, except in cases of gross negligence or willful misconduct, for ships and other vessels. Directs the Secretary of Transportation to establish limits on the liability of classes of facilities used for transporting, producing, processing, storing, or transferring oil. Requires the owner or operator: (1) of any such facility; or (2) any ship which uses such facility or navigable waters of the United States, to establish and maintain evidence of financial responsibility in an amount sufficient to satisfy applicable liability limits. Directs the person in charge of a vessel or facility to immediately notify the Secretary of Transportation of any pollution incident in which the vessel or facility is involved. Specifies procedures whereby the Secretary may, in the absence of such an admission, designate and advertise pollution sources. Directs the Secretary, in instances in which: (1) the owner and operator of a vessel or facility designated by the Secretary deny such vessel's or facility's involvement; (2) the source of the discharge is a public vessel; or (3) the Secretary is unable to designate the pollution source, to advertise procedures for presenting claims directly to the fund. Requires all other claims with limited exceptions, to be initially presented to the owner or operator, or to such person's guarantor. Permits claimants to either present a claim to the fund or to bring an action in an appropriate United States liability or fail to settle the claim within a specified period. Sets forth procedures for the disposition and appeal of claims submitted to the fund. Requires both the plaintiff and the defendant in a court action brought against an owner, operator, or guarantor to forward copies of all pleadings to the fund. Permits the fund to intervene in such actions. Subrogates any person or government entity, including the fund, paying compensation to all the claimant's claims and rights under this Act. Specifies procedures for and the measure of recovery in actions brought by the fund against owners, operators, or guarantors of alleged pollution sources. Declares that the rights and remedies under this Act shall be exclusive with respect to economic loss caused by oil pollution. Sets penalties for persons failing to comply with specified provisions in this Act Title II: Effective Dates; Conforming Amendments; Severability - Specifies the effective date of this Act. Amends specified laws, including the Deepwater Port Act of 1974 and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, to conform with the provisions of this Act.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

1. 2 May 1977

   Introduced

   Referred to House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries.

   Source: IntroReferral

2. 2 May 1977

   Introduced

   Introduced in House

   Source: IntroReferral

3. 2 May 1977

   Introduced

   Introduced in House

   Source: IntroReferral

4. 16 May 1977

   Reported

   Reported to House from the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries with amendment, H. Rept. 95-340.

   Source: Committee

5. 16 May 1977

   Reported

   Reported to House from the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries with amendment, H. Rept. 95-340.

   Source: Committee

6. 12 September 1977

   Vote

   Measure passed House, amended, roll call #541 (332-59).

   Source: Floor

7. 12 September 1977

   Vote

   Passed/agreed to in House: Measure passed House, amended, roll call #541 (332-59).

   Source: Floor

8. 12 September 1977

   Floor

   Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.

   Source: Floor

9. 13 September 1977

   Introduced

   Referred jointly to Senate Committees on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

   Source: IntroReferral

10. 2 February 1978

    Passed

    Similar provisions inserted in S. 9 and H.R. 1614 as passed House.

    Source: Committee

11. 5 October 1978

    Passed

    Passed/agreed to in Senate: Measure passed Senate, amended, in lieu of S. 2083.

    Source: Floor

12. 5 October 1978

    Floor

    Measure considered in Senate.

    Source: Floor

13. 5 October 1978

    Discharge

    Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and Committee on Environment and Public Works discharged in Senate.

    Source: Discharge

14. 5 October 1978

    Committee

    Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and Committee on Environment and Public Works discharged in Senate.

    Source: Committee

15. 12 October 1978

    Passed

    House agreed to Senate amendments with amendments.

    Source: ResolvingDifferences

16. 12 October 1978

    Passed

    Resolving differences -- House actions: House agreed to Senate amendments with amendments.

    Source: NotUsed

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

No version snapshots stored. Document URLs remain at the source.

Documents

2 official files

• House agreed to Senate amendment with amendment

  summary · EN · 12 October 1978

  Open at official source

• Introduced in House

  summary · EN · 2 May 1977

  Open at official source

  Leesvertaling

  Vertaal dit document naar jouw taal. PoliticalRepo bewaart geen aparte kopie per EU-taal.

  Vertaal naarNL · DutchDE · GermanFR · FrenchES · SpanishIT · ItalianPL · PolishPT · PortugueseSV · SwedishDA · DanishFI · FinnishEL · GreekCS · CzechHU · HungarianRO · RomanianBG · BulgarianHR · CroatianSK · SlovakSL · SlovenianLT · LithuanianLV · LatvianET · EstonianGA · IrishMT · Maltese

  Vertaal document

  Documentvertaling op verzoek met downloadbare PDF (logo + link naar de officiële bron). Het bronbestand blijft leidend.

Sponsors

• Rep. Biaggi, Mario [D-NY-19] · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Murphy, John M. [D-NY-17] · D · Cosponsor
• Rep. Ruppe, Philip E. [R-MI-11] · R · Cosponsor
• Rep. Treen, David C. [R-LA-3] · R · Cosponsor
• Rep. Ginn, Bo [D-GA-1] · D · Cosponsor
• Rep. Studds, Gerry E. [D-MA-10] · D · Cosponsor
• Rep. Snyder, M. G. (Gene) [R-KY-4] · R · Cosponsor
• Del. de Lugo, Ron [D-VI-At Large] · D · Cosponsor
• Rep. Hubbard, Carroll, Jr. [D-KY-1] · D · Cosponsor
• Rep. Pritchard, Joel [R-WA-1] · R · Cosponsor
• Rep. Bonker, Don [D-WA-3] · D · Cosponsor
• Rep. D'Amours, Norman E. [D-NH-1] · D · Cosponsor
• Rep. Lent, Norman F. [R-NY-4] · R · Cosponsor
• Rep. Patterson, Jerry M. [D-CA-38] · D · Cosponsor
• Rep. Hughes, William J. [D-NJ-2] · D · Cosponsor
• Rep. Evans, Thomas B., Jr. [R-DE-At Large] · R · Cosponsor
• Sen. Mikulski, Barbara A. [D-MD] · D · Cosponsor
• Sen. Akaka, Daniel K. [D-HI] · D · Cosponsor
• Rep. Leggett, Robert L. [D-CA-4] · D · Cosponsor
• Rep. Bowen, David R. [D-MS-2] · D · Cosponsor
• Rep. Zeferetti, Leo C. [D-NY-15] · D · Cosponsor
• Rep. Oberstar, James L. [D-MN-8] · D · Cosponsor
• Rep. Forsythe, Edwin B. [R-NJ-6] · R · Cosponsor
• Rep. Bonior, David E. [D-MI-10] · D · Cosponsor
• · ssev00 · Standing
• · sscm00 · Standing
• · hsmm00 · Standing
• · hspw00 · Standing

Related records

• related to → Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act Amendments
• related to ← Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act Amendments of 1978
• related to ← Oil Pollution Liability and Compensation Act