Federal Tanker Safety and Marine Anti-Pollution Act

Summary

Federal Tanker Safety and Marine Anti-Pollution Act - Amends the Ports and Waterways Safety Act of 1972 to require compliance with the mandatory vessel traffic system established by the Coast Guard. Directs the Coast Guard to develop additional monitoring systems and technologies designed to control vessel traffic in congested areas. Requires that vessels contain specified navigational equipment. Requires that vessels be constructed in accordance with specific requirements so as to reduce the possibility of accidents and resultant damage. Establishes procedures for enforcement and inspection by the Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating. Directs the Secretary to establish a coordinated program of experimentation with methods to reduce oil spill incidents and minimize damages. Imposes civil penalties for discharges of oil into the aquatic and terrestrial environment in harmful quantities upon owners and operators of vessels, offshore facilities, and licensees of deepwater ports. Imposes criminal penalties for failure to report oil spills. Imposes strict liability, within specified limits, for cleanup costs incurred in connection with oil spills. Establishes the Federal Oil Pollution Liability and Compensation Administration within the Department of Transportation. Directs the Administration to establish and maintain a Federal Oil Pollution Compensation Fund. Authorizes expenditures from the Fund for: (1) administrative and personnel purposes; (2) cleanup costs resulting from oil spills caused solely by an act of war or by Government negligence; (3) other uncompensated oil spill damages; and (4) research into methods of oil spill prevention and control. Imposes a five-cent per barrel fee on owners of oil at the time of transfer to collect monies for the Fund. Requires that owners or operators of vessels and offshore facilities establish and maintain evidence of financial responsibility. Establishes procedures for adjudication of claims arising under this Act. Authorizes States to impose more stringent requirements. Authorizes the appropriation of $5,000,000 per year for fiscal years 1977, 1978, and 1979, for the administration of this Act.

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Timeline

1. 11 January 1977

   Introduced

   Referred to Senate Committee on Commerce (Subsequently: Commerce, Science, and Transportation).

   Source: IntroReferral

2. 11 January 1977

   Introduced

   Introduced in Senate

   Source: IntroReferral

3. 21 February 1977

   Introduced

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

   Source: IntroReferral

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

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

Documents

1 official file

• Introduced in Senate

  summary · EN · 11 January 1977

  Open at official source

Sponsors

• Sen. Kennedy, Edward M. [D-MA] · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Anderson, Wendell R. [D-MN] · D · Cosponsor
• Sen. Riegle, Donald W., Jr. [D-MI] · D · Cosponsor
• Sen. Sarbanes, Paul S. [D-MD] · D · Cosponsor
• Sen. Leahy, Patrick J. [D-VT] · D · Cosponsor
• Sen. Biden, Joseph R., Jr. [D-DE] · D · Cosponsor
• Sen. Heinz, John [R-PA] · R · Cosponsor
• Sen. Mathias, Charles McC., Jr. [R-MD] · R · Cosponsor
• Sen. Ribicoff, Abraham A. [D-CT] · D · Cosponsor
• · ssev00 · Standing
• · sscm00 · Standing

Related records

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