Oil Pollution Act of 1990

Oil Pollution Act of 1990
Long title	Oil Pollution Act of 1990 – Public Law 101-380
Enacted by	the 101st United States Congress
Effective	August 18, 1990
Citations
Public law	101-380
Statutes at Large	104 Stat. 484
Codification
Titles amended	33 U.S.C.: Navigable Waters
U.S.C. sections created	33 U.S.C. ch. 40 § 2701
Legislative history
	Introduced in the House as H.R. 1465 by Walter B. Jones, Sr. (D-NC) on March 16, 1989; Committee consideration by House Merchant Marine and Fisheries, House Public Works and Transportation, House Interior and Insular Affairs, House Foreign Affairs, House Science, Space and Technology; Passed the House on November 9, 1989 (375–5); Passed the Senate on November 19, 1989 (voice vote); Reported by the joint conference committee on August 1, 1990; agreed to by the Senate on August 2, 1990 (99–0) and by the House on August 4, 1990 (360–0); Signed into law by President George H. W. Bush on August 18, 1990;
United States Supreme Court cases
	United States v. Locke, 529 U.S. 89 (2000); CITGO Asphalt Refining Co. v. Frescati Shipping Co., No. 18-565, 589 U.S. ___ (2020); United States v. Trafigura Trading LLC, 599 U.S. ___ (2023);

The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA) was passed by the 101st United States Congress and signed by President George H. W. Bush. It works to avoid oil spills from vessels and facilities by enforcing removal of spilled oil and assigning liability for the cost of cleanup and damage; requires specific operating procedures; defines responsible parties and financial liability; implements processes for measuring damages; specifies damages for which violators are liable; and establishes a fund for damages, cleanup, and removal costs. This statute has resulted in instrumental changes in the oil production, transportation, and distribution industries.