What is the main requirement of the OPA 90?

Tank vessels must have an approved OPA 90 Vessel Response Plan with an approval letter that lists the approved areas of operation for that particular vessel. 5. All vessels of 300 gross tons or more must have an approved OPA 90 Certificate of Responsibility (COFR).

How often we are supposed to do notification exercise with qualified individuals as per OPA 90?

In accordance with OPA 90 – 33 CFR 155.1060 and California Code of Regulations, Title 14, a Qualified Individual communication exercise must be conducted quarterly when operating in USA waters (EEZ), otherwise upon entry into USA waters, not to exceed four (4) times per year.

What led to OPA 90?

On March 24, 1989, Exxon Valdez, an oil tanker, struck a reef while traversing through Prince William Sound and spilled nearly 11 million gallons of crude oil into the surrounding Alaskan waters. Congress voted to pass the Oil Pollution Act (OPA) in 1990 shortly after the spill.

What must be done during qualified individual notification drill?

1 Qualified Individual Notification Exercises – The purpose of the QI notification exercise is to ensure that the QI (or designee) listed in the response plan will respond as expected and carry out his or her required duties in a spill response emergency or significant threat of a spill.

What is Qi notification drill?

QUALIFIED INDIVIDUAL (QI) NOTIFICATION EXERCISES. The QI Notification Exercise is intended to be communication verification drill with between a vessel and the QI. Applies to all tank and non-tank vessels operating in U.S waters.

What is vessel response plan?

A vessel response plan (VRP) is a document that outlines what the vessel will do in the case of an offshore spill. VRPs are required by the United States Coast Guard for maritime operators that are carrying certain quantities of chemicals and/or refined petroleum products.

What does the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 State?

The Federal Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 established pollution prevention as the public policy of the United States. The Federal Act declares that pollution should be prevented or reduced at the source wherever feasible, while pollution that cannot be prevented should be recycled in an environmentally safe manner.

What does an On Scene Coordinator do?

On-Scene Coordinators (OSCs) are the federal officials responsible for monitoring or directing responses to all oil spills and hazardous substance releases reported to the federal government.

What can be achieved by the vessel in using the VRP plan?

The VRP includes information about the vessel, (such as its name, country of registry, call sign, and more), contact information for the vessel’s owner or operator, a list of zones that the vessel intends to operate in, and the clear identification of the incident management team – the people or group who is to be …

What are the Prep guidelines for OPA 90?

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), and Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE). Completion of the exercises described in the PREP Guidelines is one option for maintaining compliance with OPA 90‐mandated federal oil pollution response exercise requirements.

What are the requirements of the Oil Pollution Act?

The OPA also requires the development of Area Contingency Plans to prepare and plan for oil spill response on a regional scale. The Office of Emergency Management (OEM) works with other federal partners to prevent accidents as well as to maintain superior response capabilities.

How does the Oil Pollution Act help clean up oil spills?

A trust fund financed by a tax on oil is available to clean up spills when the responsible party is incapable or unwilling to do so. The OPA requires oil storage facilities and vessels to submit to the Federal government plans detailing how they will respond to large discharges.

What do you need to know about the OPA?

The OPA requires oil storage facilities and vessels to submit to the Federal government plans detailing how they will respond to large discharges. EPA has published regulations for aboveground storage facilities; the Coast Guard has done so for oil tankers.