What is the primary purpose of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990?

The primary purpose of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 is to prevent and respond to oil spills in U.S. waters and coastal areas. This legislation was enacted in response to significant oil spills, most notably the Exxon Valdez disaster in 1989, which highlighted the need for a comprehensive approach to oil spill management.

The Act established additional spill prevention and response measures, requiring the creation of Oil Spill Response Plans and providing the framework for effective federal response to oil spills, including the establishment of requirements for oil companies to develop contingency plans and demonstrate their capability to respond to spills. Moreover, it increased penalties for non-compliance and allowed the federal government to take measures to ensure that responsible parties clean up spills.

While options regarding hazardous waste disposal, air quality standards, and wildlife conservation reflect important environmental concerns, they are not the focus of this specific legislation. The Oil Pollution Act distinctly centralizes its efforts on the prevention of oil spills and the management of responses to them, marking it as a vital part of the U.S. environmental regulatory framework specifically addressing oil pollution.