SAFEGUARDS Act of 2013

To amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to modernize and enhance the Federal Government’s response to oil spills, to improve oversight and regulation of offshore drilling, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Secure All Facilities to Effectively Guard the United States Against and Respond to Dangerous Spills Act of 2013 SAFEGUARDS Act of 2013 2. Oil spill response plans for drilling on the outer Continental Shelf The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: 32. Oil spill response plan requirements The Secretary may not issue any permit or other authorization for exploration for or production of oil or gas under a lease under this Act unless an oil spill response plan for the operations of the facility on which the activity is conducted has been approved by the Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating as meeting the requirements for such a plan under section 311(j) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1321(j)). . 3. Approval of oil spill response plans Section 311(j)(5)(A) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1321(j)(5)(A)) is amended by adding at the end the following: (iii) Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of the SAFEGUARDS Act of 2013, the President shall issue regulations to ensure that an owner or operator of an offshore facility is not in compliance with requirements under this paragraph unless the owner or operator submits the plan required under clause (i) to the Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating and the Secretary approves the plan. . 4. Containment device or blowout preventer failure Section 311(j)(5)(A)(i) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act ( 33 U.S.C. 1321(j)(5)(A)(i) , including as the result of an uncontrolled or uncontained discharge from a well 5. Water quality monitoring Section 311(d)(2) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act ( 33 U.S.C. 1321(d)(2) (N) Water quality monitoring by the Administrator of waters affected by discharges of oil or other hazardous substances that begins not later than 48 hours after such a discharge is reported. . 6. Extension of deadline for review of exploration plan Section 11(c)(1) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act ( 43 U.S.C. 1340(c)(1) (1) by striking thirty days 90 days (2) by inserting before the last sentence the following: The Secretary may extend such 90-day period by 60 days if the Secretary certifies that such extension is necessary to allow adequate consideration of the plan. (3) by striking under the preceding sentence under this paragraph 7. National Incident Commander Section 311(d)(2)(I) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act ( 33 U.S.C. 1321(d)(2)(I) , which shall include the designation of the Commandant of the Coast Guard as the National Incident Commander for all activities in response to such a discharge or threat if such a discharge or threat affects waters with respect to which the Coast Guard is responsible for response efforts under the Plan 8. Categorical exclusions prohibited Section 11(c) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act ( 43 U.S.C. 1340(c) (4) An exploration plan submitted under this subsection shall not be eligible for a categorical exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). . 9. Update of National Contingency Plan Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act, and at least every 5 years thereafter, the President shall update the National Contingency Plan required under section 311(d) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1321(d)) and shall ensure that each update includes separate response plans for— (1) discharges of oil or other hazardous materials into or upon land; and (2) discharges of oil or other hazardous materials into or upon water.

Summary: Secure All Facilities to Effectively Guard the United States Against and Respond to Dangerous Spills Act of 2013 or the SAFEGUARDS Act of 2013 - Amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to: (1) prohibit the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) from issuing a permit or other authorization for exploration for or production of oil or gas under a lease under such Act unless an oil spill response plan for the operations of the facility on which the activity is conducted has been approved by the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating as meeting requirements for such a plan under the National Response System of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act); (2) require the Secretary to approve an oil and gas exploration plan within 90 (currently 30) days of submission, with a 60-day extension authorized if the Secretary certifies that it's necessary to allow adequate consideration of the plan; and (3) prohibit an exploration plan from being eligible for a categorical exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). Amends the Clean Water Act to require: (1) the President to issue regulations to require owners or operators of offshore facilities to have their plans for responding to a worst case discharge of oil or a hazardous substance approved by the Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating; and (2) such worst case plans of owners and operators of tank vessels, nontank vessels, offshore facilities, or onshore facilities to include plans for responding to uncontrolled or uncontained discharges from wells. Requires the National Contingency Plan for removal of oil and hazardous substances to: (1) include water quality monitoring by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of waters affected by discharges of oil or other hazardous substances that begins not later than 48 hours after such a discharge is reported; (2) include designation of the Commandant of the Coast Guard as the National Incident Commander for activities in response to a discharge that results in a substantial threat to the public health or welfare of the United States if such a discharge affects waters with respect to which the Coast Guard is responsible for response efforts under the Plan; and (3) be updated by the President every five years, including separate response plans for discharges of oil or other hazardous materials into or upon land and water.