Foreign Spill Protection Act of 2016

Bill: 114-hr-1684
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Curbelo, Carlos [R-FL-26]
Introduced: 2015-03-26
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Marine pollution

Oil and gas

Pollution liability

Water quality
Latest action: action_date: 2016-04-27
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Summaries:
action_date: 2015-03-26
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Foreign Spill Protection Act of 2015</b></p> <p>This bill amends the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 to make the owner or operator of a foreign offshore unit liable for removal costs and specified damages that result from a discharge, or substantial threat of discharge, of oil from such unit that reaches or threatens to reach: (1) U.S. navigable waters or adjoining shorelines, or (2) the exclusive economic zone. A &quot;foreign offshore unit&quot; is a facility that is located in the territorial sea or on the continental shelf of a foreign country that is used for oil exploration, drilling, production, or related activities.</p> <p> The bill also amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to: (1) prohibit the discharge of oil from a foreign offshore unit that reaches the navigable waters of the United States, adjoining shorelines, or waters of the contiguous zone; and (2) subject the owner or operator of the unit to penalties under that Act.</p> <p><BR> <BR> </p>

action_date: 2016-04-25
action_desc: Reported to House with amendment(s)
text: <p><b>Foreign Spill Protection Act of 2016</b></p> <p>(Sec. 2) This bill amends the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 to make foreign facilities that are located offshore and outside the boundary of the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) liable for removal costs and damages that result from oil spills that reach (or threaten to reach) U.S. navigable waters, adjoining shorelines, or the EEZ. Specifically, the following parties may be held liable: (1) the owners or operators of the foreign facilities, and (2) the holders of a right of use and easement granted under applicable foreign law for the area in which the facility is located.</p> <p> <p> <p><BR> <BR> </p>

action_date: 2016-04-26
action_desc: Passed House amended
text: <p><b>Foreign Spill Protection Act of 2016</b></p> <p>(Sec. 2) This bill amends the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 to make foreign facilities that are located offshore and outside the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) liable for removal costs and damages that result from oil spills that reach (or threaten to reach) U.S. navigable waters, adjoining shorelines, or the EEZ. Specifically, the following parties may be held liable: (1) the owners or operators of the foreign facilities, and (2) the holders of a right of use and easement granted under applicable foreign law for the area in which the facility is located.<BR> <BR> </p>

tv_txt: I 114th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 1684 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 26, 2015 Mr. Curbelo of Florida (for himself, Mr. Murphy of Florida , Mr. Young of Alaska , Mr. Sires , and Ms. Ros-Lehtinen ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure A BILL To amend the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to impose penalties and provide for the recovery of removal costs and damages in connection with certain discharges of oil from foreign offshore units, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Foreign Spill Protection Act of 2015 . 2. Liability of owners and operators of foreign offshore units Section 1002 of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 ( 33 U.S.C. 2702 ) is amended by adding at the end the following: (e) Foreign offshore units In any case in which there is a discharge, or substantial threat of discharge, of oil from a foreign offshore unit that reaches or threatens to reach the navigable waters or adjoining shorelines or the exclusive economic zone, the owner or operator of the facility— (1) is liable for the removal costs and damages specified in subsection (b) that result from such incident; and (2) shall be treated as a responsible party with respect to the incident for the purposes of this Act in the same manner as a responsible party for an offshore facility. . 3. Penalties for discharge of oil from foreign offshore units Section 311(b) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act ( 33 U.S.C. 1321(b) ) is amended by adding at the end the following: (13) Foreign offshore units (A) Discharges of oil reaching navigable waters In any case in which there is a discharge of oil from a foreign offshore unit that reaches the navigable waters of the United States, adjoining shorelines, or waters of the contiguous zone— (i) the discharge shall be subject to the prohibition in paragraph (3); and (ii) the owner or operator of the unit shall be subject to the penalties established under this subsection. (B) Foreign offshore unit defined In this paragraph, the term foreign offshore unit has the meaning given that term in section 1001 of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 ( 33 U.S.C. 2701 ). . 4. Applicability The amendments made by this Act shall apply with respect to a discharge, or substantial threat of discharge, of oil occurring after the date of enactment of this Act.

tv_txt: I 114th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 1684 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AN ACT To amend the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to impose penalties and provide for the recovery of removal costs and damages in connection with certain discharges of oil from foreign offshore units, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Foreign Spill Protection Act of 2016 . 2. Liability of owners and operators of foreign facilities (a) Oil Pollution Control Act amendments Section 1001 of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 ( 33 U.S.C. 2701 ) is amended— (1) in paragraph (26)(A)— (A) in clause (ii), by striking onshore or offshore facility, any person and inserting onshore facility, offshore facility, or foreign offshore unit or other facility located seaward of the exclusive economic zone, any person or entity ; and (B) in clause (iii), by striking offshore facility, the person who and inserting offshore facility or foreign offshore unit or other facility located seaward of the exclusive economic zone, the person or entity that ; and (2) in paragraph (32)— (A) by redesignating subparagraphs (D) through (F) as subparagraphs (E) through (G), respectively; (B) by inserting after subparagraph (C) the following: (D) Foreign facilities In the case of a foreign offshore unit or other facility located seaward of the exclusive economic zone, any person or other entity owning or operating the facility, and any leaseholder, permit holder, assignee, or holder of a right of use and easement granted under applicable foreign law for the area in which the facility is located. ; and (C) in subparagraph (G), as so redesignated, by striking or offshore facility, the persons who and inserting , offshore facility, or foreign offshore unit or other facility located seaward of the exclusive economic zone, the persons or entities that . (b) Federal Water Pollution Control Act amendments Section 311(a) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act ( 33 U.S.C. 1321(a)(11) ) is amended— (1) by striking and any facility and inserting any facility ; and (2) by inserting , and, for the purposes of applying subsections (b), (c), (e), and (o), any foreign offshore unit (as defined in section 1001 of the Oil Pollution Act) or any other facility located seaward of the exclusive economic zone after public vessel .

Passed the House of Representatives April 26, 2016. Karen L. Haas, Clerk.

tv_txt: IB Union Calendar No. 398 114th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 1684 [Report No. 114–518] IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 26, 2015 Mr. Curbelo of Florida (for himself, Mr. Murphy of Florida , Mr. Young of Alaska , Mr. Sires , and Ms. Ros-Lehtinen ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure April 25, 2016 Additional sponsors: Mr. Diaz-Balart , Mr. Dold , Mr. Lance , Mr. Joyce , Ms. Graham , Mrs. Mimi Walters of California , Mr. Posey , Mr. Jones , Mr. Chabot , Mr. Rouzer , Mr. Gibson , Mr. Miller of Florida , Ms. Wasserman Schultz , Mr. Walden , Mr. MacArthur , Mr. Norcross , Mr. Rodney Davis of Illinois , Mr. Huffman , Mr. Lowenthal , Mr. Hastings , Mr. Clawson of Florida , Mr. Sean Patrick Maloney of New York , Ms. Wilson of Florida , Mr. Coffman , Mr. Costello of Pennsylvania , Ms. Castor of Florida , Mr. Grothman , Mr. Jolly , Mr. Bilirakis , Ms. Pingree , Mr. Zeldin , Mr. Rangel , Ms. Frankel of Florida , Mr. Pocan , Mr. Katko , Mr. Crenshaw , Mr. Grayson , Mr. Cartwright , Mrs. Capps , Mr. Kilmer , Mr. Mica , and Mr. Hanna April 25, 2016 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on March 26, 2015 A BILL To amend the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to impose penalties and provide for the recovery of removal costs and damages in connection with certain discharges of oil from foreign offshore units, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Foreign Spill Protection Act of 2016 . 2. Liability of owners and operators of foreign facilities Section 1001(32) of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 ( 33 U.S.C. 2701(32) ) is amended— (1) by redesignating subparagraphs (D) through (F) as subparagraphs (E) through (G), respectively; (2) by inserting after subparagraph (C) the following: (D) Foreign facilities In the case of a foreign offshore unit or other facility located seaward of the boundary of the exclusive economic zone, any person or other entity owning or operating the facility, and any leaseholder, permit holder, assignee, or holder of a right of use and easement granted under applicable foreign law for the area in which the facility is located. ; and (3) in subparagraph (G), as so redesignated, by striking or offshore facility, the persons and inserting offshore facility, or foreign offshore unit or other facility located seaward of the boundary of the exclusive economic zone, the persons or entities .

April 25, 2016 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed

tv_txt: IIB 114th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 1684 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES April 27, 2016 Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works AN ACT To amend the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to impose penalties and provide for the recovery of removal costs and damages in connection with certain discharges of oil from foreign offshore units, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Foreign Spill Protection Act of 2016 . 2. Liability of owners and operators of foreign facilities (a) Oil Pollution Control Act amendments Section 1001 of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 ( 33 U.S.C. 2701 ) is amended— (1) in paragraph (26)(A)— (A) in clause (ii), by striking onshore or offshore facility, any person and inserting onshore facility, offshore facility, or foreign offshore unit or other facility located seaward of the exclusive economic zone, any person or entity ; and (B) in clause (iii), by striking offshore facility, the person who and inserting offshore facility or foreign offshore unit or other facility located seaward of the exclusive economic zone, the person or entity that ; and (2) in paragraph (32)— (A) by redesignating subparagraphs (D) through (F) as subparagraphs (E) through (G), respectively; (B) by inserting after subparagraph (C) the following: (D) Foreign facilities In the case of a foreign offshore unit or other facility located seaward of the exclusive economic zone, any person or other entity owning or operating the facility, and any leaseholder, permit holder, assignee, or holder of a right of use and easement granted under applicable foreign law for the area in which the facility is located. ; and (C) in subparagraph (G), as so redesignated, by striking or offshore facility, the persons who and inserting , offshore facility, or foreign offshore unit or other facility located seaward of the exclusive economic zone, the persons or entities that . (b) Federal Water Pollution Control Act amendments Section 311(a) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act ( 33 U.S.C. 1321(a)(11) ) is amended— (1) by striking and any facility and inserting any facility ; and (2) by inserting , and, for the purposes of applying subsections (b), (c), (e), and (o), any foreign offshore unit (as defined in section 1001 of the Oil Pollution Act) or any other facility located seaward of the exclusive economic zone after public vessel .

Passed the House of Representatives April 26, 2016. Karen L. Haas, Clerk