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Responsibilities of Those Involved With Oil Spills

Oil spills of any size can cause significant damage to the communities and ecosystems they impact. This damage can cause fiscal and environmental damage to the communities as they try to clean up the spill. Because of this, those involved in oil spills have specific responsibilities as relates to managing the short- and long-term ramifications.

Identifying Who Is Responsible
- Because of the damage oil spills can cause, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) heavily regulates oil companies that store or drill for oil. Together, these organizations create emergency response plans that help aid communities and ecosystems that oil spills affect. Oil companies are responsible for stepping up to the plate and accepting blame and following up with a response plan for cleaning up maximum-level oil spills. For example, the chief executive of BP conceded his company was "absolutely responsible" for the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
Financial Responsiblity
- Oil companies and the EPA provide financial assistance to communities that oil spills affect. Oil companies must pay a fee based on the number of barrels sold; the money goes into the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund. The EPA then collects these funds and doles them out to affected communities to aid with the cost of relief and cleanup efforts. Additionally, oil companies are liable for up to $75 million in disbursements to community businesses that oil spills have negatively impacted.
Cleanup Assistance
- The EPA's Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure Rule regulates cleanup efforts after oil spills. Because of the Clean Water Act, facilities that store and drill for oil must have a spill response plan for worst-case scenarios. These plans are submitted to and approved by the EPA and enacted in the case of spills. According to this rule, oil companies are responsible for designating a person within the company who will be in charge of implementing the oil spill response plan, including an evacuation and cleanup response in the case of maximum-level discharges.
Prevention Regulations
- The EPA regulates oil companies that drill for and store oil to prevent dangerous oil spills before they occur. Working together, these bodies attempt to prevent damage to oil containers and drilling systems that could cause potentially hazardous leaks, as well as provide training for employees on oil spill safety and prevention. In addition, facilities that have been identified as having the potential to do substantial harm and that are capable of storing more than 42,000 gallons of oil must also submit an emergency preparedness plan and a prevention system to the EPA.

Nature