The OPA requires oil storage facilities and certain vessels to develop detailed plans on how they intend to respond to accidental discharges into the water.  The act also requires the owner or operator to conduct annual audits of their plan and conduct an annual exercise of their plan to assess its effectiveness.  OPA 90 requires detailed response plans for:

 

• Vessel Response Plans.  Vessels over 150 gross tons carrying oil as a primary cargo

• Non-Tank Vessel Response Plans.  Those vessels over 400 gross tons that carry more than 250 barrels of fuel.

• Mobile Facility Response Plans.  Tank trucks that may be used to transfer fuel or oil across the water to a vessel with a capacity greater than 250 barrels must have a response plan and approved operations manual.

• Facility Response Plan.  Each storage facility capable of transferring oil or hazardous material to or from a vessel with a capacity of 250 barrels, must have a response plan and an approved operations manual.
  
  We have the expertise to help you maintain compliance with the plan development, exercise requirements, and auditing requirements.  Please let us know how we can help.