Coast Guard: Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund Not Being Used to Pay All Allowable Costs

Highlights

Pursuant to a legislative requirement, GAO reported on the: (1) Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund's receipts and disbursements as of March 31, 1991; and (2) status of activities under way to fully implement Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA) provisions regarding the fund.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected	Recommendation	Status
Department of Transportation	The Secretary of Transportation should take steps to ensure that the Commandant of the Coast Guard implements the recommendations included in a previous GAO report concerning improvements needed to make certain that federal spill-related removal costs are appropriately paid.	Closed – Implemented Interim regulations implementing OPA, including its provisions for paying spill costs, have been implemented.
Department of Transportation	The Secretary of Transportation should take steps to ensure that the Commandant of the Coast Guard establishes interim regulations incorporating the OPA provision for full reimbursement of all costs incurred by agencies and agency personnel not normally involved in spill response, including the cost of their salaries.	Closed – Implemented Final regulations implementing OPA have been written and are undergoing internal agency review. In the interim, the Coast Guard has directed that full reimbursement be paid to federal agencies.
Department of Transportation	The Secretary of Transportation should take steps to ensure that the Commandant of the Coast Guard establishes, if delegated the authority by the President, interim procedures for the proper payment of damages to third-party claimants and the costs of initiating natural resource damage assessment studies.	Closed – Implemented Final regulations implementing OPA, including third-party claims, have been written and are undergoing internal review. Internal guidance has been issued as GAO recommended.

Full Report

Full Report (16 pages)

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Homeland Security

Executive ordersFederal fundsFederal legislationInteragency relationsOil pollutionOil spillsReimbursements to governmentMilitary forcesFederal agenciesPollution