Marine Oil Spill Prevention Act 2015-05-21 Introduced in Senate Marine Oil Spill Prevention Act

This bill address issues related to preventing and responding to oil spills.

This bill amends the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 to extend the moratorium on oil and gas leasing in certain areas in the Gulf of Mexico until June 30, 2027.

This bill sets forth provisions concerning Coast Guard responsibilities, including designating areas that are at heightened risk of oil spills and implementing measures to ameliorate that risk.

This bill amends the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 to establish a Gulf Coast Regional Citizens' Advisory Council to advise on facilities and tank vessels.

This bill makes an owner of oil responsible for oil spill cleanup. Currently, owners of oil are only responsible if the oil is being transported in a single-hull vessel.

This bill amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to permit the Coast Guard or the Department of Commerce to request a National Transportation Safety Board investigation of any accident occurring in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).

Commerce must establish an inspection fee for OCS facilities for the cost of inspections of facilities and other duties.

This bill requires a comprehensive review of the capacity of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to respond to oil spills. NOAA must develop and maintain oil spill trajectory modeling capability.

The Coast Guard must evaluate and validate oil pollution containment and removal methods and technologies.

NOAA must carry out long-term marine environment monitoring and research program for the Gulf of Mexico.

The bill requires the Coast Guard to publish within 12 hours an Incident Action Plan in response to an oil spill.

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