United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2007-12-18 monographic deposited born digital 33 p. GA 1.13:GAO-08-357T https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-357T P0b002ee1803a4516 f:d08357t DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-23 GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-357T machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-357T GAO-08-357T Cost analysis Environmental cleanups Military cost control Oil pollution Oil spills Pollution Pollution control Risk assessment Trust funds Cost estimates Operations and maintenance costs Program costs Program implementation Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund Testimony A79029 When oil spills occur in U.S. waters, federal law places primary liability on the vessel owner or operator--that is, the responsible party--up to a statutory limit. As a supplement to this "polluter pays" approach, a federal Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund administered by the Coast Guard pays for costs when a responsible party does not or cannot pay. This testimony is based on GAO's September 2007 report on oil spill costs and select program updates on the recent San Francisco spill. Specifically, it answers three questions: (1) How many major spills (i.e., at least $1 million) have occurred since 1990, and what is their total cost? (2) What factors affect the cost of spills? and (3) What are the implications of major oil spills for the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund? https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-357T/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-357T.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-357T/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-357T.pdf GAO-08-357T https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-08-357T Testimony GAO-08-357T; Maritime Transportation: Major Oil Spills Occur Infrequently, but Risks Remain; Cost analysis Environmental cleanups Military cost control Oil pollution Oil spills Pollution Pollution control Risk assessment Trust funds Cost estimates Operations and maintenance costs Program costs Program implementation Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund Public Law 109-58 Public Law 109-241