Navigable Waters Carrying Oil News

Proposed Rule, Non-Tank Vessel Response Plans

The U.S. Coast Guard announced the publication of a notice of proposed rulemaking designed to increase pollution response preparedness for non-tank vessels carrying oil as fuel upon U.S. waters. The proposed rule, entitled "Nontank Vessel Response Plans and Other Vessel Response Plan Requirements," would establish the content of response plans for oil discharges, helping non-tank vessel owners and operators understand how to comply with preparation and submission requirements for response plans under the Coast Guard Maritime Transportation Act of 2004. A non-tank vessel is defined as a self-propelled vessel of 400 gross tons or greater that is not a tank vessel, which operates on U.S. navigable waters carrying oil of any kind as fuel for main propulsion.