AWO President Testifies on OPA 90

At a joint hearing of the USCG and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee and the Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, AWO President Tom Allegretti testified the maritime industry is moving more oil safely than ever before. The hearing, held on the tenth anniversary of the Exxon Valdez oil spill, sought to expore the effectiveness of OPA 90. Allegretti testified OPA 90 launched a process that is dramatically working to reduce spills and the risk of spills. According to the USCG, in 1990, tankbarges moved 72 billion gllons of oil, spilling 992,000. However, in 1997, tankbarges moved roughly the same amoung - 71.5 billion gallons - whjile spilling only 166,000 gallons, resulting in 83 percent less oil spilled. "No one would argue 166,000 gallons of oil entering the marine environment is acceptable, and we should stop trying to improve, but the trendline is certainly pointing in the right direction," said Allegretti. He attributed the success to several factors, including better design, maintenance and operation of vessels; improved crew training and preparation; and comprehensive safety management systems. He credited OPA 90's operational enhancements, such as double hulls, tank overfill warning devices and twin propeller tugboats, as well.