CONGRESSWOMAN ELISE STEFANIK
CHAIRWOMAN
H.R. 2693 is expected to be considered on the floor of the House on Tuesday, July 20, 2010, under a motion to suspend the rules, requiring a two-thirds vote for passage. The legislation was introduced by Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) on June 3, 2010. The Committee on Science and Technology approved the bill by voice vote on July 14, 2010.
H.R. 2693 would make the following major changes to Title VII of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990:
Enacted in the wake of the Exxon Valdez spill, title VII of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 authorized an interagency oil pollution program to conduct research, technology development, and demonstration for the prevention, response, and mitigation of oil pollution resulting from discharges.
The statute created an Interagency Coordinating Committee (ICC) of 14 agencies and chaired by the Coast Guard. The ICC is tasked with developing a research and development plan to guide the program and identify gaps in current knowledge, research priorities and the resources needed to attain those priorities. The program is broken into three main research areas: innovative technology development, technology evaluation, and effects research.
The statute also authorizes demonstration projects, continues operation of the Oil and Hazardous Materials Simulated Environmental Test Tank (OHMSETT) Research Center, requires the ICC to coordinate with states and universities to develop Regional Research programs, and provides authority to coordinate and cooperate with other nations to conduct oil pollution research, development, and demonstration activities, including controlled field tests of oil discharges.
CBO estimates that implementing the legislation would cost $93 million over five years.