Statement of Administration Policy: S. 686 - Oil Pollution Liability and Compensation Act of 1989

(Senate)
(Mitchell (D) Maine, Baucus (D) Montana, and Lautenberg (D) New Jersey)

The Administration strongly supports comprehensive oil spill liability and compensation legislation and has proposed such a bill (S. 1066). Although the Administration has no objection to Senate passage of S. 686, it is seriously concerned with several aspects of S. 686, and will work in the House to bring the bill into general conformance with the Administration's proposal. In particular, the Administration will seek amendments to:

• allow for implementation of the 1984 Protocols to the 1969 Civil Liability and 1971 FUND Conventions. Implementation of the Protocols would provide better enforceability of U.S. judgments in foreign courts and provide better coverage for foreign vessel spills, especially for vessels not bound for U.S. ports;
  
  
• confine uses of the fund to assessment, cleanup, restoration, and limited economic damages. Such limitations are necessary to protect the fund from unnecessary depletion which could jeopardize cleanup and restoration activities;
  
  
• revise the provision requiring mandatory federalization of cleanup operations to ensure that the spiller is held responsible for both the cleanup and cleanup costs;
  
  
• revise the provision requiring Presidential approval of vessel, tanker, and facility contingency plans to protect the United States from liability; and
  
  
• revise the provision merging the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Liability Fund into the new fund to preserve causes of action arising from the Exxon Valdez spill.