The April edition of the Facility & Maritime Affairs (FAMA) has been published, and can be downloaded from RCP’s website here through the Response Planning Gateway. One article concerns penalties for vessels required to have an Oil Pollution Act 1990 plan (OPA) or Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan (SOPEP) that fail to register with the Texas General Land Office prior to entering Texas waters. Recommended penalties for failing to register start at $500 for each violation.

Texas is also proposing to amend the current law, which states that oil spills of less than 240 barrels from exploration and production facilities or crude oil pipelines are the responsibility of the Texas Railroad Commission. The legislature is proposing to assign all responsibility for all maritime oil spills to the Texas General Land Office.