The Coast Guard's Response to Oilspills

The Coast Guard reported that oilspills in and around U.S. waters totalled about 14.4 million gallons in 1975 and about 23.1 million gallons in 1976. When an oilspill occurs, the spiller is responsible for cleanup. If the spiller refuses cleanup responsibility, conducts inadequate cleanup action, or is unknown, designated federal agencies are authorized to initiate cleanup using financing from an oil pollution fund administered by the Coast Guard. Current practice in most offices is to rely on commercial cleanup contractors to contain and clean oilspills. By and large, the Coast Guard has performed its oil pollution containment program in a creditable manner, considering the limited resources available. An analysis of 137 oilspill cases occurring in 1976 indicated that there were opportunities for the Coast Guard to have been more effective in aspects of 38 percent of the cases. In these cases, the Coast Guard could have been more effective if it had: responded faster to reported spills, better monitored the cleanup operations, taken more effective actions upon arrival at the scene of a spill, attempted to remove minor oilspills before they dissipated in the water, or investigated reported minor oilspills. To obtain increased program effectiveness, the Coast Guard will need to increase its staff, improve training programs, retain experienced personnel, obtain additional equipment, and improve its equipment research and development program and its contingency plans.