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Several types of oil spills do not need to be reported.
Discharges that did not reach navigable waters or adjoining shorelines
If a discharge has not reached navigable waters or adjoining shorelines, it is not reportable. For example, if a tank leaks a puddle of oil into a building’s basement, this would be considered a discharge of oil, but it is not reportable if the oil did not reach a navigable water or adjoining shoreline. However, groundwater may be a conduit to navigable water or an adjoining shoreline.
Properly functioning vessel engines
Discharges of oil from a properly functioning vessel engine are not deemed to be harmful; therefore, they do not need to be reported under the Discharge of Oil Standard. However, oil accumulated in a vessel's bilge is not exempt.
Research and development releases
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) may permit the discharge of oil on a case-by-case basis in connection with:
However, the Discharge of Oil Standard specifically forbids the use of dispersants or emulsifiers to circumvent the standard.
NPDES-permitted releases
Three types of discharges subject to the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) are exempt from oil spill reporting:
Discharges permitted under MARPOL
Certain discharges beyond the territorial seas (defined as extending three miles seaward from the coast) are allowed if they are permitted under international law. The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), as amended, prohibits the discharge of oily mixtures (defined as mixtures with any oil content) from a tanker except when all of the following conditions are met:
In addition, MARPOL allows discharges in quantities verified by a monitoring system to be less than or equal to 15 parts per million, regardless of whether the discharge causes a sheen. Therefore, discharges permitted under MARPOL into waters seaward of the territorial sea are exempt from U.S. oil spill notification requirements. Such discharges may include the operational discharge of limited quantities of oil-water mixtures from ships.
Several types of oil spills do not need to be reported.
Discharges that did not reach navigable waters or adjoining shorelines
If a discharge has not reached navigable waters or adjoining shorelines, it is not reportable. For example, if a tank leaks a puddle of oil into a building’s basement, this would be considered a discharge of oil, but it is not reportable if the oil did not reach a navigable water or adjoining shoreline. However, groundwater may be a conduit to navigable water or an adjoining shoreline.
Properly functioning vessel engines
Discharges of oil from a properly functioning vessel engine are not deemed to be harmful; therefore, they do not need to be reported under the Discharge of Oil Standard. However, oil accumulated in a vessel's bilge is not exempt.
Research and development releases
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) may permit the discharge of oil on a case-by-case basis in connection with:
However, the Discharge of Oil Standard specifically forbids the use of dispersants or emulsifiers to circumvent the standard.
NPDES-permitted releases
Three types of discharges subject to the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) are exempt from oil spill reporting:
Discharges permitted under MARPOL
Certain discharges beyond the territorial seas (defined as extending three miles seaward from the coast) are allowed if they are permitted under international law. The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), as amended, prohibits the discharge of oily mixtures (defined as mixtures with any oil content) from a tanker except when all of the following conditions are met:
In addition, MARPOL allows discharges in quantities verified by a monitoring system to be less than or equal to 15 parts per million, regardless of whether the discharge causes a sheen. Therefore, discharges permitted under MARPOL into waters seaward of the territorial sea are exempt from U.S. oil spill notification requirements. Such discharges may include the operational discharge of limited quantities of oil-water mixtures from ships.