OPA Claims Requirements

From the National Pollution Funds Center of the United States Coast Guard

You can also view this page on the United States Coast Guard OPA page http://www.uscg.mil/npfc/claims/general_claims_requirements.asp or Click Here

In order to receive compensation for damages or removal costs from an oil spill, you must first be able to show that the spill meets the Federal claims requirements defined by the Oil Pollution Act (OPA).

Sometimes you can learn if a spill falls under OPA by contacting the Federal On-Scene Coordinator (FOSC – An FOSC is a representative of a Federal agency such as the United States Coast Guard or the EPA. The FOSC oversees the oil spill response effort and determines if the efforts were conducted in accordance with the National Contingency Plan. ) or by searching government reports or newspaper articles on the spill. You may also call an NPFC Claims Manager, who not only can help you decide if you have an OPA spill but can also suggest ways to document it.