Summary#
This bill would change parts of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to increase civil and criminal penalties for oil spills. It was introduced on April 29, 2025, by Representative Ted Lieu and others and was referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
Key text changes in the bill:
- Civil penalties (33 U.S.C. 1321(b)(7)): language is changed so amounts that were described as caps ("an amount up to" / "not more than") become minimum amounts ("at least").
- Criminal penalties (33 U.S.C. 1319(c)) are raised in several places:
- Paragraph (1): $2,500 -> $5,000; $25,000 -> $50,000; jail term "not more than 1 year" -> "not more than 2 years"; replaces some specific caps by stating the maximum punishment is doubled for both fine and imprisonment.
- Paragraph (2): "not less than $5,000" -> "not less than $10,000"; $50,000 -> $100,000; jail term "not more than 3 years" -> "not more than 6 years"; replaces some specific caps by stating the maximum punishment is doubled for both fine and imprisonment.
- Paragraph (3)(A): $250,000 -> $500,000; jail term "not more than 15 years" -> "not more than 30 years"; $1,000,000 -> $2,000,000.
What it means for you#
- The bill raises the minimum and maximum amounts described in the law for civil and criminal penalties tied to oil spills.
- People or companies responsible for oil spills would face higher fines and longer possible prison terms if convicted, according to the numerical changes written into the statute.
- The bill is under consideration in committee; it is not enacted and does not yet change existing law.
Expenses#
No publicly available information on the bill's estimated budgetary cost or a Congressional Budget Office score. The bill text itself only lists increased penalty amounts and does not include fiscal estimates.
Proponents' View#
No publicly available information.
Opponents' View#
No publicly available information.