What law created the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund (OSLTF)?

The Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund (OSLTF) was established by the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90). This law was enacted in response to a series of significant oil spills, most notably the Exxon Valdez spill in 1989. The OSLTF was created to provide a federal resource for the cleanup of oil spills and to ensure that responsible parties are held liable for the costs associated with oil spill response and recovery.

OPA 90 specifically created this fund to help finance the federal government's oil spill response efforts and to provide compensation to individuals and businesses affected by oil spills. The law set up a framework for liability, creating a strong incentive for companies to adhere to regulations regarding oil transportation and handling to prevent spills from occurring.

In contrast, while the Clean Water Act, National Environmental Policy Act, and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act are also important environmental laws, they do not specifically establish the OSLTF or directly address the liability and compensation mechanisms unique to oil spills as OPA 90 does.