Increasing Penalties for Offshore Polluters Act

This bill raises the penalties for oil spills under the Clean Water Act. It increases both civil fines and criminal punishments. For civil penalties, it changes the law so that penalties must be at least a set amount, rather than capped at “not more than,” making minimum fines higher and more certain. For criminal violations, it boosts fine amounts and lengthens possible prison time, including doubling some maximum punishments for serious offenses.

Key points

• Who is affected: Companies and people who cause oil spills or break anti-pollution rules under the Clean Water Act.
• What changes: Larger fines; some penalties become minimums rather than maximums; longer possible prison sentences, with certain maximum punishments doubled for severe violations.
• When: These changes would apply after the bill becomes law, by updating the Clean Water Act’s penalty sections.