Increasing Penalties for Offshore Polluters Act | ChamberLight

IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS

House BillHR 3071Environmental Protection

Increasing Penalties for Offshore Polluters Act

INTRO APR 29· LAST ACTION APR 29

READING

2MIN

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LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS

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In Committee

Reported

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Passed Senate

Conference

To President

Became Law

WHAT THE BILL DOES

AI-written

Voters should care about this bill because it aims to hold polluters more accountable for environmental damage. Oil spills can devastate marine life, contaminate coastlines, and harm industries like fishing and tourism for many years. If this bill becomes law, the increased penalties could act as a stronger deterrent, pushing companies to be more careful to prevent spills in the first place. This could lead to cleaner oceans and better protection for coastal economies and environments.

If the bill does not become law, the current penalty structure would remain in place. Voters concerned about environmental protection and corporate accountability might see this as a missed opportunity to strengthen protections against future oil spill disasters and ensure that those responsible bear a heavier burden for the harm they cause.

KEY PROVISIONS

5AI-extracted

PROVISION 01

Changes the structure of certain civil penalties for oil spills from an 'up to' maximum amount to an 'at least' minimum amount.

This ensures that even for less severe spills, companies will pay a substantial minimum fine, rather than a potentially lower amount.

PROVISION 02

Doubles the minimum and maximum daily fines for negligent criminal violations related to oil spills, increasing ranges from $2,500-$25,000 to $5,000-$50,000 per day.

This makes it much more costly for individuals or companies whose carelessness leads to an oil spill.

PROVISION 03

Doubles the maximum imprisonment for negligent criminal violations, increasing it from one year to two years, and from two years to four years for continuous negligent violations.

This increases the personal risk for individuals who are found responsible for negligent oil spills, adding a stronger deterrent beyond just financial fines.

PROVISION 04

Substantially increases fines for knowing criminal violations from a maximum of $250,000 to $500,000 for individuals, and from $1,000,000 to $2,000,000 for organizations.

This targets intentional or highly reckless pollution with much steeper financial consequences for the entities involved.

PROVISION 05

Doubles the maximum imprisonment for knowing criminal violations, increasing it from up to 15 years to up to 30 years.

This provides for significantly longer prison sentences for those who knowingly endanger the environment through oil spills.

SPONSORSHIP

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COSPONSOR BREAKDOWNBIPARTISAN · 0%

DEM 13 REP 0 IND 0

ACTION TIMELINE

4 EVENTS

APR 29

Introduced in House

INTROREFERRAL

APR 29

Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

HOUSE · INTROREFERRAL

APR 29

Referred to the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.

COMMITTEE

APR 29

Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.

COMMITTEE

BILL INFO

TypeHouse Bill

NumberHR 3071

Congress119th

StatusIn Committee

IntroducedApr 29, 2025

Last actionApr 29, 2025

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IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS · TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED APR 29, 2025

House BillHR 3071Environmental Protection

Increasing Penalties for Offshore Polluters Act

INTRODUCED APR 29, 2025· LAST ACTION APR 29, 2025

PASSAGE CHANCES

—%

READING

2 min

COSPONSORS

COMPLEXITY

Moderate

Call my reps Congress.gov

LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS

STEP 2 OF 8

Introduced

In Committee

Reported

Passed House

Passed Senate

Conference

To President

Became Law

Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed House
Passed Senate
Conference
To President
Became Law

WHAT THE BILL DOES

AI-written

KEY PROVISIONS

AI-extracted

high

Changes the structure of certain civil penalties for oil spills from an 'up to' maximum amount to an 'at least' minimum amount.

This ensures that even for less severe spills, companies will pay a substantial minimum fine, rather than a potentially lower amount.

med

Doubles the minimum and maximum daily fines for negligent criminal violations related to oil spills, increasing ranges from $2,500-$25,000 to $5,000-$50,000 per day.

This makes it much more costly for individuals or companies whose carelessness leads to an oil spill.

med

Doubles the maximum imprisonment for negligent criminal violations, increasing it from one year to two years, and from two years to four years for continuous negligent violations.

This increases the personal risk for individuals who are found responsible for negligent oil spills, adding a stronger deterrent beyond just financial fines.

high

Substantially increases fines for knowing criminal violations from a maximum of $250,000 to $500,000 for individuals, and from $1,000,000 to $2,000,000 for organizations.

This targets intentional or highly reckless pollution with much steeper financial consequences for the entities involved.

high

Doubles the maximum imprisonment for knowing criminal violations, increasing it from up to 15 years to up to 30 years.

This provides for significantly longer prison sentences for those who knowingly endanger the environment through oil spills.

PENALTIES & ENFORCEMENT

AI-extracted

An AI model extracted this from the bill’s official record and can make mistakes. Check the official text ↗ (opens in new tab)

TYPE	AMOUNT	WHO
civil	Changes 'up to' maximums and 'not more than' maximums to 'at least' minimums for certain administrative penalties, meaning the previous highest possible fine becomes the new lowest possible fine. Specific dollar amounts for these changes are referenced in existing law (33 U.S.C. 1321(b)(7)).	Individuals and entities responsible for oil spills
criminal	For negligent violations: Daily fines from $5,000-$50,000 (up from $2,500-$25,000). Imprisonment up to 2 years (up from 1 year). For continuous violations, maximum daily fine $100,000 (up from $50,000) or imprisonment up to 4 years (up from 2 years).	Individuals responsible for negligent oil spills
criminal	For knowing violations: Daily fines from $10,000-$100,000 (up from $5,000-$50,000). Imprisonment up to 6 years (up from 3 years). For continuous violations, maximum daily fine $200,000 (up from $100,000) or imprisonment up to 12 years (up from 6 years).	Individuals responsible for knowing oil spills
criminal	For knowing endangerment: Fines up to $500,000 for individuals (up from $250,000), and up to $2,000,000 for organizations (up from $1,000,000). Imprisonment up to 30 years (up from 15 years).	Individuals and organizations responsible for knowing endangerment through oil spills

GLOSSARY

AI-written

Federal Water Pollution Control Act (FWPCA): A major U.S. law that aims to restore and maintain the quality of the nation's waters, primarily by regulating the discharge of pollutants into navigable waters.
Civil Penalties: Fines or monetary payments ordered by a court or administrative body as a consequence for violating a law, typically without imprisonment.
Criminal Penalties: Punishments, including fines and/or imprisonment, imposed by a court for committing a crime.
Oil Spill: The release of liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially marine ecosystems, due to human activity, which is a form of pollution.
Negligent Violation: A violation of law that occurs because a person failed to exercise the degree of care that a reasonably prudent person would have exercised in the same circumstances.
Knowing Violation: A violation of law committed by someone who was aware of their conduct and that their conduct was illegal.
Knowing Endangerment: A severe type of criminal violation where a person knowingly commits an act that places another person in imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury, or causes a substantial risk of serious harm to the environment.

ACTION TIMELINE

4 EVENTS

APR 29, 25

Introduced in House

INTROREFERRAL

APR 29, 25

Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

INTROREFERRAL

APR 29, 25

Referred to the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.

COMMITTEE

APR 29, 25

Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.

COMMITTEE

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Increasing Penalties for Offshore Polluters Act

LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS

WHAT THE BILL DOES

KEY PROVISIONS

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Increasing Penalties for Offshore Polluters Act

LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS

WHAT THE BILL DOES

KEY PROVISIONS

PENALTIES & ENFORCEMENT

GLOSSARY

ACTION TIMELINE

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