Oil Pollution Act of 1961
Oil Pollution Act of 1961, 33 U.S.C. Chapter 20 §§ 1001–1011, established judicial definitions and coastal prohibitions for the United States maritime industry. The Act invoked the accords of the International Convention for the Prevention of the Pollution of the Sea by Oil, 1954. The international agreement provided provisions to control the discharge of fossil fuel pollutants from nautical vessels on the high seas.
The S. 2187 legislation was passed by the United States 87th Congressional session and enacted by the 35th President of the United States John F. Kennedy on August 30, 1961.
History
The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution of the Sea by Oil was an international convention organized by the United Kingdom in 1954. The convention was held in London, England from April 26, 1954, to May 12, 1954. The international meeting was convened to acknowledge the disposal of harmful waste which posed endangerment to the marine ecosystems.The International Convention for the Prevention of the Pollution of the Sea by Oil, 1954 original text was penned in English and French. The 1954 international agreement was amended in 1962, 1969, and 1971.