[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 15, Volume 3]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 15CFR990.10]

[Page 376]
 
                  TITLE 15--COMMERCE AND FOREIGN TRADE
 
CHAPTER IX--NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT 
                               OF COMMERCE
 
PART 990--NATURAL RESOURCE DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS--Table of Contents
 
                         Subpart A--Introduction
 
Sec. 990.10  Purpose.


    The goal of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA), 33 U.S.C. 2701 et 
seq., is to make the environment and public whole for injuries to 
natural resources and services resulting from an incident involving a 
discharge or substantial threat of a discharge of oil (incident).
    This goal is achieved through the return of the injured natural 
resources and services to baseline and compensation for interim losses 
of such natural resources and services from the date of the incident 
until recovery. The purpose of this part is to promote expeditious and 
cost-effective restoration of natural resources and services injured as 
a result of an incident. To fulfill this purpose, this part provides a 
natural resource damage assessment process for developing a plan for 
restoration of the injured natural resources and services and pursuing 
implementation or funding of the plan by responsible parties. This part 
also provides an administrative process for involving interested parties 
in the assessment, a range of assessment procedures for identifying and 
evaluating injuries to natural resources and services, and a means for 
selecting restoration actions from a reasonable range of alternatives.