1972-73

Congress passed The Federal Water Pollution Control Act, also known as the Clean Water Act, giving the EPA and Coast Guard still broader powers to prevent and respond to oil and hazardous substance releases. The Coast Guard used its new authority to establish the first National Response Center. The EPA published regulations that required facilities with aboveground or underground storage tanks for oil and/or hazardous materials to prepare Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure plans.

While the United States worked to improve spill prevention and response capabilities within domestic waters, the international community was equally energized by the Torrey Canyon disaster. In 1973, The International Maritime Organization — formed in 1948 as a common forum for the world's maritime nations -- adopted the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL). The convention targeted not only accidental pollution, but also pollution arising from day-to-day operations, such as cleaning operations for tanker cargo compartments. The convention was amended and ratified in 1978.