Oil spill governance in the United States debates is illustrated in the question "who is liable in the case of a vessel spill?" The cargo owner or the ship operator/ owner? Another significant issue was the interaction of domestic legislation and international measures. In 1980's, international agreements being considered would take over oil spills federal and state laws adding further complexity to party liability. However, after the "Exxon Valdez" incident, the short comings of the patchy framework for oil spill governance was apparent and growing pressure placed on lawmakers resulted in the establishment of the more comprehensive Oil Pollution Act of 1990. The Oil Pollution Act (1990):
West Cork oil spill West Cork oil spill The West Cork oil spill was an oil spill off the southern coast of Ireland. The spill was first identified by the European Maritime Safety Agency's CleanSeaNet satellite monitoring system on 14 February 2009. An Irish Air Corps marine patrol aircraft confirmed the slick's presence near the which was undergoing refuelling around the same time. The British Coastguard and Irish Department of Transport agreed that around 300 tonnes of oil were spilled. The Russian Navy accepted responsibility for the incident but disputed the quantity, claiming around 20-30 tonnes had been spilt either whilst washing the decks