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Table 4-9 Reported Oil Releases into Waters in and Around the United States, 1996-2000

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Table 4-9
Reported Oil Releases into Waters in and Around the United States, 1996-2000

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Medium and major oil spills Volume Percent Number of releases Percent
Barges 1,663,649 48 17 31
Freight ships 165,302 5 5 9
Tank ships 298,522 9 5 9
Other vessels 477,647 14 14 25
Waterfront facilities 302,280 9 7 13
Other facilities 565,676 16 7 13

NOTE: Average annual volume figures include all spills of oil into the navigable waters of the United States. from the Coast Guard's Marine Safety Information System. Medium and major spill figures include all oil spills of more than 10,000 gallons into U.S. navigable waters during a single incident.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Transportation, U.S. Coast Guard, Marine Safety Information Management System database as of December 2001.

  • All cases in the Marine Safety Management System (MSMS) fall within U.S. Coast Guard jurisdiction, as provided for in the National Contingency Plan (Title 40, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 300). Included in the file are all reported discharges into U.S. navigable waters, including territorial waters (extending to 3 miles from the coastline), tributaries, the contiguous zone (extending from 3 to 12 miles from the coastline), onto shorelines, or into other waters that threaten the marine environment of the United States.