What legislation requires commercial vessels and facilities to have response plans?

The Clean Water Act is the legislation that requires commercial vessels and facilities to have response plans. This act was established to regulate the discharge of pollutants into U.S. waters and to ensure that water quality standards are met. One of its key components is the establishment of the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), which mandates that vessels and facilities develop spill response plans to prepare for and effectively manage potential oil spills and other contaminants. These response plans are crucial for minimizing environmental damage and ensuring a quick and effective response to spills.

In contrast, the other pieces of legislation serve different purposes. The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) is primarily focused on the cleanup of hazardous substances and does not specifically mandate response plans for vessels. The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) regulates the management of hazardous waste but does not require vessels to have spill response plans. The Clean Air Act is centered on air quality and controlling air pollution, thus it does not impose requirements related to water pollution response plans.