The next major milestone in the history of the MFSA, and the event that leads us to this training, is the enactment of the Oil Spill Act of 1990 (commonly referred to as OPA 90).
OPA 90 was a direct result of the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989. It changed the way the government worked to prevent and respond to oil spills. One outcome was the requirement by the U.S. Coast Guard that certain vessels maintain a Vessel Response Plan (VRP).