AUTHORITY TO SETTLE.

SEC. 706. AUTHORITY TO SETTLE. Section 1015 of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (33 U.S.C. 2715) is amended by adding at the end the following:“(d) Authority To Settle.—The head of any department or agency responsible for recovering amounts for which a person is liable under this title may consider, compromise, and settle a claim for such amounts, including such costs paid from the Fund, if the claim has not been referred to the Attorney General. In any case in which the total amount to be recovered may exceed $500,000 (excluding interest), a claim may be compromised and settled under the preceding sentence only with the prior written approval of the Attorney General.”.