BP Spill Investigation Reinforces Need for Hard-line Reforms on Big Oil

Washington, D.C. – The BP Oil Spill Commission’s investigatory report, presented to the House Natural Resources Committee on Wednesday on the safety failures that caused the catastrophic BP oil spill off the Gulf Coast, is more evidence that the drive for profits in the offshore drilling industry caused the recent Gulf oil spill and reveals industry-wide corner-cutting practices. In light of the findings and today’s testimony, U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. called for comprehensive reforms such as the CLEAR Act, legislation that would reform energy policy, including strong safety measures and accountability standards for the oil industry.

"This report is the equivalent of an environmental indictment of big oil,” said Pallone. “It is definitive evidence that it isn't safe to drill for oil off our shores under the current system and that the oil industry can't be trusted to police itself.”

The Republican majority delayed action on the CLEAR Act, saying they wanted the investigation to conclude before moving forward. Now that the findings in the report have aired, they still have yet to move swiftly and decisively with commonsense regulations. ‬

"Only big oil would try to claim in the wake of one of the worst environmental disasters in the country's history that they drilling is safe and seek to expand drilling under the same conditions and rules that allowed the spill in the first place. If there were any doubts that big oil puts profits ahead of safety, this report should erase them,” added Pallone.

Pallone, who has been a leading voice on the threat offshore drilling poses to our shores for the last 20 years, recently commended the administration’s policy reversal extending the ban on new offshore drilling on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. He believes the current policy isn’t permanent, and therefore doesn’t go far enough, and recently introduced the No New Drilling Act. The legislation would place a permanent stop to all new offshore drilling leases in federal waters.

"There are no more excuses for delaying action,” said Pallone. “When Democrats passed the CLEAR Act during the previous session, my Republican colleagues opposed the bill, saying they wanted to wait for this report. The investigation has been done and it provides clear and convincing evidence of the need to enact strong reforms.”

Also a leading proponent of the CLEAR Act, Pallone supports moving forward on this legislation which was approved by the House, but not the Senate during the previous Congress. The key findings of this report are consistent with the reforms mandated in the CLEAR Act.

If enacted, the CLEAR Act would increase inspections, create stiffer penalties for safety violations, and increase the liability limits on offshore facilities.