Pressure Prods Feds to Improve Oil Spill Cleanup

Ernest Istook / June 29, 2010

Pressure from Senator George LeMieux (R, FL) and others has paid off with an emergency federal rule to permit oil cleanup vessels to leave their posts elsewhere along America’s coastline and finally head to the Gulf of Mexico to provide help.

The Coast Guard and Environmental Protection Agency are to publish the formal rule tomorrow (June 30), LeMieux announced.  Normally, large amounts of ships and equipment are required by law to be kept in standby reserve to handle possible spills in harbors, drilling areas, etc.  Those federal dictates have prevented them from joining the under-supplied oil spill cleanup.

The situation is analogous to a major fire—when units are called in from neighboring jurisdictions after one area is overwhelmed by a major blaze.

LeMieux responded by expressing thanks—and wondering why it took so long: (more…)