Sent: Fri Apr 30 17:21:43 2010
\nSubject: NEWS: Obey Statement on BP Oil Spill in Gulf of Mexico<\/p>\n
Special thanks to Richard Charter<\/p>\n
WWW.OBEY.HOUSE.GOV<\/a> Sent: Fri Apr 30 17:21:43 2010 Subject: NEWS: Obey Statement on BP Oil Spill in Gulf of Mexico Special thanks to Richard Charter WWW.OBEY.HOUSE.GOV \u00a0 \u00a0 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Sara Merriam April 30, 2010 (202) 225-3365 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 OBEY STATEMENT ON B.P. OIL SPILL \u00a0 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Seventh District Congressman Dave Obey … Continue reading News: Obey Statement on BP Oil Spill in Gulf of Mexico<\/span>
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\nFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
\nCONTACT: Sara Merriam
\nApril 30, 2010
\n(202) 225-3365
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\nOBEY STATEMENT ON B.P. OIL SPILL
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\nWASHINGTON, D.C. – Seventh District Congressman Dave Obey (D-WI) released the following statement today on the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico:
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\n“The BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico demonstrates how dangerous it is to assume that because we have not had environmental disasters for a number of years, that we can afford to get careless in terms of protecting the most precious aspects of the environment.
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\nThe White House recently indicated their willingness to modify long-standing limitations on offshore oil drilling.\u00a0 Supporters of that action suggested that because the technology has changed, it has become safe to run risks associated with expanded offshore oil drilling.\u00a0 But in fact, while there have been no major, well-publicized disasters, there have been dozens of smaller episodes of accidents that produced oil spills.
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\nWe need to learn – all over again it seems – that in assessing potential damage to precious environmental areas that we cannot behave as though we are permanent presidents of Optimist Clubs.\u00a0 We need to be constantly aware of the worst case possibilities.
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\nThe same is true for nuclear power.\u00a0 While it is certainly much less damaging to the earth’s climate balance than carbon based energy sources, it still holds the potential for catastrophes.\u00a0 We’ve not had a nuclear accident in many years, but the potential for one is just as real as was the potential for an offshore disaster.\u00a0 All it will take is one nuclear accident similar to that of Three Mile Island to remind us once again of the dangers of assuming that because we’ve been lucky in the past, we’ll be lucky in the future.
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\nThat doesn’t mean we should display unthinking resistance to offshore oil production or nuclear power production, because life involves trade-offs and a mature assessment of potential risks.\u00a0 But it does mean that we have a practical and moral obligation to greatly enhance our aggressiveness in pursuing alternative sources of energy production and our activities on the energy efficiency and conservation fronts.\u00a0 This spill shows that that is not just a feel good or wishful thinking approach to energy policy, it is a hard-nosed and hard-headed requirement if we do not want to foul our own nest as we have so many times in the past.
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\nThis also points out the need for corporate responsibility.\u00a0 It took 20 years for Exxon to finish its appeals on the 1989 Valdez disaster and, in the end, they only paid a fraction of the true costs of that disaster.\u00a0 So far it appears that BP is pursuing a more responsible course, but we must keep on the case to make sure that parties responsible take the lead in cleaning it up.”
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\n_________________________________
\nEllis Brachman
\nSpokesman, House Appropriations Committee
\nCong. Dave Obey (D-WI), Chairman
\np) 202 226-5828\u00a0 c) 202 713-0708
\nellis.brachman@mail.house.gov<\/a>
\nhttp:\/\/appropriations.house.gov<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"