WASHINGTON -- Representatives of 14 major environmental groups Tuesday called on President Barack Obama to observe the first anniversary of the blowout of BP's Macondo well this month by implementing additional safeguards for offshore drilling.
Oil skimmers try to clean up oil released from the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico before it reaches the sensitive wetlands last April. "Without a real commitment to solve the problems that caused the blowout, official ceremonies to mark April 20 will become hollow affairs," wrote Peter Lehner, executive director of the Natural Resources Defense Council and one of the signers of the letter.
While oil industry representatives, backed by oil state lawmakers, have accused the administration of overreacting to the BP disaster and imposing unreasonable regulations that have slowed drilling at a time of high gasoline prices, the environmental representatives said much more needs to be done.
While applauding the president for proposing a significant increase in funding for the Interior Department's oversight of offshore drilling operations, and implementing a restructuring of agencies that oversee offshore oil and gas activities, the environmental advocates say the administration hasn't taken all the steps recommended by the White House BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling Commission.
Specifically, it calls on the president to implement an independent offshore safety authority "insulated from pressures to increase production and maximize lease revenues, a more robust review of the environmental impact of drilling applications, along with strengthened science and interagency consultation, specifically more involvement for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
While Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said the administration is now satisfied that for the eight projects recently given federal permits there are adequate containment plans in the event of another major spill, the environmental groups say more oversight is needed.
"There should be a new process for reviewing oil spill response plans," the environmentalists say in their letter to the president. "The Department of the Interior should review and revise its regulations and guidance for response plans and ensure that adequate technical expertise exists within the staff for reviewing and approving plans. The process should ensure that all critical information and spill scenarios are included in the plans, including containment and control methods, to ensure that operators can deliver the capabilities indicated in the response plans."
Besides the Natural Resources Defense Council executive director, also signing the letter to President Obama are representatives of the Alaska Wilderness League, Defenders of Wildlife, Earthjustice; Environmental Defense Fund, Gulf Restoration Network, League of Conservation Voters, National Audubon Society, National Parks Conservation Association, National Wildlife Federation, Ocean Conservancy, Sierrra Club, Wilderness Society and World Wildlife Fund-US..
Lehner, the Natural Resources Defense Council representative, said for many residents of the Gulf Coast a reminder of the anniversary of the BP disaster isn't necessary.
"Many live with the fallout of April 20, 2010 every day," he said.
"All major spills cast a long shadow, but what makes the BP spill especially egregious is the context of recklessness and neglect in which it took place," Lehner said.
Despite contentions by Louisiana lawmakers that the April 20 accident represented the failure of BP and its contractual partners, Lehner said it points to industry-wide problems.
"We are not taking about one rogue company or one weak agency," Lehner said. "We're talking about a systemic failure to put safety first."
Sen. David Vitter, R-La., denounced the environmental groups' letter.
"As we near the Deepwater Horizon explosion anniversary, Wendy and I will continue praying for the victims and their families," Vitter said. "Meanwhile, I think it's callous and hollow to use the catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico to push a radical environmentalist anti-drilling agenda."
Rep. Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson, offered similar sentiments.
"While we need to make sure that drilling is done safely, this disaster should not be politicized to achieve a long sought-after radical agenda which shuts down American energy exploration and leaves our country more dependent on Middle Eastern oil," Scalise said. "The president should work with us to allow people to get back to work drilling safely in the Gulf, and should continue working with us to ensure that the lion's share of the BP Clean Water Act fines are dedicated to the Gulf states for long term recovery from the spill as well as coastal and ecosystem restoration efforts."
