[seadog] Accelerated OPA 90
- From: "Tom Blanchard" <tomblanchard@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "SEADOG" <seadog@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 25 Feb 2003 21:46:59 -0500
....not a snowballs chance in Miami but...
NEWS RELEASE
02/24/2003
Environmental Defense Calls For Accelerated Phase-In Of Double-Hulled Oil
Tankers
(24 February 2003 -- Washington) Environmental Defense today expressed
strong support for the "Stop Oil Spills (S.O.S.) Act" as introduced by
Representative Lois Capps (D-CA).
Rep. Capps' new legislation would accelerate the adoption of true
double-hulled tankers in U.S. waters and speed the phase out of existing
high-risk single-hulled tankers. The "Stop Oil Spills Act" proposes, among
other needed safety measures, to discontinue the use of all remaining
single-hulled oil tankers in U.S. waters by 2007, instead of the 2015 phase
out date currently required under federal law.
"All too frequently, we see the devastation of our marine environment from
oil spills resulting from structural and design deficiencies in oil
tankers," said Richard Charter, marine conservation advocate with
Environmental Defense.
"Petroleum products should be transported on our seas with due respect for
their highly-toxic properties, and every precaution taken to keep oil away
from contact with the valuable living marine resources on which our coastal
economies depend."
The "Stop Oil Spills" legislation would amend the Oil Pollution Act of 1990,
which was adopted by Congress in response to the tragic 1989 Exxon Valdez
oil spill in Alaska's Prince William Sound. Spilled oil from the Exxon
Valdez single-hulled tanker grounding still pollutes Alaskan waters and is
found on the beaches of the Sound even today.
Eleventh-hour changes to the current oil spill law were made in 1990, at the
request of the oil industry, as the federal Oil Pollution Act was undergoing
Congressional adoption. These last-minute legislative amendments extended
the deadline for implementation of double-hulled tankers.
###
Environmental Defense, a leading national nonprofit organization based in
New York, represents more than 300,000 members. Since 1967 we have linked
science, economics, and law to create innovative, equitable, and
cost-effective solutions to the most urgent environmental problems.
Other related posts:
- » [seadog] Accelerated OPA 90
