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Klobuchar Presses Oil Executives about Safety and Accountability Measures in the Gulf Oil Disaster

Says companies must take responsibility and implement measures to prevent future disasters

May 11, 2010

Washington, DC – At a Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing today, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar called for more accountability from industry executives and increased safety following the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.  The hearing included testimony from several company leaders involved in the spill, including BP, Halliburton and Transocean Ltd., and Klobuchar questioned witnesses about aid for communities affected by the oil spill and pushed for the companies to enact stricter safety regulations.   Last week, Klobuchar visited the Gulf Coast as part of a bipartisan delegation to assess the oil spill and met with U.S. officials and local leaders about ongoing recovery efforts. 

“The harm caused by this oil spill could be devastating and those who are responsible should pay the price,” said Klobuchar.  “As we speak, thousands of barrels of oil continue to spill out into the ocean and wash up on the shores.  Responsible parties must act quickly to clean up this spill and fully compensate Gulf Coast residents and the American taxpayers for the damage they have caused.  We must ensure that the necessary safety regulations are in place so we never have to face an oil spill of this magnitude again.” 

At the hearing, Klobuchar questioned Lamar McKay, Chairman and President of BP America, and Steven Newman, President and CEO of Transocean Ltd., which operated the oil rig responsible for the oil leak.  Klobuchar highlighted the significant economic damage the spill will have on coastal communities from Louisiana to Florida and possibly elsewhere.

Klobuchar also announced her support for legislation that will raise the liability cap for offshore oil facilities under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990. The current cap is $75 million, and the bill would raise the liability cap for offshore oil well spills to $10 billion.

An explosion aboard the Deepwater Horizon oil rig on April 20 caused an oil leak nearly a mile below sea level.  The oil slick could become one of the nation's worst environmental disasters in decades, threatening hundreds of species of fish, birds and other wildlife along the Gulf Coast – one of the world's richest seafood grounds, teeming with shrimp, oysters, and other marine life.

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