Markey, Waxman to Continue Probe of Presence of New Oil Sheen Near Macondo Well
Reps. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.) today sought information from the U.S. Coast Guard regarding BP and Transocean’s plan to re-inspect the underwater wreckage and the well head from the Deepwater Horizon disaster using subsea remotely operated vehicles (ROVs). The need to re-inspect the area stems from the detection of an oil sheen on November 2, 2012, the second such incident inside of two months.
“The presence of this new sheen raises significant questions about whether there might be a continuing danger to the environment posed by oil trapped in the Deepwater Horizon wreckage and the Macondo well,” write the lawmakers. Rep. Markey is the Ranking Member of the Natural Resources Committee and Rep. Waxman is the Ranking Member of the Energy and Commerce Committee.
The two leading Democrats are asking the Coast Guard for information in part because BP has failed to provide sufficient information to previous requests by the lawmakers. In their letter, the lawmakers inquire as to how much oil and other drilling fluids could be expected to be trapped in the riser pipe, containment dome, or other wreckage of the Deepwater Horizon.
The two Democrats also ask the Coast Guard why the date of the re-inspection listed in a Coast Guard press release was changed from December 3rd to December 9th.
The full letter can be found here.
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