CONGRESSWOMAN JOHNSON HELPS UPDATE FEDERAL LAWS RELATED TO OIL DRILLING OPERATIONS

Washington, DC (Tuesday, July 6, 2010) – Congresswoman Johnson and Chairman James Oberstar have introduced H.R. 5629, the Oil Spill Accountability and Environmental Protection Act of 2010 on June 29, 2010. This bill comes after several hearings investigating the potential cause of the devastating April 20^th explosion that caused on-going release of oil in the Gulf of Mexico.

The bill makes changes to items under the Transportation Committee’s jurisdiction including liability, water pollution, vessels, marine safety and various other issues in hopes of preventing another disaster like this from happening in the future.

H.R. 5629, as approved by the Committee:

• -Repeals or adjusts the existing limitations on liability for offshore facilities and vessels, so that  responsible parties will cover 100 percent of the oil pollution cleanup costs and damages to third parties;
• -Increases the minimum level of financial responsibility for an offshore facility to $1.5 billion and  requires the President to review the minimum level of financial responsibility for an offshore facility every three years, and to revise the level upward to reflect the potential risk of a release to human health and the environment;
• -Amends the Death on the High Seas Act and the Jones Act, both enacted in 1920, to authorize the recovery of non-pecuniary damages currently allowed under general maritime law and repeals the Limitation of Liability Act of 1851, which unduly limits the liability of a ship owner to the value of the vessel and freight;
• -Requires that all vessels engaged in oil drilling activities in the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (200-mile zone) be U.S.-flag vessels owned by U.S. citizens, and therefore subject to U.S. safety regulations;
• -Requires that all Mobile Offshore Drilling Units develop and implement a safety management plan to address all activities on the vessel that may threaten the safety of the vessel or its crew, and requires that such vessels are under the command of a licensed and proficient master who is responsible for the safety of both the navigational and drilling operations;

-Requires the Coast Guard to concur in the oil spill response plan for all offshore facilities;

• -Requires that Environmental Protection Agency, the Coast Guard, and the Department of Transportation evaluate and approve response plans submitted by owners and operators of oil-related vessels and facilities, and to reject or require revisions to those plans that are found to be deficient in preventing or addressing potential discharges of oil or hazardous substances; and
• -Repeals an existing oil and gas construction storm-water exemption, which was included as an amendment approved by voice vote.

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U.S. Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson is the highest-ranking Texan on the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure and a senior member of the Science Committee. She represents the 30th Congressional District of Texas, which, includes Downtown Dallas, Fair Park, Oak Lawn, Turtle Creek,Old East Dallas, Pleasant Grove, & South Oak Cliff; all of Balch Springs, DeSoto, Hutchins, Lancaster & Wilmer and parts of Cedar Hill, Duncanville, Ferris, Glenn Heights and Ovilla.