Kind Stands Up to Big Oil, Protects Environment 8-10-2010

Kind Stands up to Big Oil, Protects Environment   WASHINGTON, DC - In an effort to hold BP and responsible parties accountable for the disaster in the Gulf, prevent future oil spills and protect our coastal communities and water Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI) recently voted for the CLEAR Act, H.R. 3534. Passed by the House of Representatives last Friday, the CLEAR Act creates new safety measures, holds the oil industry fully responsible for the cleanup costs of the BP spill, strengthens oversight of oil drilling and works to restore the Gulf Coast.

“I am standing up to the Big Oil companies - to hold BP accountable for this disaster, help the Gulf Coast recover, protect our water and the livelihoods of those affected, and ensure that oil companies are held to a higher standard of safety and responsibility,” said Rep. Kind.

The CLEAR Act works to ensure that BP and other responsible parties - and not taxpayers - are held accountable to pay for the disaster cleanup and costs related to the spill.

“This oil spill is an extension of the last administration’s treatment of the oil industry - letting them police themselves, working for Big Oil instead of the American people. The worst environmental disaster in American history and a growing dependence on foreign oil is what we got with that approach. We must continue to move forward on a path to American energy independence and holding oil companies accountable. This legislation is good for our families, our environment and the health of our natural resources and is critical to ensuring that we never face another disaster like this.”

The Clear Act takes steps to prevent and respond to oil spills and protect our coastal communities and waters. Specifically it will:

* Implement strong new safety measures.
* Hold BP and the oil industry fully responsible for the cleanup costs and recovery after spills - removing the $75 million cap on economic damages to be paid by Big Oil to families and small businesses.
* Strengthen oversight of oil drilling by officially eliminating the Minerals Management Service and placing oversight responsibilities into three separate agencies.
* Restore the Gulf Coast and protect local residents.
* Provide taxpayer protections to make oil companies pay their fair share for drilling on public lands.
* Protects offshore oil and gas workers who report violations or practices that endanger the public to state and federal government authorities.

The CLEAR Act also provides full, permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which goes toward creating wildlife refuges and national, state and local parks, among other outdoor recreation amenities. The LWCF is unique in that it is the only federal conservation program that reinvests oil and gas development revenue back into conservation. Rep. Kind authored an amendment to the bill that ensures that annually, approximately 1.5 percent, or approximately $13 million in LWCF funding would go toward increasing recreational access on federal public lands. The amendment passed by the House and was included in the final passage of the CLEAR Act.

“This amendment ensures outdoor enthusiasts have access to adequate outdoor recreation, are able to participate in hunting, fishing and other recreational activities and are given every opportunity to foster an appreciation for the great outdoors.”

The CLEAR Act builds on legislation already passed by the House of Representatives to ensure fair compensation to the families of those killed or injured in the BP spill, ensure aid to the Gulf, tough oversight for BP, and ample resources to respond to the spill, and develop new methods and technologies to clean up oil spills and safer drilling technologies and prevent an accident such as the BP disaster from ever happening again.

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Leah Hunter

Press Secretary

Office of Congressman Ron Kind (WI-3)

(202) 226-8126 direct

(202) 225-4613 cell

leah.hunter@mail.house.gov

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