Atlantic Senators Seek Preparedness In Case BP Oil Spill Hits East Coast

Press Release

With some communities along the eastern seaboard concerned that the BP oil spill could reach their waters, a bipartisan group of Atlantic Coast U.S. Senators wants to coordinate preparedness between their states and federal response agencies. In a letter to the heads of the relevant federal departments, Senators Chris Dodd (D-CT), Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and 20 of their East Coast colleagues asked specifically for:

* Immediate communication with all Atlantic Coast state emergency preparedness agencies to ensure that they can be fully prepared and equipped for the worst case scenario, and
* New science-based, long-term projection models that can help determine the statistical probabilities of oil affecting various parts of the Atlantic Coast.

Dodd and Menendez were joined on the letter by Senators Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Jim Webb (D-VA), Richard Burr (R-NC), Charles Schumer (D-NY), Ted Kaufman (D-DE), Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), Scott Brown (R-MA), Mark Warner (D-VA), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), John Kerry (D-MA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Tom Carper (D-DE), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Susan Collins (R-ME), Kay Hagan (D-NC), Jack Reed (D-RI), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Benjamin Cardin (D-MD).

"Our states' beaches are fully open for the summer season, and at this time, the oil spill does not pose an imminent threat to them," wrote the senators. "However, the health of our shores is too important to be left to chance -- not only are they natural treasures, but they are also how many families in our coastal communities earn a living. They add billions of dollars to our states' economies, support millions of jobs and bring enjoyment to millions more families from nearby and across the nation. If there is any real risk to these communities from a spill that right now remains thousands of miles away, we need to know as soon as possible. Furthermore, our state agencies that will partner with federal agencies to protect our shores need to be fully prepared with the information and equipment needed to combat the worst case scenario. Such an effort should begin immediately. Thank you for your hard work to protect the Gulf Coast, and we look forward to collaborating with you."

PDF of letter to federal agencies: http://menendez.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/20100610ltr_Atlantic.pdf

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