Perlmutter Calls for More Responsibility from Oil Companies in Wake of BP Oil Catstrophe

Press Release

As oil continues to gush for the 52nd day from the BP/Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf, today, U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter (CO-07) called on oil companies to take more responsibility for ensuring the safety of their workers and the environment. Perlmutter is a co-sponsor of the Big Oil Bailout Prevention Act (HR 5214) to raise the liability caps on oil companies from $75 million to $10 billion per catastrophe to cover the full costs of clean up and economic damages to the small businesses, tax payers, natural resources, and property, during or after a spill. Clean up from this spill could cost trillions of dollars.

Perlmutter stated, "The buck stops with the oil companies. Taxpayers cannot and should not be responsible for footing the bill for this reckless behavior. Part of preventing these kinds of catastrophes in the future is to make sure companies like BP are held responsible for the consequences of their failure to ensure the safety and soundness of their equipment and business practices."

Perlmutter continued, "We can't go cold turkey and stop oil, natural gas and coal exploration, but for our national security we need to have a balanced national energy mission to include increasing investments in renewable, alternative and even nuclear energy expansion. Right here in the 7th Congressional District, we have the crown jewel of renewable energy research laboratories in the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL). For over three years, I've helped reinstate and boost investments cut over the prior 10 years at NREL. As a result more than 700 new jobs are being added in Colorado -- including in new private businesses starting up as a result of NREL research. Plain and simple, investing in renewable and alternative energy resources is good for national security, the climate and jobs. But all energy companies must develop and implement secure, reliable safety plans to prevent the kind of catastrophe we are experiencing right now in the Gulf."

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