On the recordJuly 30, 2010
I urge my colleagues to support the Gulf Coast Restoration Amendment for one simple reason: responsible oil-spill response legislation must include funding to address the rapid deterioration of our crumbling coast. Coastal erosion has chipped away at our barrier islands, beaches and marshes for decades. Louisiana alone loses a football field of coast every 38 minutes and is set to lose another 500 square miles by 2050. But the BP oil spill will accelerate land loss as our marshes die from exposure to oil and chemicals from the cleanup. This disaster has effectively hit the fast forward button on an already terrible problem. BP will foot the bill for the cleanup effort. We will hold them to their responsibility and their word, but they are not legally bound to address the accelerated land loss as a result of the spill. My amendment will make certain they don't simply clean the water and walk away from the long-term damage to our coast and marshes. My amendment would create a new civil penalty on gulf coast spills of more than 1 million barrels.
