Lois Capps: “Drilling for and transporting oil and gas is a dirty and dangerous business. There is no disputing that. No matter what…”

“Drilling for and transporting oil and gas is a dirty and dangerous business. There is no disputing that. No matter what assurances are given by the oil industry, spills do happen, and they will continue to happen as we depend on fossil fuels for our energy needs. Sadly, my constituents in Santa Barbara, California, are far too familiar with this reality. Just over a month ago, on May 19, over 100,000 gallons of crude oil spilled from the Plains All American pipeline along the Gaviota Coast. The oil spilled down a hill, through a culvert, and into the ocean, eventually spreading thick, black tar along nearly 100 miles of coastline. This was a unique spill, in that it impacted both land and ocean, requiring both the Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, as well as the Coast Guard to respond to and lead the cleanup effort. When it comes to oil spills, the damage gets worse by the minute, so ensuring that spill response teams are properly trained and prepared to respond quickly is essential to minimizing the impacts. This is precisely why the EPA has jurisdiction over the inland oil spill program. The EPA uses this funding to prevent, to prepare for, and to respond to oil spills associated with the more than 600,000 oil storage facilities that the Agency regulates. The EPA's oil program also provides oil spill response resources and training for States, localities, and tribal governments.…”