Holding BP accountable Senator Kohl-WI

Dear Mr. Schaefer:



Like you, I have been closely following the oil spill at BP's Deepwater Horizon oil rig. Although the oil well has finally been capped and the leak stopped, nearly 5 million barrels of oil were released into the Gulf of Mexico , making this the worst accidental oil spill ever. This tragic accident caused the deaths of eleven workers aboard the rig and has wreaked environmental and economic devastation throughout the Gulf region.



Congress and the administration have already begun investigating the causes of this catastrophe, mitigating damage from the remaining oil slick, and strengthening safety enforcement to prevent similar spills from happening in the future.



Scientists from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are monitoring the damage to coastlines, fisheries, and wildlife, as well as studying the safety of chemical dispersants used to break up the oil.



There is no doubt that BP and its partners are financially liable for this incident. Current law states that an oil company is responsible for all oil spill removal costs, plus up to $75 million for damages associated with the spill, such as to natural resources and property, as well as economic losses.



However, the damage caused by this spill has already far exceeded $75 million. Therefore, Congress is considering legislation that would raise - or entirely remove - the liability cap and increase the $1 billion per incident cap on the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund.



Recently, I joined my Senate colleagues in writing to BP calling on the company to create a $20 billion account - which an independent trustee will administer - to pay for the cleanup and for the Gulf region's economic losses. I am pleased that BP has set up such a fund. However, as damage to the region continues to be assessed, even $20 billion may not be enough. You can be sure that we will hold BP and its partners responsible for paying the full costs of the damage they have caused.



I will work with my colleagues to make sure that taxpayers do not foot the bill for this mess. Additionally, we will work to keep accidents like this from happening in the future. As these efforts move forward, I will be sure to keep your comments in mind and will reflect on them should legislation on offshore drilling come before the Senate. Thank you very much for contacting me.




Sincerely,

Herb Kohl
United States Senator