NATION IN BRIEF : WASHINGTON, D.C. : Skinner Backs Bill on Tanker Hulls

The Administration plans to support a bill requiring double hulls on new oil tankers. Transportation Secretary Samuel K. Skinner outlined the new position, which calls for some exemptions. Previously the Administration had opposed double-hull legislation, which was prompted by last year’s Alaskan oil spill from the single-hull Exxon Valdez when it ran into a rock ledge. The new proposal would apply to tankers flying the U.S. flag and foreign tankers serving U.S. ports. Skinner previously opposed a different version of the bill that would mandate double hulls on all tankers, including older ones. The oil industry had complained about the costly retrofitting.