Dealing With Oil Tanker Accidents in Coastal Waters

Fifteen months after the worst oil tanker disaster in U.S. history at Valdez, Alaska, we discovered once again--this time in the Gulf of Mexico--that our government is still unprepared for major oil tanker accidents. Unbelievably, we lacked even proper firefighting equipment when the Mega Borg exploded in flames off the Texas coast.

And oil spill emergency response teams, promised by the oil industry after the Exxon-Valdez spill, still haven’t been formed.

And, unbelievably again, the Bush Administration is fighting a bill locked up in a Senate-House conference committee because Congress insists on the right of states to pass and enforce laws requiring unlimited liability for oil spills.

It’s time to stop haggling and foot-dragging. The House-Senate oil spill liability bill, which also requires double-hulling of tankers (another provision the oil industry wants killed), is a good start on making our coasts safer from oil accidents. But much more needs to be done, and only presidential leadership can get the job accomplished.

The American Oceans Campaign is committed to cleaning up the nation’s coastal waters. The gulf is polluted and most of the nation’s major ports and coastal waterways are polluted. Our coasts are our most precious resource. They must be protected from oil spills.

ROBERT H. SULNICK

Executive Director, American Oceans

Campaign, Santa Monica