Washington, DC –
U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, released the following statement in response to the Obama Administration lifting of the ban on deepwater drilling that was imposed after the BP oil spill.
“In May, I called on Interior Secretary Salazar to keep a moratorium on deepwater drilling in place until reforms to environmental review policies and spill response requirements were implemented.
I am pleased that Secretary Salazar has demanded oil companies meet more stringent requirements before any deepwater drilling can resume.
“It has been brought home to us that offshore drilling is fraught with risk of harm to people and places, wildlife and ways of life.
I hope these new policies will allow our government to make more informed decisions about when the benefits of offshore drilling outweigh the potential risks to human health, the economy and the environment.
“I continue to believe that the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster was a clarion call for a new clean energy policy.
This country must end its addiction to oil to truly strengthen our economy, improve our national security, and protect our environment for future generations.”