A bill by Chairman Nick Rahall to reform the lax oil and gas drilling practices that allowed millions of gallons of oil to spew into the Gulf of Mexico was approved today by the U.S. House of Representatives’ Natural Resource Committee.
The measure (H.R. 3534), also known as the CLEAR Act, puts real reform on track for Congress to pass a law this year to clean up the federal agencies responsible for regulating on- and off-shore drilling.
Robert Dewey, Defenders of Wildlife’s vice president of government relations said, “The Gulf oil disaster painfully highlights that drilling in our oceans and on land is a dirty, risky business and that federal oversight to better protect wildlife needs strengthening.
“It’s encouraging to see Congressman Rahall’s leadership on the challenging and crucial task of changing the way our nation does business with oil and gas companies. We need clear guidance, sound science and strong oversight of energy development across the country to ensure the safety of our lands, waters, wildlife and economy in future energy development.”
Wildlife & Wild Places
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