Congresswoman Chellie Pingree Calls On BP To Tell The Truth About Oil Spill

Press Release

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree said today she's frustrated with the lack of accurate information on the size of the BP oil spill and is demanding that government agencies and the oil company provide more answers.

"For weeks we've been told, both by government agencies and BP, that 5,000 barrels a day has been leaking into the Gulf and now it turns out the spill might be ten times that," Pingree said. "It's time that we get some straight answers about the true size of this disaster. With the health of Gulf Coast families and the environment at stake, this is no time for BP to be keeping secrets."

Over the last few days, researchers have reported that the oil may be spilling into the Gulf at the rate of 50,000-100,000 barrels a day, far more than the 5,000 barrels that had been reported over the last few weeks. Researchers also discovered large areas of oil just below the surface, including one patch 3 miles wide by 10 miles long and over 300 feet deep.

"The oil in just that one underwater patch is enough to fill Sebago Lake entirely with oil," Pingree said. "That's an enormous amount of pollution."

Pingree also said welcomed the news that President Obama is forming an independent commission to investigate the Deepwater Horizon explosion and the resulting oil spill. Pingree co-sponsor a bill in Congress calling for creation of such commission.

"We need to get answers so we can hold the responsible parties accountable," Pingree said. "Setting up a commission like the one that investigated the 3 Mile Island nuclear accident would be a good start."

Pingree also co-sponsored the Big Oil Bailout Prevention Act, which raises the cap on liability for an oil spill from $75 million to $10 billion. That bill also lifts the $1 billion payout limit from the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, which is funded by oil companies.

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