I report…you decide…

Landrieu statement: Oil Spill Commission Findings Show Drilling Moratorium Unjustified
January 6, 2011

WASHINGTON — United States Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., today issued the following statement in response to the National Oil Spill Commission’s advance partial release of findings from its upcoming full report on the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Landrieu said:

“These findings seem to support what we’ve said all along: that the blowout was caused mainly by human error among the companies managing and servicing that particular rig, not by any faulty mechanical system or equipment failure. The administration’s response to this tragedy—to impose a moratorium on all other deepwater drilling in the Gulf—was excessive, over-reactive and uncalled for, in much the same way as if the government were to ground all commercial flights pending investigation of a single plane crash. Nothing in these findings justifies the shutdown of an entire industry because of one mishap. I eagerly look forward to reading the Commission’s full report.”

President Obama established the Commission on May 22nd, 2010 to investigate the root causes of the spill and provide recommendations on how to prevent and mitigate the impact of any future spills that result from offshore drilling .

The findings released today as well as other materials on the Commission’s investigation into the root causes of the BP Gulf rig blowout can be found at www.OilSpillCommission.gov.

The Commissioners will hold a press conference on the release of their full report and recommendations on Jan. 11th at 11am at the National Press Club in Washington DC. The Commission’s press conference will be streamed live for public viewing on its website.