10.06.05

Cantwell Vows to Stop House Energy Plan to Allow Giant Oil Tankers into Puget Sound

House Set to Pass Energy Bill on Friday that would Overturn 28-Year-Old Protection, Increase Chance of Large-Scale Oil Spill in Sound

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) called on the House of Representatives to halt their plans to overturn the 28-year-old law that limits oil tanker traffic in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Puget Sound. Cantwell called on Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert to take the measure out of the House bill. Cantwell pledged "to use every means necessary to protect our waterways."

"This provision would expose Puget Sound waters to an unacceptably increased risk of future oil spills," said Cantwell, a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources and Commerce Committees. "As Senator Magnuson stated, the ‘navigable waters and the natural resources of the Puget Sound are a fragile and valuable national asset,’ that deserve a balanced level of protection."

In 1977, after finding that "Puget Sound and the shore area immediately adjacent thereto is threatened by increased domestic and international traffic of tankers carrying crude oil in bulk which increases the possibility of vessel collisions and oil spills," former Washington State Senator Warren Magnuson authored an amendment that limited the amount of oil that can be shipped to Puget Sound refineries, unless it was needed for Washington state consumers. However, Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) included language in a House energy bill—which passed the House Energy and Commerce Committee on September 28, 2005 and is scheduled for consideration by the full House of Representatives on Friday—that would reverse this key environmental safeguard.

In her letter to Speaker Hastert, Cantwell said, "I want to stress to you, Mr. Speaker, that because this issue is extremely important to me and to millions of constituents that live around the Puget Sound, I will use all tools in my power to stop this provision from becoming law."

At present, Washington state facilities refine considerably more oil than they need to meet state demand, and excess product is shipped to Oregon, California, and overseas.

[Text of the letter follows below]

October 6, 2005

The Honorable J. Dennis Hastert Speaker United States House of Representatives 235 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC 20230

Dear Mr. Hastert:

I write to express my strong objection to Section 110 of the Gasoline for America’s Security Act of 2005 (H.R. 3893), a provision that would expose Puget Sound waters to an unacceptably increased risk of future oil spills. Specifically, H.R. 3893 amends a provision added by Senator Warren Magnuson to the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1977, which caps the volume of crude oil that can be shipped to Washington state refineries, unless it is needed to meet the needs of Washington state consumers.

At this time, Washington state facilities refine considerably more oil than they need to meet state demand, and excess product is shipped to both Oregon and California. In fact, according to press reports, some of the product refined in Washington was recently exported to overseas markets, despite elevated local prices. While the stated purpose of H.R. 3893 may be to increase supplies of "gasoline for America’s security," a number of important questions remain to be answered about those reports. It would be a most outrageous result were the House to pass legislation that puts the Puget Sound at risk, for the benefit of oil companies who seek only to export the additional supply needed to lower domestic fuel costs. Such a result would take the notion of post-hurricane profiteering to a whole new level of shamefulness.

Mr. Speaker, as Senator Magnuson stated, the "navigable waters and the natural resources of the Puget Sound are a fragile and valuable national asset," that deserve a balanced level of protection. I learned that first hand on August 1, 2005, when I held a Senate Commerce Committee field hearing in Seattle on proposals to reduce the risk of future oil spills. Both government and non-governmental witnesses testified to our region’s all-out efforts to prevent an economically and environmentally devastating oil spill in the Puget Sound.

The legislation Senator Magnuson crafted nearly 28 years ago was a response to the already sizeable burden Washington state bears in transporting the West Coast’s petroleum needs. That is why I urge you to remove Section 110 of the GAS Act before it is sent to the Senate for consideration. I want to stress to you, Mr. Speaker, that because this issue is extremely important to me and to millions of constituents that live around the Puget Sound, I will use all tools in my power to stop this provision from becoming law.

Sincerely,

Maria Cantwell United States Senator