Wolk legislation to strengthen oil spill prevention and response moves forward

Bill improves response to inland oil spills, rescue and treatment of oiled wildlife.

California Political Desk
California Chronicle
08/09/2008

SACRAMENTO – The State Senate´s Appropriations Committee voted Thursday to approve landmark legislation by Assemblywoman Lois Wolk (D-Davis) to strengthen the state´s prevention and response to inland oil spills, enhance the state´s oiled wildlife search and rescue collection efforts, and steps up enforcement and fines for polluters.

"My aim with Assembly Bill 2911 is to give the same attention to oil spills in our state´s inland waterways that is currently enjoyed by our coastal waters," said Wolk. "Because coastal oil spills may grab the headlines, but inland spills threaten public health and safety by contaminating the water we drink, our rivers, creeks, marshes, and the Delta," said Wolk. "Inland spills are also much more common, occurring more than twice as often as marine spills. Yet the state responds to less than a third of reported inland spills."

This June, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced his support of AB 2911, along with two other bills on oil spill prevention and response, also declaring that the administration is taking steps of its own to strengthen and streamline California's oil spill prevention and response. For more information, see the Governor´s press release athttp://gov.ca.gov/index.php?/press-release/9880.

AB 2911 is being co-sponsored by Audubon California, California Coastkeeper Alliance, and the Defenders of Wildlife—and is supported by State Controller John Chiang and numerous groups including the Ocean Conservancy, Natural Resources Defense Council, BayKeeper, California Coastal Protection Network.