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Regular Session, 2010
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 181
BY SENATOR CROWE
FEDERAL PROGRAMS. Requests all relevant state and federal agencies to devote all
available resources to stop the flow of oil at the former site of the Deepwater Horizon rig.
A RESOLUTION1
To urge and request all relevant state and federal agencies to devote all available resources2
to stop the flow of oil at the former site of the Deepwater Horizon rig in the Gulf of3
Mexico and to protect, clean, and restore Louisiana's coast, marshes, estuaries, and4
wildlife and fisheries, and to minimize its negative impacts on citizens and5
businesses; and to use all available state and federal legal means to ensure that the6
responsible parties are brought to justice and held fully responsible for damages,7
including swift and just compensation for legitimate claims of lost property, wages,8
life, health, and other grievances; and to ensure that a disaster like the Deepwater9
Horizon event that began April 20, 2010, is never repeated.10
WHEREAS, on April 20, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded, killing eleven11
workers and subsequently sank to the bottom of the Mississippi Canyon area of the Gulf of12
Mexico and began gushing several thousands of barrels of oil per day; and13
WHEREAS, this disaster is now recognized as the worst oil spill in the nation's14
history, with a conservative estimate of over 70,000,000 gallons of oil escaping into the Gulf15
of Mexico; and16
WHEREAS, despite the efforts of British Petroleum, the federal government, and17
many outside consultants, there has been no permanent and complete solution to the oil18 SR NO. 181
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escaping into the Gulf; and1
WHEREAS, BP's contingency plans for a massive oil spill have been shown to be2
less than adequate, and as evident from the current situation, the response efforts from both3
BP and the government have not succeeded in protecting the citizens, wildlife, and4
environment of Louisiana and the Gulf Coast; and5
WHEREAS, there is a degree of risk associated with any drilling operation, and it6
is the state and federal government's duty to prevent, minimize, and mitigate such risk from7
negatively impacting the citizens and business that they govern, as well as protecting the8
wildlife and environment in which they live; and9
WHEREAS, the relevant regulatory agencies, including the Minerals Management10
Service, have been determined to have failed in their ability to regulate deepwater drilling;11
and12
WHEREAS, the Obama Administration has placed a six-month moratorium on13
deepwater drilling while the Department of Interior reevaluates concerns with safety and14
environmental oversight; and15
WHEREAS, it has become evident that the government's moratorium on offshore16
drilling may become a threat to the economy and general employment in Louisiana; and17
WHEREAS, it is recognized that the oil and gas industry directly employs over fifty18
thousand people in Louisiana, provides good-paying jobs for hard work, and accounts for19
sixteen percent of our state's gross domestic product; and20
WHEREAS, Louisiana has long taken pride as an energy leader in the nation and the21
world; and22
WHEREAS, many other industries rely on the income generated by oil and gas to23
survive, and fishing and tourism may be negatively impacted for years as a result of24
incoming oil.25
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana26
does hereby urge all relevant state and federal agencies to devote all resources to stopping27
the flow of oil from the Deepwater Horizon well site, to protect, clean, and restore the coasts,28
marshes, estuaries, and wildlife and fisheries of Louisiana and the Gulf Coast, and to protect29
the health, well-being, and welfare of coastal residents from the impacts of oil and30 SR NO. 181
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dispersants.1
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana urges2
federal government use of all available legal means to ensure that the responsible parties for3
this disaster are held to justice and are fully accountable for the costs of response, mitigation,4
and restoration, and that all legitimate claims from impacted fishermen, oil workers, and5
business be honored and be compensated swiftly and completely, including claims for lost6
wages, property, health, life and other grievances.7
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana8
commits itself to an investigation into the safety and environmental regulations surrounding9
offshore drilling, to discover whether or not those regulations are adequate and enforced in10
a way that will prevent, minimize, and mitigate the risks associated with exploration and11
production of petroleum and natural gas, whether on land or offshore.12
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana will13
set clean energy development and economic diversification as a priority for the next14
legislative session as a strategy to reduce the state's dependence on oil and gas, to replace15
jobs lost by the impacts from the Deepwater Horizon disaster and from the federal16
moratorium on deepwater drilling, and to secure Louisiana's place as an energy leader well17
into the 21
st
Century.18
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Heyward Jeffers.
DIGEST
Crowe SR No.
Requests all relevant state and federal agencies to devote all available resources to stop the
flow of oil at the former site of the Deepwater Horizon rig.