National Wildlife Federation Applauds CLEAN Act

By Kyle LaFleur—Talk Radio News Service

The National Wildlife Fund is supporting the Corporate Liability and Emergency Accident and Notification (CLEAN) Act which requires oil and gas leaks to be reported within one hour of discovery, raises maximum federal safety violation from $100,000 to $250,000 and raises maximum civil penalty per incident from $1 million to $2.5 million.  

“We think that this bill will encourage the petroleum industry to actually clean up their act and to handle oil and gas products in a manner that is better able to protect the environment, and people and communities,” Tim Warman, the head of NWF’s Global Warming Solutions Program, told TRNS.  

According to Warman, the success of the bill, which passed through the House last month, is due in part to a report put out by the NWF, which looked at the number of oil spills and accidents in the past ten years.  The Assault on America report, found that in the past decade there have been hundred of events from pipeline leaks to fires to problems in off shore drilling which have occurred in each state in the nation.  

“We think the report shows is that this is an industry that has significant environmental and safety issues that need to be addressed,” said Warman.

The CLEAN Act has now been referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transporation.