Markey Assails BP for Challenging Gulf Families' Settlements on Same Day as New Commission Report Details Company Mistakes
WASHINGTON (February 17, 2011) – On the same day that a new report from the commission studying BP’s oil spill said that BP did not properly assess the risks of the site nor manage the drilling process effectively, the oil giant is attacking the compensation fund for Gulf of Mexico victims as being too generous. Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) chastised BP for this position today, and called it emblematic of a larger discussion happening right now in Congress on the priorities of keeping tax breaks and loopholes for oil companies intact, while punishing hard-working American families. BP announced just weeks ago that they would re-start paying billions of dollars per year in shareholder dividends.
“BP made errors in judgment that led to this oil spill, and now they’ve made another error in judgment by going after the very people their spill harmed. If you ever needed an example of BP being totally out of touch with reality, this is it,” said Rep. Markey. “BP said they would make things right for the people in the Gulf, yet it seems all they really care about is making things right for its shareholders.”
The report issued by the Oil Spill Commission’s chief counsel said that the spill was “not inevitable,” and that [b]etter management of personnel, risk, and communications by BP and its contractors would almost certainly have prevented the blowout.” Specifically, the report said that BP “did not fully appreciate all of the risks that Macondo presented” and “did not adequately supervise the work of its contractors.”
Rep. Markey drew comparisons between BP’s position today on the compensation fund and a current debate in Congress on budgetary priorities. Rep. Markey has pushed this week to revoke $40 billion in tax breaks for BP and other large oil companies over the next five years, and to recover $53 billion in lost royalties from BP and other oil companies who are currently drilling for free in the Gulf of Mexico.
“We can no longer give tax breaks to big oil companies, and then just say ‘tough break’ to the little guy,” said Rep. Markey. “BP spilled freely into the Gulf for nearly 90 days, and yet they continue to drill for free in those same waters at the expense of the American taxpayers.”
Republicans have opposed efforts to end the oil company tax breaks. A vote on the $53 billion royalty fix is expected in the coming hours.
Next Article