Press Releases
Markey Report: Americans Still at Risk from Dangerous Offshore Drilling Practices
Contact: Eben Burnham-Snyder, Rep. Ed Markey, 202-225-2836 Oil Companies Suffering Safety Lapses Three Years After BP Spill, Data Show; Congressman Asks EPA to Continue BP Debarment from Federal Contracts WASHINGTON (May 10, 2013) - A new report, released today by Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), shows that oil and gas companies drilling offshore in the Gulf of Mexico continue to suffer major safety lapses three years after the BP spill and that penalties are still insufficient to deter ris… Continue Reading
05.07.13
Markey Challenges Exxon on Arkansas Oil Spill Claims
Contact: Eben Burnham-Snyder, Rep. Ed Markey, 202-225-2836 Slow Response, Type of Oil, Cleanup Fund Contributions Questioned WASHINGTON (May 7, 2013) - Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) today questioned several claims made by ExxonMobil following their Mayflower, Arkansas pipeline spill in March that sullied a suburban neighborhood with thick Canadian tar sands oil-including the company's claim that the tar sands oil isn't even tar sands at all. In an extensive letter sent to Exxon's top executiv… Continue Reading
05.02.13
Markey: We need to find a lifeline for Massachusetts fishermen
WASHINGTON (May 1, 2013) - The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has announced significant cuts to catch allocations. These cuts will adversely impact Massachusetts fishermen and local economies in the bay state. In response to the action by NOAA, Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) released the following statement: "The fact that we have known these cuts were coming for some time does not make them any less devastating to Massachusetts fishermen, their families, and th… Continue Reading
04.09.13
Markey to Hastings: Stop Ignoring Our Changing Oceans
Calls for Immediate Hearing on Impacts to Coastal Communities, Fisheries WASHINGTON (April 9, 2013) - Today, Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) sent a letter to House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (R-Wash.) requesting an oversight hearing to investigate the impacts of climate change on the oceans and on the people who live near the sea and depend upon it for their livelihoods. While Congress appropriated $60 billion in disaster aid for states hit by Superstorm Sandy, private pr… Continue Reading
04.03.13
Markey, Courtney, DeLauro, Welch Call for CFTC Commissioner Bart Chilton’s Re-nomination
Urge president to keep "strong voice for our nation's consumers"; Term Ends April 13 WASHINGTON (April 3, 2013) - Reps. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Joe Courtney (D-Conn.), Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today asked President Obama to re-nominate Commissioner Bart Chilton to another term on the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The CFTC is tasked with oversight over all commodities markets in the United States, giving them jurisdiction over the trading of oil, natural gas, precious… Continue Reading
04.02.13
Markey, Natural Resources Democrats Slide Into the Future with Groundbreaking New Energy App
Contact: Jeff Sharp, Natural Resources Committee Democrats, Rep. Ed Markey, 202-225-4079 Markey, Natural Resources Democrats Slide Into the Future with Groundbreaking New Energy App New "eVIZ" App Maps Energy, Extreme Weather, and Helps Consumers Save at the Pump **To DOWNLOAD the App, Click Here **For Screen Shots of the App, Click Here WASHINGTON DC (April 2, 2013) - Congress took a step forward on technology, transparency and innovation today as Rep. Ed Markey and the Natural Resou… Continue Reading
04.01.13
Markey Statement on Arkansas Canadian Tar Sands Spill
Oil Companies Skirting Spill Cleanup Tax for Tar Sands; Spill Highlights Dangers of Large-scale Transport of Tar Sands Oil WASHINGTON (March 31, 2013) -- Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) today expressed concerns about the transport and cleanup of Canadian tar sands oil following the Exxon pipeline oil spill in Arkansas that was transporting the fuel from Canada. Rep. Markey called again on the Internal Revenue Service to close a tax loophole that allows oil companies to forgo paying money into an oil … Continue Reading
03.25.13
Markey: Obama Protects and Preserves our American Heritage with New National Monuments
WASHINGTON DC (March 25, 2013) - Today the Obama administration will designate five new national monuments. These sites include: the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Monument in Maryland; Río Grande del Norte National Monument in New Mexico; First State National Monument in Delaware; Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument in Ohio; and San Juan Islands National Monument in Washington. In response to these new designations, Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of … Continue Reading
03.20.13
Bipartisan Helium Bill Rises Out of Natural Resources Committee
Bill Would Ensure Continued Supply of Helium and Deliver Fair Return for American Taxpayers WASHINGTON (March, 20 2013)- Today, the House Natural Resources Committee unanimously approved bipartisan legislation to extend the life of the Federal Helium Reserve in Texas that will address a looming national helium crisis, reform the system to ensure a fair return to taxpayers on federally-owned helium, and widen participation and transparency in helium markets. Democratic Ranking Member Ed Markey (… Continue Reading
03.14.13
Markey: Timeout on Industry Proposals to Export American-Produced Oil and Gas
Contact: Jeff Sharp, Natural Resources Committee Democrats, 202-225-6065 Eben Burnham-Snyder, Rep. Ed Markey, 202-225-2836 or 202-494-4486 cell Thomas Seay, Rep. Rush Holt, 202-225-5801 Markey and Holt introduce trio of bills to restrain exports of American oil and gas WASHINGTON (March 14, 2013) - In the face of growing calls from the oil and gas industry to allow for the exportation of American-produced oil and gas resources, Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Rep. Rush D. Holt (D-NJ… Continue Reading
03.14.13
Markey: Until Proven Safe, Keep Shell Arctic Drilling on Ice
Department of the Interior Assessment of Shell's 2012 Arctic Operations Stresses Safety First WASHINGTON (March 14, 2013) -- Shell Oil Company's failed attempt to drill offshore in the Arctic last year was marked by a series of incidents and safety failures. Today, the Department of the Interior released its assessment of Shell's 2012 drilling operations. Following the release of the report by the Department of Interior today, Rep. Markey, the top Democrat on the Natural Resources Comm… Continue Reading
03.13.13
Markey: Sequestration Threatens Progress in Renewable Energy Permitting
GAO Report Confirms Recent Progress in Permitting Renewables Projects on Public Lands under Obama Administration WASHINGTON (March 13, 2013) - As the Interior Department today announced the approval of three more utility-scale wind and solar projects on public lands, Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) released a report completed at his request by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) that found permitting times have fallen considerably for wind, solar, and geothermal projects on public lands … Continue Reading
03.06.13
Markey Says Stick with the Science on Izembek Refuge Road
Proposed Road Through Alaskan Wilderness is Unreliable WASHINGTON (March 6, 2013) - Today, Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) asked Department of Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to stand by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's (FWS) decision to reject a proposal to build a road through the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. FWS issued a final Environmental Impact Statement citing that the proposed road would cause irreparable damage to wildlife. Republicans in Congress are condemning the sci… Continue Reading
03.06.13
Markey Launches New Bill to Combat Fish Fraud
National Studies Show Rampant Fish Mislabeling that Cheats Fishermen, Consumers WASHINGTON (March 6, 2013) - Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) today introduced a new bipartisan version of his legislation to combat rampant seafood fraud, a nationwide epidemic that cheats fishermen and consumers, while posing health risks to pregnant mothers and others. The legislation responds to studies showing most recently that seafood is mislabeled 33 percent of the time in restaurants, supermarkets, and other r… Continue Reading
03.04.13
Markey: United States Must Act to Stop Poaching, Illegal Wildlife Trade
Top Natural Resources Committee Democrat Presses for Immediate Hearing WASHINGTON (March 4, 2013) - Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) is pressing House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (R-Wash.) and Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans, and Insular Affairs Subcommittee Chairman John Fleming (R-La.) to hold a hearing on the ongoing wildlife poaching crisis in Africa. The recent increase in poaching -- particularly elephants and rhinoceros -- for ivory, horns and other body parts destined f… Continue Reading
02.27.13
Markey Statement on Shell Decision to Postpone Arctic Drilling
Instead of "Expedited Review" of Arctic Drilling, Full Reassessment Needed Following Multiple Arctic Incidents WASHINGTON (February 27, 2013) -- After Shell Oil's attempts to drill in the Arctic encountered multiple troubling incidents, the company announced today that it will not be drilling in the Arctic in 2013. Among the incidents were catastrophic failures of proposed containment systems, one of two drilling ships running aground while being towed through a storm to avoid tax… Continue Reading
02.27.13
5 Top Dems to NRC: Fukushima-style Reactors in U.S. Need Upgrades to Prevent Hydrogen Explosions and Radiation Exposure
WASHINGTON (February 27, 2013) -- Five House Democrats who lead their respective committees today pressed the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to require that all U.S. nuclear reactors of the same design as the ones that melted down at the Fukushima nuclear facility in Japan install vents to help prevent hydrogen explosions in the event of a severe accident and reduce exposure to radiation when they are used. The letter was sent to the NRC by Reps. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), the Ranking Member of the Na… Continue Reading
02.26.13
Markey Report: Oil Companies Pocketing Billions of Dollars in Free Drilling
Contact: Eben Burnham-Snyder, Rep. Ed Markey, 202-225-2836 Taxpayers, Congress Squandering up to $40 Billion as Nation Stares Down Sequester, Gas Prices Hit Highs; Report Details Company-by-company Windfalls WASHINGTON (February 26, 2013) - A new report, released today by Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), shows how more than 100 oil and gas companies are drilling in U.S. waters in the Gulf of Mexico without paying royalties to the American people. Nearly 40 percent of these active royalty-free leases … Continue Reading
02.25.13
Markey Assails GOP Ideological Attack on VAWA
House GOP Eliminating LGBT, Tribal Protections from Senate Bill; Congressman Calls for Passage of Senate Version WASHINGTON (February 25, 2013) - Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) today condemned House Republican leaders for their ideological alterations to the Senate-passed version of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), and called on Speaker John Boehner to bring the Senate version of the bill up for a vote. The House Republican bill will remove protections for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transge… Continue Reading
02.22.13
Markey Releases Massive Safety Violations for Shell’s Arctic Drilling Ship, Showing Company May Have Sent Unsafe Ship to Drill
Noble Discoverer Has Engine, Fire, Other Safety Hazards, According to Coast Guard; Congressman Asks Shell for Plans to Fix Ship, Prospects of Arctic Drilling WASHINGTON (February 22, 2013) - One of two Arctic drilling ships employed by Shell Oil does not have proper propulsion to handle all expected weather conditions, has engine trouble, and multiple fire hazards on board the ship, according to sixteen violations identified by the Coast Guard, which were made public today by Rep. Ed Markey (D-… Continue Reading