Markey: Administration Report Suggests Progress in Cleaning up the Gulf, but Vigilance Still Required

August 4, 2010 - Today the National Incident Command released an interagency report estimating the amount and fate of the oil spilled out of BP's Deepwater Horizon leak.

In response, Representative Ed Markey (D-Mass), Chairman of twin climate and energy panels in the House of Representatives, released the following statement:

"I applaud the efforts by federal, state and local governments who have worked with local fisherman and workers in the Gulf on an unprecedented response effort to capture, burn and skim oil following BP's horrific oil spill. However, at least 50% of the oil from what is now the biggest oil spill in history remains in the environment in some form. That is the equivalent of 9 Exxon Valdez-sized spills and does not account for the methane that has also been released from this well.

"Families working in the Gulf's imperiled fishing and tourism industry deserve nothing less than a 100% effort to ensure that both the environment and the economy fully recover from the damage caused by BP's oil spill.

"We still have an environmental crime scene in the Gulf of Mexico, and all Americans, especially Gulf Coast residents, fully expect investigators to continue monitoring health and safety hazards in the months and years ahead so the region can fully recover."