Vern Buchanan criticizes Trump’s rollback of offshore drilling regulations
Buchanan tweeted Friday that "The Administration's plan to weaken safety rules put in place after the fatal explosion must be withdrawn."
Today is the 8th anniversary of the worst environmental disaster in US history -- the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The Administration's plan to weaken safety rules put in place after the fatal explosion must be withdrawn.pic.twitter.com/xj25SdBGPQ
-- Rep.
The comment came on the eighth anniversary of the blown
After the disaster, a federal commission recommended a number of new drilling safety rules. But in recent months "the administration has been quietly rolling back the regulations that were adopted in the wake of the disaster," according to
Garcia wrote a column in
The
Garcia wrote that another rule adopted after the Deepwater Horizon disaster, one designed to increase the reliability of so-called "blowout preventers," is being "weakened." Garcia described blowout preventers as "the last line of defense when it comes to maintaining control of a well." The blowout preventer on the well that was being drilled by the Deepwater Horizon failed during the disaster.
"In the wake of our report, industry experts and regulators worked together to negotiate a Well-Control and Blowout Preventer Rule that would establish new safety procedures," Garcia wrote. "The process took six years and thousands of hours of consultation. Today, because of pressure from the industry, this rule is being overhauled. Many of the requirements are being weakened."
In his tweet, Buchanan called the Deepwater Horizon disaster "the worst environmental disaster in US history."
Buchanan is running for reelection and has been emphasizing positions that have bipartisan appeal, including his opposition to allowing oil drilling off the coast of
This is not the first time Buchanan has criticized Trump's approach to environmental issues. He disagreed with the president when Trump announced his intention to pull
"Climate change is a serious threat," Buchanan said at the time.
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