Scalise Applauds Administration's Pledge to use BP fines for Gulf Coast Restoration

Washington, DC -- Congressman Steve Scalise today applauded the Administration’s commitment to use BP fines for coastal restoration in Louisiana, which is included in a bill Scalise introduced earlier this month. The commitment came in a report released today by Navy Secretary Ray Mabus.

"Earlier this month, I brought together a broad coalition of stakeholders from across party and political lines with the shared vision of ensuring that fines from the BP spill are reinvested in Gulf Coast states that were impacted by the disaster, and I am glad to see that the administration is embracing and supporting the ideas outlined in my bill,” Scalise said. “Louisiana has lost more than 2,300 square miles of wetland since the 1930’s, and we continue to lose almost a football field of marsh every half hour. The importance of restoring our coast cannot be overstated and it is imperative that we work together without delay to move this legislation forward.”

Scalise’s bill, H.R. 6112, requires that at least 80 percent of the fines assessed to BP under the Clean Water Act be directed to a separate fund for distribution to Gulf States affected by the disaster for the purpose of implementing coastal restoration and other mitigation projects.

In August, Scalise led a broad, bi-partisan coalition calling for President Barack Obama to support a full and complete plan to restore Louisiana’s eroding coastline, specifically by supporting a reinvestment of fines collected from BP for coastal restoration. 

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Contact: Stephen Bell
202-226-9113