Scalise: BP will be held responsible for Lake Pontchartrain oil protection costs

Washington, DC -- Congressman Steve Scalise released the following statement regarding measures taken by St. Tammany Parish to secure boom to prevent the Deepwater Horizon oil spill from entering Lake Pontchartrain:

“Last week I asked the Coast Guard to secure the necessary boom to prevent oil from entering Lake Pontchartrain,” Scalise said. “To follow up on that request, yesterday I spoke directly with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Mary Landry to request boom to be placed at Chef Pass and the Rigolets. I also spoke with St. Tammany Parish President Kevin Davis to let him know I will do everything in my power to make sure that BP pays the full cost of these necessary measures to prevent oil from entering Lake Pontchartrain. We will not sit idle while the Lake is threatened, and I applaud Kevin for securing the necessary boom to cover Chef Pass and the Rigolets. We will not allow the costs of this catastrophe to be dumped onto the backs of Southeast Louisiana families, and I have already started the process of ensuring that BP is held accountable to reimburse St. Tammany Parish for the full costs associated with securing, deploying and maintaining this boom.”

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Contact: Stephen Bell
202-226-9113