For Immediate Release
April 30, 2004
Please Contact: Colin Durrant (617)722-1650 or
Dalié Jiménez, 617-722-1650

Senator Barrios Supports Bill to Help Prevent Disastrous Oil Spills

(BOSTON) Senator Jarrett Barrios expressed his strong support for a bill released this week by the Joint Committee on Natural Resources and Agriculture aimed at preventing future oil spills by better regulating oil traffic in state waters, implementing safety provisions, and raising penalties for violations.

"Many of the people in my district literally watch oil tankers float right by their windows," said Senator Barrios. "The environmental and health impact that a catastrophic oil spill could have on my communities can not be overstated. I am happy to support the thorough work of the commission and to lend my full support for quick action on this bill that will help prevent and protect against future oil spills."

Because of its heavy industrial use, the Chelsea Creek and lower Mystic River face the very real possibility of large oil spills. In 2000, a tugboat gouged a hole in an oil tanker moored at an oil terminal in Chelsea Creek spilling 59,000 gallons -- the worst spill in Boston Harbor's history.

The bill, of which Barrios is a co-sponsor, was a result of the work of the bipartisan commission appointed by the Legislature to study the impact of last year's oil spill in Buzzard's Bay.

On April 27, 2003, a tanker operated by Bouchard Transportation Company spilled 55,000 gallons of oil into the ocean, polluted 93 miles of coastline, killed 461 birds, and temporarily shut down 180,000 acres of shellfish beds.

The proposed legislation directs the Secretary of the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs (EOEA) to designate areas with unique navigational challenges or environmental and economic sensitivities as "areas of special interest." The bill additionally requires the Department of Environmental Protection commissioner to negotiate an agreement with the United States Coast Guard to implement a Vessel Traffic Service System. The system would serve as a navigational aid by collecting such vessel information as location, course, speed, destination, and estimated time of arrival.

Other highlights of the bill include:

• Tug escorts for vessels carrying 6,000 or more barrels of oil over an "area of special interest"
• The establishment of a fund to reimburse the state for expenses to support the development, training, and equipping of safety committees, response teams, and other units that respond to oil spill threats.
• The establishment of a Uniform Oil Response and Prevention Fee set an amount not to exceed 2 cents a barrel.
• Additional watch and crew requirements, and stricter drug and alcohol provisions.

Senator Barrios is also lead sponsor of the Clean and Healthy Communities Act that would focus environmental enforcement and clean-up money on communities that have traditionally borne the burden of the state's pollution. Many of those communities are located in Barrios's district.

"For hard working families living in dense urban communities, a health and safe place to play and live is essential," concluded Senator Barrios.

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