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05-20-2003

Page history last edited by PBworks 17 years, 6 months ago

May 20, 2003

ROMNEY PROPOSES TOUGHER PENALTIES FOR OIL SPILLS

Seeks increase of fines, introduces new measures to ensure compliance

 

Governor Mitt Romney today was joined by members of the Legislature from Southeastern Massachusetts and Cape Cod to announce they will file legislation to hike significantly the financial penalties levied on companies that spill oil or other toxic substances into Massachusetts’ waters.

 

While those increased penalties deal with existing criminal and civil violations, a new provision of the legislation will also permit an assessment of $25,000-per-day fine for knowingly making “false, inaccurate, incomplete or misleading statements” pertaining to a spill incident.

 

Romney noted that the Coast Guard today said that the amount of oil spilled into Buzzard’s Bay on April 27 by a tanker owned by Bouchard Transportation was approximately 98,000 gallons, not the 14,700 gallons originally reported.

 

“It saddens and frustrates me that the shores of Cape Cod and Southeastern Massachusetts will suffer the ill effects of this oil spill for a long time,” said Romney. “We must ensure that we take all necessary steps to protect our environment from these insults.”

 

Romney’s bill stiffens the financial penalties associated with the spilling of toxic materials, many of which have not been updated for decades. Currently, there is a daily penalty of $25,000 for illegally discharging oil or other pollutants into the water. Romney’s proposal increases that penalty up to $50,000 per day.

 

“It’s time to bring these environmental penalties up to date. Companies that transport toxic materials perform a necessary service that carries with it a great responsibility, and they must live up to those responsibilities,” Romney said.

 

“Our oceans and waterways are too important to us to leave anything to chance; we need to make sure that our laws assess penalties that correspond to the enormous environmental damage a spill can cause,” said Environmental Affairs Secretary Ellen Roy Herzfelder.

 

The planned legislation also contains a measure that takes into account environmental considerations in the awarding of state contracts. If companies are found to have a substantial record of environmental violations, they could be barred from the state bidding process.

 

“These proposals are all tools we should have in our environmental enforcement toolbox,” Romney said.

 

The formal filing of this legislation is expected within the next several days.

 

 

 

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