Subcommittee Hearing to Examine Lessons Learned From the BP DEEPWATER HORIZON Oil Spill

The Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, chaired by U.S. Rep. Frank A. LoBiondo (R-NJ), will hold a hearing on Wednesday to review the latest investigations into the causes of the BP DEEPWATER HORIZON oil spill and the Coast Guard response to it.  The panel will hear the recommendations of the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and U.S. Coast Guard individuals who were involved in the investigations, and examine what actions the Service will need to take in response to those recommendations. 

There have been three recent reports on the spill, namely the Joint Investigative Team (JIT) Report, the Incident Specific Preparedness Review (ISPR), and the Federal On Scene Coordinator Report (FOSC).  The JIT Report is a joint investigation by the Coast Guard and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement (BOEMRE) into the causes of the blowout, explosion and subsequent sinking of the DEEPWATER HORIZON.  The ISPR reviews the effectiveness of the Coast Guard’s overall performance and the actual response efforts taken, including the training and experience of responders.  The FOSC Report provides a review of the response and lessons learned from it. 

The panel on Wednesday will review these recent reports, as well as previous reports on the spill.  More information on Wednesday’s hearing can be found here.

WHAT:           Hearing of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), Chairman:
                        “Assuring the Safety of Domestic Energy Production: Lessons Learned from the DEEPWATER HORIZON Oil Spill”

WHEN:           10:00 a.m., Wednesday, November 2, 2011

WHERE:         2167 Rayburn House Office Building
                        Washington, DC 20515

A live webcast of this hearing will be available at http://transportation.house.gov

WITNESSES:

• Rear Admiral Paul Zukunft, Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety, Security and Stewardship, United States Coast Guard
• Vice Admiral Roger Rufe, USCG (Retired), Chairman, Incident Specific Preparedness Review, DEEPWATER HORIZON Oil Spill
• Mr. Stephen Caldwell, Director, Homeland Security and Justice Issues, Government Accountability Office
Accompanied by: Mr. Frank Rusco, Director, Natural Resources and the Environment, Government Accountability Office