Deepwater Horizon Oil Rig Spill Oversight In The House This Week

May 18, 2010

While the Obama Administration continues the coordinated response to the Deepwater BP Oil spill, Congress is also investigating the causes of the explosion, including the adequacy of the companies' safety and emergency response measures, and conducting oversight of the recovery efforts. Last week, the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held their first hearing on the Deepwater Horizon Gulf Coast Oil Spill as part of their ongoing inquiry. Read our post on the hearing»

This week, the House continues oversight actions with several hearings:

Energy and Commerce Committee

Sizing up the BP Oil Spill: Science and Engineering Measuring Methods
The Subcommittee on Energy and Environment will hold a briefing on the science and engineering measuring methods being used to calculate how big the oil spill is and its impact.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010, at 2:00 PM EST
Witnesses:
Steve Wereley, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University
Richard Camilli, Associate Scientist, Applied Ocean Physics and Engineering, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Michael Freilich, Director of the Earth Science Division, NASA
Frank Muller-Karger, Professor of Biological Oceanography and Remote Sensing, University of South Florida
Watch the webcast on energycommerce.house.gov»

Transportation and Infrastructure Committee

Deepwater Horizon
The Committee will hold a hearing to examine the circumstances surrounding the ongoing spill of crude oil from the Deepwater Horizon, including potential environmental effects, ongoing response actions, long-term cleanup challenges, and potential natural resource damages.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010, 10:00 AM EST
Witnesses:
PANEL I
Mr. Lamar McKay, President, BP p.l.c.
Mr. Steven Newman, President and CEO, Transocean Ltd.
PANEL II
Ms. Lisa P. Jackson, Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency
Dr. Jane Lubchenco, Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
S. Elizabeth Birnbaum, Director, Minerals Management Service
RADM Brian Salerno, Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety, Security, and Stewardship, U.S. Coast Guard
Accompanied by RDML Peter V. Neffenger, Deputy National Incident Commander for the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Response, U.S. Coast Guard
PANEL III
Ms. Sylvia Earle, Ph.D., Explorer-in-Residence, National Geographic Society, Washington, DC
Mr. Larry Schweiger, President and Chief Executive Officer, National Wildlife Federation, Reston, Virginia
Mr. Pete Gerica, Gerica Seafood, New Orleans, LA
Ms. Carys L. Mitchelmore, Ph.D., Associate Professor, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, Solomons, Maryland
Ms. Nancy E. Kinner, Ph.D., Co-Director, Coastal Response Research Center, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire
Watch the webcast on transportation.house.gov»

In addition, today the Natural Resources Committee announced they will hold a seven-part oversight hearing series to investigate the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion and examine the future of America's offshore oil and gas policy:

Rahall will kick off the series with two Full Committee oversight hearings on May 26 and May 27, followed by five Subcommittee hearings to look at many issues related to the incident in more detail - from MMS' enforcement of safety regulations to the impacts the spill is having on the huge range of natural resources in the Gulf.
Full Committee Oversight Hearing on "Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Strategy and Implications of the Deepwater Horizon Rig Explosion"
Wednesday, May 26, 2010, at 10:00 a.m.
Full Committee Oversight Hearing on "Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Strategy and Implications of the Deepwater Horizon Rig Explosion"
Thursday, May 27, 2010, at 10:00 a.m.
Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife Oversight Hearing on "Our Natural Resources at Risk: The Short and Long Term Impacts of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill"
Thursday, June 10, 2010, at 10:00 a.m.
Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife Oversight Hearing on "Ocean Science and Data Limits in a Time of Crisis: Do NOAA and the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) have the Resources to Respond?"
Tuesday, June 15, 2010, at 10:00 a.m.
Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources Oversight Hearing on "The Deepwater Horizon Incident: Proposals to Split Up the Minerals Management Service"
Thursday, June 17, 2010, at 10:00 a.m.
Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife Oversight Hearing on "State Planning for Offshore Energy Development: Standards for Preparedness"
Thursday, June 24, 2010, at 10:00 a.m.
Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources Oversight Hearing on "The Deepwater Horizon Incident: Was the Minerals Management Service Doing its Job"
Tuesday, June 29, 2010, at 10:00 a.m.