BP Would Be Barred From New U.S. Leases in House Bill

[Robbien]

Source: Bloomberg

July 14 (Bloomberg) -- BP Plc would be barred from new U.S. offshore leases to drill for oil or natural gas because of past safety violations under an amendment approved by a House panel.

The House Natural Resources Committee adopted the amendment by voice vote today while considering legislation to toughen safety standards for offshore drilling after the BP spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

“It’s a question of whether or not they get to exercise the privilege of being able to drill going forward,” said Representative George Miller, a California Democrat who sponsored the amendment. “One of the things you should bring to this game is a safety record. You have a company that had an egregious safety record, a fatal safety record.”

Companies with violations of federal or state safety standards more than five times the industry average going back seven years would be barred under the amendment. BP is the only company that would fail those standards, Miller said.



Read more: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-07-14/bp-would-be-barred-from-new-u-s-leases-in-house-bill.html

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I guess companies with violations of safety standards more than four times the industry average are good citizens and can drill.

As much as I dislike BP, this ruling is just stupid and highlights how much the congresscritters pander to BigOil. Violators of safety standards are considered just fine, unless their name is BP.