Groups Commend Congress on RESTORE Act
June 28, 2012
David Willett, Ocean Conservancy, 202.351.0465, dwillett@oceanconservancy.org
Heather Layman, The Nature Conservancy, 703.475.1733, hlayman@tnc.org
Kevin Chandler, National Audubon Society, 202.596.0960, kchandler@audubon.org
Emily Guidry Schatzel, National Wildlife Federation, 225.253.9781, guidrye@nwf.org
Elizabeth Skree, Environmental Defense Fund, 202.553.2543, eskree@edf.org
Mary Babic, Oxfam America, 617.517.9475, mbabic@oxfamamerica.org
(Washington, D.C. – June 28, 2012) Local and national
conservation groups have issued the following joint statement in response to
the Senate and House inclusion of the RESTORE Act in the Surface Transportation
Extension Act. Consistent with recent findings from two independent
commissions, the RESTORE Act dedicates 80 percent of the Clean Water Act fines
from BP and other parties responsible for the 2010 Gulf oil spill to restoring
the Gulf Coast environment and economy.
“We
applaud the transportation bill conferees and the Gulf Coast Senators and Representatives for making Gulf Coast
restoration a priority by including the RESTORE Act in their final bill,” said Environmental
Defense Fund, National Audubon Society, National Wildlife Federation, The
Nature Conservancy, Ocean
Conservancy and Oxfam America. “The RESTORE Act will help revitalize
the entire region by ensuring the bulk of the fines collected from those
responsible for the spill are directed back to the area that suffered so much
harm.”
“Funding from
the RESTORE Act will help the ailing Gulf Coast as well as the entire nation.
Our economy depends on a healthy Gulf – it is where roughly 40 percent of America’s
domestically caught seafood is produced, and billions of dollars in goods flow
in and out of its ports every year. It is also home to some of the nation’s
most at-risk wetlands, socially vulnerable communities and richest natural
resources. This legislation will not only restore ecosystems and communities,
it will also help create jobs and boost our economy.”
“We
look forward to seeing the RESTORE Act cross the finish line in Congress and working
with the states and Administration to ensure that every dollar is used to help
restore the Gulf and increase the resiliency of its ecosystems and communities.
Passage of the RESTORE Act would be an affirmation by the nation that the Gulf
of Mexico is a valuable economic and ecological resource that benefits all
Americans.”