April 3, 1969
Page 8645
SENATOR CRANSTON AND OUR WATER RESOURCES
Mr. MUSKIE. Mr. President, the Subcommittee on Air and Water Pollution has been considering legislation to deal with the general problems of oil pollution for several years. Unfortunately, our previous efforts to avert problems such as the recent disaster off the coast of Santa Barbara were defeated in the House of Representatives.
Hearings on this year's bill, the Water Quality Improvement Act of 1969 – S. 7 – have been completed, and the committee plans to report the proposed legislation to the Senate in April.
At this time I should like to commend the Senator from California (Mr. CRANSTON) for the interest he has shown in the bill, particularly in the section dealing with oil pollution. His participation in the hearings and the perspective he has brought to the committee concerning the Santa Barbara incident have been invaluable.
In addition to its general consideration of the problem of oil pollution, Congress also has a responsibility to deal with the specific question of halting oil operations in the Santa Barbara Channel. There is significant evidence that suggests that the benefits from the oil operations may not be so great that they justify the risks inherent in these particular operations.
Senator CRANSTON has introduced a bill, S. 1219, which provides for the termination of all drilling in the Santa Barbara Channel and for a study of the methods of operation on all other Outer Continental Shelf leases.
I commend the Senator for his initiative in offering this approach, and I hope that the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs will hold hearings on the bill as soon as possible.