Trump has rolled back safety rules meant to prevent another Deepwater Horizon spill. The weakened regulation favors the oil and gas industry, which will save an estimated $980 million over a decade, administration officials say.
The Deepwater Horizon oil rig burns in the Gulf of Mexico following an explosion that killed 11 workers and caused the worst offshore oil spill in the nation's history.
But politicians and conservationists who oppose the rule change are worried about its potential cost to the environment. The Deepwater Horizon disaster poured 4 million barrels of oil — about 200 million gallons — into the Gulf of Mexico off Louisiana. When the spill was at its worst in May 2010, a month after it started, bluefin tuna were feeding and spawning as oil polluted their habitat. The wider effect on the animals is largely unknown.
Last week, the agency confirmed a decision to delay finalization of its five-year offshore oil exploration plan after a federal judge ruled that only Congress, not the White House, has the power to sweep aside Arctic and Atlantic drilling bans set by President Barack Obama. “Offshore energy development is safer than ever,” said Erik Milito, a vice president for the group. “Technological advances, as well as collaborative efforts by the industry and regulators, have helped to continuously advance safety systems and standards.”
Now oil companies can use “recommended practices” set by the oil industry for ensuring that safety equipment works, returning to a standard that existed before the Gulf oil spill.
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