Hoyer Calls on President to Hold Atlantic Coast Summit on Gulf Oil Spill

Urges Planning for Worst-Case Scenario with Input from Coastal Jurisdictions

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) sent a letter to President Obama today urging a White House-led summit with East Coast governors and local officials to ensure proper contingencies are in place for all impact scenarios of the Gulf oil spill on the U.S. Atlantic Coast. The letter as sent is below.

The Honorable Barack Obama

The President

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW

Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President,

I write regarding the on-going Deepwater Horizon oil spill.  Since the initial explosion, your personal focus has correctly been to contain the environmental damage, and respond to the devastating personal and economic consequences of this tragedy within the Gulf Region.  I share your desire to ensure that the responsible parties put a stop to this spill, and efforts can be shifted toward much needed recovery.

On May 12, 2010, you wrote Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi that, from day one of the spill, you have directed your Administration to prepare for a worst-case scenario.  In my view, such preparation should include a White House led summit with East Coast governors and local officials in the very near term.  With onset of hurricane season, and reported estimates of the size of the spill more than doubling recently, it is my hope that you will hear directly from officials in my home state of Maryland and all along the Atlantic Coast about their levels of preparedness and information needs should oil move out of the Gulf region.   Elected officials representing the East Coast, from the Chesapeake Bay, to the beaches of the Carolinas, to Florida's Atlantic coastline, remain deeply concerned about the impact of oil both within the Gulf ecosystem and within the fragile, ecologically rich and economically important resources they represent.  Information regarding whether the expanding oil slick and plumes have entered the loop current need to be shared with Atlantic Coast states and local governments, and the federal government should fully understand the resource needs of jurisdictions not yet responding to the spill should oil spread to those locations.  

I know you share my desire to end and contain this spill as soon as possible, and that it is difficult to think that all the pain endured in the Gulf Coast thus far is not the worst outcome we as a nation could imagine.  I believe though that the American people want us to plan ahead and think through difficult scenarios as we seek to avert them.

Yours Sincerely,

Steny H. Hoyer

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