South Carolina General Assembly
118th Session, 2009-2010
H. 5043
STATUS INFORMATION
Concurrent Resolution
Sponsors: Reps. Limehouse, Agnew, Alexander, Allen, Allison, Anderson, Anthony, Bales, Ballentine, Bannister, Barfield, Battle, Bedingfield, Bingham, Bowen, Bowers, Brady, Branham, Brantley, G.A.Brown, H.B.Brown, R.L.Brown, Cato, Chalk, Clemmons, Clyburn, CobbHunter, Cole, Cooper, Crawford, Daning, Delleney, Dillard, Duncan, Edge, Erickson, Forrester, Frye, Funderburk, Gambrell, Gilliard, Govan, Gunn, Haley, Hamilton, Hardwick, Harrell, Harrison, Hart, Harvin, Hayes, Hearn, Herbkersman, Hiott, Hodges, Horne, Hosey, Howard, Huggins, Hutto, Jefferson, Jennings, Kelly, Kennedy, King, Kirsh, Knight, Littlejohn, Loftis, Long, Lowe, Lucas, Mack, McEachern, McLeod, Merrill, Miller, Millwood, Mitchell, D.C.Moss, V.S.Moss, Nanney, J.H.Neal, J.M.Neal, Neilson, Norman, Ott, Owens, Parker, Parks, Pinson, E.H.Pitts, M.A.Pitts, Rice, Rutherford, Sandifer, Scott, Sellers, Simrill, Skelton, D.C.Smith, G.M.Smith, G.R.Smith, J.E.Smith, J.R.Smith, Sottile, Spires, Stavrinakis, Stewart, Stringer, Thompson, Toole, Umphlett, Vick, Viers, Weeks, Whipper, White, Whitmire, Williams, Willis, Wylie, A.D.Young and T.R.Young
Document Path: l:\council\bills\dka\4123sd10.docx
Companion/Similar bill(s): 1478
Introduced in the House on May 27, 2010
Introduced in the Senate on May 27, 2010
Currently residing in the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources
Summary: Oil leak
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS
Date Body Action Description with journal page number
5/27/2010 House Introduced, adopted, sent to Senate HJ50
5/27/2010 Senate Introduced SJ9
5/27/2010 Senate Referred to Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources SJ9
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
5/27/2010
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
CALLING UPON THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL AND THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, IN COORDINATION WITH THE GOVERNOR, TO IMMEDIATELY BEGIN DEVELOPING A CONTINGENCY PLAN IN THE EVENT THE OIL LEAKING FROM THE DEEPWATER HORIZON IN THE GULF OF MEXICO IS SWEPT BY CURRENTS UP THE SOUTHEASTERN SEABOARD; IN DEVELOPING THIS PLAN THEY SHOULD ASSESS THE ACTIONS BEING TAKEN TO COMBAT THIS CRISIS AND DETERMINE WHAT SOLUTIONS ARE SUCCESSFUL AND WHAT ARE NOT AND IDENTIFY THE BEST PRACTICES AVAILABLE TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM AND THE RESOURCES NECESSARY TO CARRY OUT THIS PLAN.
Whereas, on Tuesday, April 20, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon, an offshore oil rig, exploded and caught fire in the Gulf of Mexico below Louisiana, while finishing a well for British Petroleum, and two days later a second explosion later caused the rig to sink; and
Whereas, this tragic event not only took the lives of eleven crewmembers, but it also set in motion a devastating release of oil into the Gulf of Mexico; and
Whereas, estimates have varied considerably on the amount of oil flowing from the Deepwater Horizon drilling pipe, which is approximately 5,000 feet below the surface. The estimates range from 210,000 gallons (5,000 barrels) a day to the worst case scenario at 4,200,000 gallons (100,000 barrels) a day; and
Whereas, the size of the spill is expanding quickly, and in a matter of weeks this it is expected to eclipse the 1989 Exxon Valdez incident as the worst oil disaster in United States history; and
Whereas, the oil slick continues to spread, and concern is rapidly growing that the spill may be caught by the Loop Current below Louisiana which rounds the Florida Keys and merges with the Gulf Stream Current, which could then carry the oil up the east coast bringing this environmental and economic disaster to South Carolina; and
Whereas, the General Assembly recognizes the urgent need to be proactive and prepared for the possibility of the oil making its way to the 187 miles of South Carolina’s coastline and its estuaries and territorial waters; and
Whereas, the Department of Health and Environmental Control and the Department of Natural Resources have the expertise to evaluate the impact of such an occurrence to South Carolina’s coastal waters and, in coordination with the Office of the Governor, to study and assess the solutions available and resources needed to develop a contingency plan to address such an event. Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:
That the South Carolina General Assembly, by this resolution, calls upon the Department of Health and Environmental Control and the Department of Natural Resources, in coordination with the Governor, to immediately begin developing a contingency plan in the event the oil leaking from the Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico is swept by currents up the southeastern seaboard. In developing this plan they should assess the actions being taken to combat this crisis and determine what solutions are successful and what are not and identify the best practices available to address this problem and the resources necessary to carry out this plan.
Be it further resolved that the Department of Health and Environmental Control and the Department of Natural Resources, in coordination with the Governor, should submit the contingency plan to the General Assembly upon completion for its consideration.
Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Director of the Department of Health and Environmental Control, the Director of the Department of Natural Resources, and the Governor.
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