Original BP Gulf Response Plan Didn’t Mention Hurricanes, Tropical Storms

WASHINGTON (July 22, 2010) – As a tropical storm threatens to significantly interrupt operations at the BP spill site, perhaps delaying final resolution of the spill by two weeks, Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today released information provided to him by BP on their recently-updated storm response plans. Rep. Markey asked for the information following his discovery that BP’s original Gulf of Mexico spill response plan did not mention the words "hurricane" or "tropical storm." Yet in the response to Rep. Markey, BP insists it "always had a hurricane plan in place."

 "While BP asserts that they were prepared for this kind of weather event, it was only recently that they applied a plan to catastrophic spills," said Rep. Markey. "It’s this same ad hoc attitude that has persisted throughout BP’s oil spill disaster."

BP’s response to Rep. Markey, which can be found HERE, follows a letter of inquiry sent by Rep. Markey on June 30, 2010. That original letter, including information on BP’s lack of severe storm mentions in their original Gulf plan, can be found HERE.

These answers on BP’s severe storm contingency plan follow yesterday’s announcement by the other four major oil companies to assemble a rapid-response system to deal with catastrophic spills.

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