Rejects Contributing Money to Scientists

Call from Chairman for Independent Scientist Funding Met with Stunning Response from Major Player in Oil Spill Incident

WASHINGTON (June 4, 2010) – When Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) wrote to the companies involved in the Gulf of Mexico oil spill to request contributions to an independent science fund, BP responded within three days with a commitment of $500 million, one of the few bright spots in this disaster.
Halliburton, on the other hand, has responded with a different tactic: deny responsibility for the disaster, and contribute zero funds.

In a letter sent to Rep. Markey late yesterday, Halliburton President Tim Probert said that he did not believe that Halliburton is among the companies bearing responsibility for the oil spill, even though Halliburton was the company working on the failed cement plug on the Deepwater Horizon rig. And the company refused to donate any funds to the Surface and Underwater Research Fund—or SURF Fund—that Rep. Markey has spearheaded.

“Halliburton is apparently more worried about litigation than scientific investigation,” said Rep. Markey, who chairs the Energy and Environment Subcommittee in the Energy and Commerce Committee and the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. “In order to prevent catastrophes like this from ever occurring again, this disaster needs to be a teachable, researchable moment. Halliburton seems more worried about their own impeachable moment.”

The letter from Halliburton to Chairman Markey can be found by clicking HERE .

Details on Rep. Markey’s call for a scientific fund can be found HERE .

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