CHALMETTE, LA.- Representative Ed Markey (D-Mass.) made his second visit to the Gulf Coast to tour damage from the oil spill on Monday, touring impacted marshlands and participating in a hearing on the local impact of the oil spill.

“Every day, as this oil encroaches on our wetlands, estuaries and beaches, the entire nation shares in the anxiety and anger felt by the people living in the Gulf region,” said Markey, who is the chairman of twin climate and energy panels in the House. “I've seen firsthand the stain of BP’s oil on the cane in the marshland, and  its impact on this sensitive ecosystem.”

“It is clear by BP’s actions, that while they spent billions of dollars to develop technologies that would allow it to drill ultra-deep into the ocean -- that investment was not matched with the development of ultra-safe technologies that could prevent, contain and clean up the consequences of these types of drilling operations.”

While in the Gulf, Markey toured wetlands that have been impacted by the spill. Markey also attended a hearing on the local impact of the oil spill, where he heard testimony from two widows who lost their husbands in the Deepwater Horizon explosion. Markey also heard from local businessmen who have been negatively affected by this disaster.