By Eileen Fleming
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wwno/local-wwno-978656.mp3
New Orleans, La. – Louisiana Democratic Senator Mary Landrieu and Alabama Republican Senator Richard Shelby have introduced legislation designed to keep 80 percent of BP fines for Clean Water Act violations in the Gulf region. Without that designation the funds would be sent to the federal treasury. Landrieu says restoring the Gulf is a national issue.
"It most certainly is in the indirect interest of every citizen in the United States to want to see the Gulf Coast be strengthened and flourish and use the penalties that BP - the polluter in this case - is going to have to pay, to direct those penalties to restore this great ecosystem."
Nine of the ten senators from the five Gulf states affected by the spill are co-sponsors. Texas Republican John Cornyn is not a part of the effort. Landrieu says penalties could amount to $20 billion.
For WWNO, I'm Eileen Fleming