Lautenberg led on oil spill bill

U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg's role in drafting and passing recent legislation to protect the Delaware River and our nation's other waterways from oil spills should be commended, not questioned. The July 22 article, “Lautenberg celebrates passage of Delaware River Protection Act,” did not do justice to the New Jersey Democrat's tremendous efforts on this issue. Immediately after the Athos I oil spill in 2004, Lautenberg introduced aggressive legislation to phase out single-hull ships and give locals more input into oil-spill prevention. While it is true that U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo, R-2nd, used his position to hold hearings and move legislation on oil-spill prevention, his proposal was too lenient on the oil industry. Lautenberg and LoBiondo, as members of the House-Senate committee that finalized the recent Coast Guard authorization bill, worked to craft a compromise of their respective proposals. The final product was not as aggressive as the original Lautenberg proposal, but significantly stronger than the House version. Throughout the process, Lautenberg reached out to the Delaware Riverkeeper and other interested parties to ensure that the legislation that finally passed would accomplish the goal of protecting our waterways. Lautenberg has led the pack in protecting our rivers from oil spills. Maya K. vanRossum, Delaware Riverkeeper, Washington Crossing, PA - Published in the Atlantic City Press August 4, 2006