Sep 29, 2008 7:43 pm US/Pacific
Schwarzenegger Signs Oil Spill Response Bills
SACRAMENTO (BCN) ―
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The Cosco Busan following the collision with the Bay Bridge last year.
CBS
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced Monday he has signed a package of bills, several authored by Bay Area officials, which aim to improve marine oil spill prevention and response in the state.
The action was in part a response to the November oil spill of some 54,000 gallons of heavy bunker fuel from the container ship Cosco Busan into the San Francisco Bay, according to the governor's office.
"Following the devastating oil spill last November, we took steps to improve oil spill response times and environmental protections," Schwarzenegger said in a statement. "Today, I am building on those actions by signing legislation that will ensure California has the additional tools to prevent another spill of the magnitude we saw last fall."
The legislation will increase enforcement and fines for polluters, improve the state's oiled wildlife search and rescue collection efforts, and put a focus on inland oil spill prevention and response.
Among the bills signed into law was SB 1739, which aims to ensure first-responders are sufficiently trained to react to marine oil spills by requiring them to conduct emergency drills and practices.
Bay Area officials to have legislation signed as part of the package were Assemblyman Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, and Assemblywoman Loni Hancock, D-Berkeley.
In addition, Schwarzenegger signed legislation, authored by state Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Francisco, and state Sen. Patricia Wiggins, D-Santa Rosa, which strive to increase oversight and accountability of the Board of California Pilot Commissioners and the pilots who are licensed and regulated by the board.
Audubon California, part of the National Audubon Society, commended the governor and the state Legislature on the bills.
The nonprofit organization specifically mentioned AB 2911, which aims to boost the state's efforts to conduct search and rescue of wildlife, following an oil spill. The bill was authored by Lois Wolk, D-Davis.
(© CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Bay City News contributed to this report.)
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