Ad says Congress should use oil spill penalties to restore Gulf

WASHINGTON, April 25, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new radio ad campaign this week on conservative news/talk radio stations in the Gulf states will educate residents to make them aware that under current law, BP fines for the oil spill will go to the federal treasury, unless Congress takes action to dedicate the money to restoration in the Gulf.  

The campaign is sponsored by the Gulf Renewal Project and follows its release of new polling last week showing that 83 percent of voters nationwide support—and 69 percent strongly support—dedicating the BP oil spill penalties to restoring the Mississippi River Delta and Gulf Coast. The poll showed that an overwhelming majority of conservative voters favor this proposal, including 76 percent (60 percent strongly) of Republicans, and 78 percent (62 percent strongly) of voters who agree with the Tea Party movement.

Several Democratic and Republican members of Congress from the Gulf region have introduced legislation to dedicate these penalties to Gulf restoration.

"Voters across all party lines all over the nation agree that BP's fines for the oil spill belong in the Gulf.  We need Gulf leaders to get together and get restoration done for the region's environment and economy this spring," said a statement from the Gulf Renewal Project.  

The radio ad recording is here and the ad copy is below:

One year ago, the BP oil well blowout dumped millions of barrels of oil into our Gulf Coast waters.

It caused major damage to wildlife, and our fishing, and tourism industries.

This unprecedented environmental and economic disaster could cost our region's tourism industry alone $23 billion in lost revenues, according to one study.  

And nearly nine out of 10 voters polled in the Gulf states agree that the health of our coastal environment affects the health of our economy.

Yet, one year after the biggest oil spill in U.S. history, Congress still has not passed legislation to dedicate the oil spill penalties to restoring our coast's environment and economy.  

And unless Congress takes action, the oil spill fines could be diverted to other things.

Congress must get together, and get it done now, by passing legislation to dedicate the BP oil spill penalties to restoring our coast's environment and economy.

Paid for by the Gulf Renewal Project.

The ads started airing today thru Friday during morning and afternoon drive time on 22 conservative news/talk radio stations in 18 markets in the five Gulf states:

Contacts:
Sean Crowley, Environmental Defense Fund, 202.572.3331, scrowley@edf.org  
David J. Ringer, National Audubon Society, 601.642.7058, dringer@audubon.org  
Emily Guidry Schatzel, National Wildlife Federation, 225.253.9781, guidrye@nwf.org  
Sandra Rodriguez, The Nature Conservancy, 703.841.4227, srodriguez@tnc.org
David Willett, Ocean Conservancy, 202.351.0465, dwillett@oceanconservancy.org
Laura Rusu, Oxfam America, 202.496.1180, lrusu@oxfamamerica.org  

SOURCE Gulf Renewal Project