Font Size

Climate Change

E-mail

Close Window E-mail This Page

Lawmakers Approve Oil Spill Protections

Required fields are marked with an asterisk(*)

Recipient E-mail:*
- Your Name:*
- Your E-mail:*
Add a Message:
Send me a copy of this e-mail.

Type the characters in this picture:*

Click here to refresh with new letters

The information you provide will be used only to send the requested e-mail and will not be used to send any other e-mail communications. Read more in our Privacy Policy

Send E-mail

Print Share + Comments

Sep 19, 2009 5:35 pm US/Eastern

Lawmakers Approve Oil Spill Protections

BOSTON (AP) ―

Click to enlarge 1 of 1: (File Image)
AP

Close

numSlides of totalImages

A bill that provides escort tugs to all double-hulled barges in narrow Buzzards Bay has reached Gov. Deval Patrick's desk.

Lawmakers approved the bill Thursday, more than six years after 98,000 gallons of oil spilled from a barge in the bay.

A Patrick spokesman said Saturday the governor is reviewing the bill. If he doesn't sign or veto it within 10 days, it becomes law.

The measure was one of several protections passed in 2004. But after the federal government sued, a judge blocked enforcement of some provisions, including mandatory tug escorts.

A state law passed last year requires tugs to shadow double-hulled barges.

The new bill clarifies that law. The Coalition for Buzzards Bay says it's the "last piece" toward ensuring a tug escort for every barge.