Senator Warner joined a bipartisan group of Senators today to urge federal authorities to coordinate with emergency preparedness officials in Virginia and other coastal states in the event that the Gulf oil spill reaches Atlantic coastal areas.

Several experts have indicated that possibility that oil from the Gulf of Mexico spill could reach the Gulf Stream and be carried up the Atlantic coast toward Virginia.  As a former governor, Senator Warner has first-hand experience with the challenges in coordinating local, state, and federal responses.  

In a letter sent today to the heads of the relevant federal agencies, Senator Warner and 21 of his colleagues asked for:

• immediate communication with all Atlantic Coast state emergency preparedness agencies to ensure that they can be fully prepared and equipped for the worst case scenario, and

• new science-based, long-term projection models that can help determine the statistical probability of oil affecting various parts of the Atlantic Coast.

In the letter, they wrote:

“Our states’ beaches are fully open for the summer season, and at this time, the oil spill does not pose an imminent threat to them,” wrote the senators. “However, the health of our shores is too important to be left to chance – not only are they natural treasures, but they are also how many families in our coastal communities earn a living. They add billions of dollars to our states’ economies, support millions of jobs and bring enjoyment to millions more families from nearby and across the nation. If there is any real risk to these communities from a spill that right now remains thousands of miles away, we need to know as soon as possible. Furthermore, our state agencies that will partner with federal agencies to protect our shores need to be fully prepared with the information and equipment needed to combat the worst case scenario. Such an effort should begin immediately. Thank you for your hard work to protect the Gulf Coast, and we look forward to collaborating with you.”

The letter was signed by Senators Jim Webb (D-VA), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Richard Burr (R-NC), Charles Schumer (D-NY), Ted Kaufman (D-DE), Saxby Chambliss (R-SC), Scott Brown (R-MA), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), John Kerry (D-MA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Tom Carper (D-DE), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Christopher Dodd (D-CT), Susan Collins (R-ME), Kay Hagan (D-NC), Jack Reed (D-RI), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), and Benjamin Cardin (D-MA).

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