Senator wrong to block oil bill

This past Thursday Sen. Murkowski blocked the Big Oil Bailout Prevention Liability Act from moving forward in the Senate. The bill seeks to raise the liability cap for major spills like that currently under way in the Gulf from $75 million to $10 billion.

Sen. Murkowski’s reasoning for blocking the bill was that it would only allow the largest oil companies to operate offshore. Respectfully, Sen. Murkowski, your focus is wrong. Your argument leads to the conclusion that any mom-and-pop operation have the right to create an environmental and economic disaster.

I believe that if you operate offshore you should have the capital to implement the most comprehensive safety measures. And if you create a spill, you should pay for it. Oil companies should not be out there drilling if they do not have the ability to cover the risk, whatever the size of the company. Senator, please rethink your opposition.

Patricia Fisher

Wasilla