Nelson, Rubio Co-Sponsor RESTORE Act to Aid Gulf Restoration

Senate legislation that would earmark federal fines for Gulf of Mexico restoration was applauded by the Ocean Conservancy Thursday.

The RESTORE Act directs that 80 percent of the Clear Water Act fines paid by BP and other companies responsibile for the Gulf oil spill be spent on restoration projects there.

U.S. Sens. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., and Marco Rubio R-Fla., were among the senators who introduced the measure Thursday.

At a time of heated division, it is heartening to see a bipartisan group of senators work together to provide the means to heal the Gulf of Mexico and its communities," said Emily Woglom, director of government relations for Ocean Conservancy.

This is simply about fairness for the Gulf," Woglom said.

"Currently under the law, Clean Water Act fines would go to the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund and be applied to future oil spills instead of restoration of the affected region," she noted.

Additionally, Woglom said her group was "particularly pleased to see the bill would establish an endowment to support a long-term research and monitoring program so that we can better understand changes in the ecosystem and develop management solutions that keep the Gulf environment and economy healthy."

Other introducers of RESTORE -- formally known as the Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act -- are Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La.; Richard Shelby, R-Ala.; David Vitter, R-La.; Jeff Sessions, R-Ala.; Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas; Roger Wicker, R-Miss,; and Thad Cochran, R-Miss.