Oil industry: Gulf spill doesn’t indicate need to change environmental reviews of drilling

Industry: Caution on environmental drill reviews

WASHINGTON — Oil industry groups say the Gulf oil spill doesn’t necessarily indicate problems with how environmental laws are applied in granting drilling permits.

Anadarko Petroleum, which has a part interest in the well that blew up, submitted comments to the White House Council on Environmental Quality, which is completing a 30-day review of the issue. So did the American Petroleum Institute, the oil and gas trade group.

In the wake of the explosion, reports have suggested that government regulators skirted requirements in the National Environmental Policy Act.

Anadarko said it did not believe implementation of environmental policies “in any way played a role in this event.” The American Petroleum Institute said the White House should not assume existing policies were deficient.