"Oil Companies Lobbying Against California Spill Cleanup Bill"

"A heated budget battle in Sacramento over more oil-spill protection for rivers, lakes and other inland bodies of water has prompted a last-minute lobbying blitz by formidable adversaries: the oil industry and environmentalists.

As the Legislature moves this weekend to put the finishing touches on a $107-billion state budget, one flashpoint for controversy has been Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposal for a program to prevent and clean up crude oil spills from rail-car and pipeline accidents. It also calls for a fee to pay for the program.

This week, business groups, led by the Western States Petroleum Assn. and the California Chamber of Commerce, sent out an "alert" to lawmakers that they opposed Brown's plan, which will be part of the 2014-15 budget package."

Marc Lifsher reports for the Los Angeles Times June 11, 2014.

SEE ALSO:

"As Oil By Rail Set To Skyrocket In California, State Behind On Spill Response Capabilities" (Reuters)