Senate Energy Committee holding hearing on spill commission report

The chairmen of the national oil spill commission will present their findings to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Jan. 26, Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) said Thursday.

The spill commission is planning to release the final version of its report Jan. on 11. A chapter of the final report, which said the spill was a result of “systemic” problems in the oil industry, was released late Wednesday.

Bingaman said spill commission co-chairmen William Reilly and Bob Graham will testify at the hearing, the first in the committee in the 112th Congress.

Asked for his thoughts about the commission’s findings, Bingaman demurred. “I haven’t studied them in great detail yet,” he said.