Brazil announces contingency plan for oil spills

Brazil's Environment Minister Izabella Teixeira said Friday that the proposal of country's National Contingency Plan against oil spills will be submitted to the president by September.

Teixeira said the plan is aimed at "establishing an integrated authority in the event of a crisis such as the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico."

An integrated approach would be more efficient than the separate actions by several agencies and ministries, she added.

Earlier in the day, Teixeira attended a presentation on the strategies used in the BP oil spill and the lessons drawn from the spill.

"BP's accident in the Gulf of Mexico taught us the importance of cooperation in response to emergencies. It is necessary to have a joint responsibility and a unified administration," she said.

Teixeira said the plan applies to other situations.

"It is a plan designed for the oil sector, but it could be eventually applied to major catastrophes such as large floods and other natural disasters," she said.

Representatives from relevant ministries and states, the Navy and oil companies will meet next week to discuss the plan, she added.

Source: Xinhua