Representative Paul Tanko asks the panel about the increase investment in off-shore oil technology called for by the 1997 report by the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Oil Pollution Research. Captain. Anthony Lloyd responds to the accusation that the governmental watchdog has become too close the oil industry. Representative Bilbray questions the capability of government agencies to clean up oil spills without the help of private secter and questions the safety of dispersants. Representative Matheson asks Sharon Buffington to compare the United States' regulations on off-shore drilling to the regulations of other countries.

Speakers: Rep. Paul Tanko, D-New York; Capt. Anthony Lloyd, U.S. Coast Guard Office of Incident Management & Preparedness-Chief; Rep. Brian Bilbray, R-California; Dr. Albert Venosa, National Risk Management Research Laboratory Land Remediation & Pollution Control Director; Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah; Sharon Buffington, Minerals Management Service Offshore Energy Engineering & Research Chief