UPDATE: On Wednesday, May 26, Reps. Burgess and Scalise sent a similar letter to President Obama, again supporting Gov. Jindal's request for an emergency permit to dredge and build sand barrier islands.  To access this letter, click here.

U.S. Reps. Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-Texas) and Steve Scalise (R-Louisiana), both members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, sent a letter to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) supporting Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal’s request for an emergency permit to dredge and build sand barrier islands.

The USACE must conduct an environmental assessment before granting the state a permit to build the barriers, but Governor Jindal’s proposal was submitted two weeks ago and has yet to receive a response. In the meantime, oil has begun inundating Louisiana’s coast and fragile marshes. The proposed sand barriers would create a permanent barrier to prevent oil from reaching the shore and wetlands.

“We support Gov. Jindal’s efforts to protect the fragile ecosystems and natural resources that are of critical importance not only to Louisiana but also to the entire national economy. And we urge the Army Corps of Engineers to act swiftly so that they may assist the Governor in protecting these valuable resources,” Burgess and Scalise wrote.

“Every resource should be utilized to stem this spill and protect the nation’s coastlines.”

Burgess is the top Republican on the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, which held the Energy and Commerce Committee’s first hearing on the oil spill two weeks ago. Scalise represents Louisiana’s First Congressional District, which includes the Northshore of Lake Pontchartrain, an area facing significant risk of oil contamination if the Deepwater Horizon leak is not capped and permanent barriers are not built. Burgess and Scalise were both part of a Congressional delegation that visited the Gulf and affected area three weeks ago.

NOTE: Click here to access the letter.

Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D., is a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigations, and a member of the Health and Energy & Environment subcommittees. He is also a member of the bipartisan, bicameral Joint Economic Committee. Prior to becoming a member of Congress in 2002, Congressman Burgess practiced medicine in North Texas for over 25 years.