SACRAMENTO – The State Assembly on Thursday approved AB 881, a bill by Assemblymember Wesley Chesbro (D-North Coast) to save California’s Oiled Wildlife Care Network and the state’s Oil Spill Prevention and Preparedness Program.

“The Oiled Wildlife Care Network is the state-funded program that responds to oil spills to protect and save wildlife. Since 1995 the program has saved more than eight thousand birds and mammals injured by more than 80 oil spills in California,” Chesbro said.

“The Oil Spill Prevention and Preparedness Program has several important duties, including reviewing and approving oil spill contingency plans, conducting unannounced oil spill drills, developing plans to improve vessel traffic safety, monitoring billions of gallons of fuel transfers each year and developing safety and engineering standards,” Chesbro added.

AB 881 saves these programs by extending a small per-barrel fee on oil imported to marine oil terminals or piped in from state oil platforms.

“I received broad support for this bill, from the shipping industry, environmentalists, state agencies and zoos and aquariums,” Chesbro said.

AB 881 now goes to the Senate for its consideration.