House and Senate leaders this afternoon were reacting cautiously to reports of an oil platform explosion 80 miles off the Louisiana coast, but a more critical reaction from some House Democrats suggests this latest event could rev up calls for Congress and the Obama administration to redouble efforts at implementing strict offshore drilling regulations.

Invoking feelings of déjà vu from BP's well explosion in April, a group of House Democratic lawmakers sent a brief letter to Houston-based Mariner Energy, the owner and operator of the oil platform that exploded today. In the letter, Energy and Commerce Chairman Henry Waxman, Global Warming Chairman Edward Markey and Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee Chairman Bart Stupak asked Mariner CEO Scott Josey to prepare a briefing on the causes of the incident by Sept. 10.

In a separate statement, Waxman called upon the administration to "redouble safety reviews" of deepwater drilling in the Gulf and "take all appropriate action to ensure safety and protection of the environment." Markey added in a statement that today's explosion further shows that "much is left to be done to keep America's workers and waters safe" from the risks associated with offshore drilling.

Another Democratic member, Frank Pallone of New Jersey, said that this incident, on the heels of the BP disaster and other events, should compel Congress to pass legislation he has sponsored that would scrap any new offshore drilling.

Calling the explosion an "accident waiting to happen," Pallone said in a statement that "this latest explosion should be taken seriously. It is a clear signal of the ongoing dangers of drilling for oil in coastal waters and a harsh warning of potential accidents in the future. We ignore these warning signs at our own peril." Pallone also voted in favor of the spill bill the House passed before recess, which includes an amendment ending the current deepwater drilling moratorium in the Gulf imposed by the Obama administration.

The House passed its oil spill bill in July, but the Senate punted on its legislation. It remains unclear whether Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will bring his bill or a similar proposal to the floor before this session of Congress ends. Other Democrats involved in the spill bill negotiations, including Sens. Robert Menendez of New Jersey and Mark Begich of Alaska, have said they would like to consider at least the liability component of the legislation before the end of the year.

The White House placed its moratorium on deepwater drilling in the Gulf of Mexico following BP's oil spill, but the ban continues to face federal court challenges because of the economic despair that Gulf lawmakers and others say it is causing in the area. The production platform that exploded today was in shallow water and thus not subject to the federal ban.

Spokesmen for both Reid and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said they were awaiting more details before discussing whether the incident could prompt additional congressional action. A spokesman for House Minority Leader John Boehner also had no immediate comment.

Robert Dillon, a spokesman for Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, the top Republican on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, said the explosion doesn't change anything at the moment given how little information has surfaced, adding that any reference to the event right now would be for purely political purposes.

Aaron Saunders, a spokesman for Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., said the senator, who is overseas until this weekend, does not have any official comment now. Saunders noted that very little information is currently available about the explosion, including whether or not there may be a leak.

Environmental groups, including the National Wildlife Federation and Environment America, issued statements shortly after the news broke condemning offshore drilling.

More in Energy Go to section

October 04, 2010 | Energy and Environment Bulletin

Is Unpriced Carbon The Next Subprime?

September 02, 2010 | Energy and Environment Bulletin

Dems Seek Answers On Gulf Explosion

September 01, 2010 | Energy and Environment Bulletin

BP Spent Big On Advertising After Spill

August 24, 2010 | Tech Daily Dose

Biden: Stimulus Dollars Fueling Energy and Life-Saving Technology

August 17, 2010 | Insider Interviews

Deepwater Horizon's Enduring Lessons