The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will hold a full committee hearing Wednesday on the report to the president from the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling.

The committee is expected to critique the commission's strategies for prevention and cleanup of future oil spills.

The commission has criticized the oil industry for a lack of planning and equipment for spill containment. Fred Bartlit, the chief counsel for the commission, said he was troubled to find that BP PLC had experienced problems with Halliburton Co.'s work in the years leading up to last April's spill (E&ENews PM, Feb. 17).

Discussions about lifting the $75 million liability cap on economic damages from oil spills could be resisted by Republican lawmakers who fear such an allowance would adversely affect the finances of small oil producers in the Gulf.

The commission is likely to request legislative assistance in implementing its recommendations, which include industry oversight and coastal cleanup.

Commission members have shown an interest in implementing a "hybrid system" that would integrate local, state and federal regulations as well as industrywide best practices (E&ENews PM, Feb. 11). William Reilly, co-chairman of the commission, took those recommendations a step further when earlier this month he announced plans to work toward agreements with Mexico and Cuba on preventing and cleaning oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico (Greenwire, March 9).

Schedule: The hearing is Wednesday, March 16, at 10 a.m. in 406 Dirksen.

Witnesses: Bob Graham and William Reilly, co-chairmen of the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling.