With BP spill under control, US looks at drill ban

[maryf]

edited to add link here:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100815/ap_on_bi_ge/us_gulf_oil_spill_moratorium


unbelievable...

By CHRIS KAHN, DINA CAPPIELLO and HARRY R. WEBER, Associated Press Writers Chris Kahn, Dina Cappiello And Harry R. Weber, Associated Press Writers 13 mins ago

NEW ORLEANS – Now that the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history has effectively been stopped, the White House is considering an early end to its moratorium on deepwater drilling. But four months after the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon, regulators have only started to make good on promises to overhaul drilling. Tough measures are stalled in Congress. A $1 billion emergency response network proposed by the industry won't be operational for another year. And while doomsday scenarios from the BP spill, like oil washing up the East Coast, have not come to pass, there are no guarantees that drilling will be any safer once it does resume.

What's changed is "not enough to make a big difference," said Charles Perrow, a Yale professor who has studied the spill in the Gulf.

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar has halted deepwater drilling until Nov. 30, saying the BP spill demonstrated the industry wasn't prepared for a massive underwater blowout. He's ordered rigs to re-examine their equipment and safety procedures, and next month plans to order new safeguards for blowout preventers. Before drillers can return to the deep water, however, Salazar said the industry should be able to show that it's capable of responding to and containing future blowouts.

Some energy experts, engineering consultants and Gulf Coast leaders joined Big Oil to ask Salazar to change his mind. Drilling was safe before the BP spill, they said, and Gulf communities that depend on the industry were suffering unfairly. That argument appears to have gained traction, even among people most affected by the spill, now that BP is close to plugging the well for good.

<snip>

"They don't want accidents, they're expensive," Perrow said.

more at link above...

Don't let the profit mongers have their way extend the moratorium permanently...capitalism destroys...

[KharmaTrain]

1. Now That No One Is Paying Attention...

This spill may be under control but it's far from the end of this story. However the corporate media has moved on...they had enough of showing oil-stained pelicans and pissed off shrimpers. It's on to the next bright shiny toy.

In the meantime the real damage is either being done or controlled. Surely BP has shopped for several friendly judges who will enable the attempts to assess the damage and then decide about subsequent payout will take years or even generations. The administration takes a deep sigh as it moves onto the next crisis while the lobbyists and their congressional toadies do all they can to go back to "business as usual". Supposedly all is well...all is good.

Instead of using this disaster for a positive...getting this country truly serious about breaking the oil addiction, we're like the junkie who suffered some withdrawls, but now that he's got his fix, there's peace in the valley.

[maryf]

3. Gotta keep the people awake on this...

thanks!

[Capitalocracy]

2. And THAT, my friends, is why Obama went for a swim.

Bring on the pain, true believers.:popcorn:

[maryf]

4. so much fun...

in such nice clean waters too... :(

[MisterP]

7. You HATE the MOST LIBERAL President in History!

ENJOY PRESIDENT ROMNEY!!!!!!

[Capitalocracy]

8. Most liberal president in History?

What is this, Fox News? You've got to be kidding me.

And what makes you think that if I personally happen to express disappointment with something (which I think I have every right to do, more so than the right wing who don't get to make any demands when they have made it clear they will never vote for or cooperate with Democrats) that that will have anything to do with any future elections or governments? If Romney wins, it won't be my fault. I won't vote for him. I won't campaign for him. All I'm doing is talking candidly about my party and demanding more from them. If they don't show strong leadership, that's far more likely to cost them the election than anything I say. Who do you think I am? I don't control who governs and who doesn't, if I did, Robert Gibbs and Tim Geithner and Rahm Emanuel would be out on their ass.

[maryf]

9. hear, hear...

In order for us to have a government of by and for the people, the people have to do some work. Of course it's not much of or by, and we know that it's only for those who are in the have category...thanks for posting!

[MisterP]

11. sorry, :sarcasm:

it's just that the Loyalists have only 3 weapons in their arsenal: 1) the Other Guy is worse, even if Our Guy shares many of the same policies as the Other Gut, 2) Our Guy is great and his critics are insane, and 3) Our Guy is great but held back by those nasty Other Guys

don't worry, I have no patience with any of the excuseniks!

(even more ironically, I always sign things like that with ":sarcasm:, and, yes, it's needed"--except this one post)

[Capitalocracy]

12. I suspected it might be the case

but it seems the world is getting so absurd the sarcasm button is necessary

I mean, this isn't the first time I've heard that (more lib than FDR even!)

:toast:

[maryf]

5. I guess no body does care?

stop the drilling? :(

[Capitalocracy]

6. Apparently not. nt

[maryf]

10. well you do enough to reply!!

Thanks!!

[EFerrari]

13. Unbelievable. n/t