Obama on Gulf Oil Spill: WE'LL USE EVERY SINGLE AVAILABLE RESOURCE AT OUR DISPOSAL

[berni_mccoy]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36800673/ns/us_news-environment/

BP Will Pay the Cost of the Cleanup

VENICE, Louisiana - President Barack Obama said his administration will use "every single available resource at our disposal" to respond to the massive oil spill expected to reach the Gulf coastline within a day.

Obama said Thursday the response could include the Defense Department.

He said the oil company BP ultimately will pay the cost of the cleanup. BP operated the offshore rig that was exploded and sank last week.

Obama said he has called the governors of the five Gulf Coast states. And he has dispatched top Homeland Security, Interior and Environmental Protection Agency officials to the region.

The administration rejected suggestions that the federal government was slow to act in dealing with the spill and expressed frustration with BP's inability to seal the ruptured well head. The government approved the start of drilling for a relief well and was considering approving a second one as industry and government officials worked on multiple fronts to contain the slick.

"We are being very aggressive and we are prepared for the worst case," Coast Guard Rear Adm. Sally Brice-O'Hara said earlier at the White House. Federal officials announced inspections would begin immediately of all oil rigs in the Gulf and subpoena powers would be used in the gathering investigation. But the priority was to support the oil company BP in employing booms, skimmers, chemical dispersants and controlled burns to fight the oil surging from the seabed.

More at the link.

[paulsby]

1. can we retrain the valdez era otter scrubbers to help the gulf wildlife

i heard they are still pissed off that post valdez, the double hulled ships were mandated

not enough otter scrubbing to go around

[Chulanowa]

3. I hope to hell that they use decent cleanup operations

I know people who volunteered to clean up the Valdez spill. all of them - every single last one of them - has suffered terribly because of Exxon's "cleanup" methods; aerosolized solvents, neglecting to mention the poisonous nature of crude, insufficient equipment, a total lack of training.

One fellow I know worked on one of the boats they had roping the spill. he has no teeth, his spine is degenerating, suffers severe psoriasis, and has one lung. He's 41 years old. He was part of a class-action against Exxon, a lawsuit that has been squelched under endless appeals and paperwork and injunctions.

Pick up a copy of Dr. Riki Ott's "Sound Truth and Corporate Myths" - it covers the exxon spill, the lawsuits, and the backhandedness of the whole thing.

I'm hoping that the Administration takes proper action and treats this as the toxic disaster it is, and doesn't try to pretend BP will clean it up; pump the company for the funds needed, but use actual fucking experts to clean it up.

[dixiegrrrrl]

2. Oil spill command center to be established in Mobile;

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said the administration also may send military ships and personnel to help control damage from the spill.

Joining Interior Secretary Ken Salazar at the site will be Napolitano and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson.

http://blog.al.com/live/2010/04/new_oil_spill_command_center_i.html

[berni_mccoy]

5. Thanks for posting that.

[gratuitous]

4. Betcha million billion dollars that BP does not pay the cost of the cleanup

"Ultimately" or otherwise. In fact, I'm willing to be that the poor dears actually wangle themselves some kind of tax break for all the distress they've suffered.

[dixiegrrrrl]

6. Someone earlier said BP would this:

Claim they cannot afford the cost of the cleanup, go bankrupt, thus getting to keep all the shareholder's money, since shareholders lose out in a bankruptcy. Then organize under a new name, continue business as usual.

Gee, which companies have done that recently??

GM comes to mind.

[Blue_In_AK]

7. BP may pay for the immediate clean-up

but if the EXXON VALDEZ is any indication, they won't have to pay for any damages to fishermen, etc., caused by the spill. And the Supreme Court thinks that's just fine.