Gulf Oil Disaster Declared “Spill of National Significance”

LA Times – The growing oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico was designated a spill of national significance and three top Cabinet officials will tour the site, the federal government said Thursday as it stepped up its efforts to deal with the environmental disaster.  »

NEW ORLEANS — President Obama increased his administration’s role in the cleanup of the vast oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico on Thursday, by positioning the Department of Defense to assist the giant oil company BP in dealing with the spill and by sending three top officials to Louisiana.

• more »
• BUSINESS WEEK – BP Will Pay Spill Costs as U.S. Agencies Mobilize »
• The Guardian – Deepwater Horizon oil slick to hit US coast within hours »
• Market Watch – Oil spill threatens Gulf Coast fisheries and tourism »
• HOUSTON CHRONICLE – Lawmakers set probes of oil spill as federal attention intensifies »

 

“While BP is ultimately responsible for funding the cost of response and cleanup operations, my administration will continue to use every single available resource at our disposal,” President Barack Obama said in remarks at the White House.

photo USA Today

Response to the Sunken Deepwater Horizon is Immense  by Ryan Erickson; Unofficial Coast Guard Blog

I found this picture rather interesting as it puts into perspective the response that’s being undertaken with regard to the Deepwater Horizon fire/sinking/oil drain. It’s hard to call it a spill when it’s actually draining isn’t it?

Anyway, in the event you’re not aware of what I’m talking about check this out.  »

Bigger Gulf Oil Spill Prompts BP to Welcome Military Help  Associated Press/New Orleans Metro News

“We’ll take help from anyone,” BP Chief Operating Officer Doug Suttles said.

But time may be running out. Not only was a third leak discovered — which government officials said is spewing five times as much oil into the water than originally estimated — but it might be closer to shore than previously known, and could have oil washing up on shore by Friday.

At the same time, there appeared to be a rift developing between BP and the Coast Guard, which is overseeing the increasingly desperate operation to contain the spill and clean it up.

• more »

• Gulf Oil Leak Worse than Thought as Burning Continues:

Planet Data:“The rig lacked a type of shut-off technology, which although not required by U.S. regulators, could have been used to close the well.”

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