BP Oil Spill: Groups Demand The Government Take Control Over The Spill Clean-Up

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Environmental groups are asking the federal government to take over all monitoring and testing related to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

Oil has been spewing since an offshore drilling rig leased by oil giant BP PLC exploded off the coast of Louisiana April 20 and sank two days later.

In remarks prepared for congressional testimony, National Wildlife Federation President Larry Schweiger says too much information is in the hands of BP's many lawyers and too little is being disclosed to the public.

His group and nine others asked President Barack Obama on Wednesday to order more direct federal oversight. They want the government to release the results of all tests conducted so far.

BP did not immediately answer a call and e-mail requesting comment.

Comments

[protectourenvironment]

08:33 AM on 05/20/2010

All the signs were in place in the beginning not to trust British Petroleum. They lied about the severity of the leak. They hid the workers and made them sign statements and they did this before. I can't believe we are letting them have their way with our environment and our future. Our spineless guppies in Washington deprived future generations of this precious gift of nature. We need to monitor them and we need to freeze their assets in the US before it is too late.

[Gilliam G]

07:33 AM on 05/20/2010

This just released. A response to "Drill Baby Drill"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkKkpY2qfyQ

[Bonnie Anthony]

01:03 AM on 05/20/2010

President Obama must demand that BP employ every means possible to immediately stop the thousands of barrels of oil from spewing into our gulf waters every day (affecting every aspect of the ocean, destroying wildlife, coral reefs, wetlands, spawning areas ). President Obama must roll up his sleeves and dedicate all of his efforts to stopping this oil spewing now! He must address the American people formally and honestly about this horrific catastrophe. All deep water oil wells should be stopped now to check and install all needed safely valves to prevent another disaster of from occurring again.
Foreign countries, like China, should not be getting their oil from the Gulf waters, here in the US. BP should provide jobs to the unemployed along the gulf coast to clean up the effects of this disaster, including saving wildlife. The horrific pictures of the oil gushing and spreading throughout our pristine gulf waters says it all....we must demand that it stop immediately. The President needs to regard this as an eco catastrophe. The American people must insist that this tragic oil spill be stopped and averted for the future. Let’s commit to alternatives (Not nuclear power, just as dangerous...toxic, hazardous radioactive waste, threat of explosions,leakage, terrorism )...but promotion / development of solar, wind and geothermal. This is where our energy future should be and we can accept nothing less than this. Let's hold oil companies fully accountable. Those contributing to these major disasters must go to jail and pay.

[xlntcat]

03:31 AM on 05/20/2010

President Obama has been demanding that BP employ every means possible to stop the leak, however, over time it became clear that BP didn't have a clue as to how to stop the leak. The president then called in Exxon-Mobile and other oil executives only to find that they, too, were clueless. The Commandant of the Navy, Admiral Thad Allen, who has led the governments response to 30 other oil spills, stated yesterday that this is the most challenging event he has participated in throughout his career. It is unclear what exactly environmental groups believe would be accomplished by the government saying it is taking over since Allen and 20,000 military and federal personnel have been working in conjunction with BP since day one. Independent scientists have been called in and are also working 24/7. If the government had a remedy which it doesn't, it would have already been implemented. This is a free-market economy. The experts on oil and drilling do not work for the government, they work for th oil companies. BP is supplying jobs for people in the area to do clean up but every expert on wildlife preservation has been on site since day 2. Salt water pools have been erected and experts along side volunteers stand ready to do whatever they can to save the animals, however, their efforts so far have been limited to birds that they have rescued but most have died anyway.

[JoeBlough]

01:02 AM on 05/20/2010

Teabaggers want the government to keep their Socialist hands off of thier oilspill.

[socialform]

12:50 AM on 05/20/2010

It is ridiculous to expect BP to clean up their own mess... why does our government have such a naive policy as this? We should have a task force for these kinds of emergencies and they should sent BP the bill when it is over.

How on earth has this been allowed to go on for so long?

[xlntcat]

03:35 AM on 05/20/2010

Look the Commandant of the Navy has been on site since day one. He and the 20,000 ,military and federal employees on site are our task force. He has led the government's response to 30 oil spills. What exactly do you think he would be doing differently if we relieve BP of its responsibility to clean up the mess they made?

[outofstepper]

12:32 AM on 05/20/2010

If a person did this, they would be sitting in jail right now.

[JoeBlough]

01:00 AM on 05/20/2010

Corporations have the rights of a person, but not the responsibility of a person.

[catcancook]

07:52 AM on 05/20/2010

You are right, it would be called "terrorism" but when BP does it, it's called an "accident". Let's haul the military out to fight terrorism but let's slap BP on the wrist and then kiss their a$$ when the public isn't watching so they will pony up political donations!

This response from our Gov is sickening.( I am a Dem btw and a native of La.)

[charon]

11:31 PM on 05/19/2010

This outrageous corruption of our government by Big Oil corporations must end. If the government will not, then people must take matters into their own hands. Will we allow ourselves to be abused and our world destroyed at the hands of these corporate criminals, or will we see to it that justice is done and never again! allow these corporations to rob us through acts of fraud and corruption? If the government is too corrupt to stand up to them, then we the people must!

Never let them escape justice! Is it better to live on our knees while BP dumps oil on us and our once pristine shores, or live on our feet and fight this abomination by any means possible?

[JoeBlough]

01:01 AM on 05/20/2010

We have already let Bsh/Cheney escape justice.

[larry278]

10:46 PM on 05/19/2010

It is far past time for the USA to take the ball from do nothing, ignorant, lying, BP. The USA has the right, power & duty to take over fighting BP's oil spill & to assess BP with all of the costs the USA has in doing this job. BP must pay all damages the USA & private entities experience incident to BP's oil spill. The spill is due to BP's criminal neglect of it's duties to humankind.

[H Tuttle]

10:43 PM on 05/19/2010

Take over?

Sorry, Obama's too busy on his BashAmerica2010 tour right now t o bother with such meaningless tripe!

[caseyblab]

05:23 PM on 05/20/2010

Get a hall pass and come back to some sort of reality instead of just ideological bs.

[VegasTom]

10:25 PM on 05/19/2010

The White House needs to take control over the response to this disaster, which is getting worse by the day. If not, this has the potential to indeed become Obama's "Katrina" as the American people watch daily newscasts detailing the incompetency of BP. It was especially infuriating to watch on the news as a Coast Guard boat told a CBS news crew that they couldn't film in an area because "BP said so". Who the hell is calling the shots? It appears as if the Coast Guard is taking orders from BP. For God's sake, it should be the other way around!

[KatK]

08:59 PM on 05/19/2010

The problem is that the Republicans have taken so much funding away from agencies that they are often too small and understaffed to handle large problems. When a complex situation arises and the agency can't do everything, Republicans use the situation to "prove" government is ineffective. Given how underfunded they are, the agencies have no choice but to rely on business to provide all necessary data and pretty much police itself, which of course is the Republican's whole goal.

[Westof405]

11:25 PM on 05/19/2010

You are absolutely right. If you read Thomas Frank's book "The Wrecking Crew" you will learn how the GOP planned to wreck the federal government by cutting off funding and putting incompetents like Michael ("Heck of a job, Brownie") Brown in charge of agencies like FEMA.

The problems at MMS go back to the Bushies and 8 years of incompetence and corruption. Now of course, the GOP is blaming Obama, who inherited the mess.

Unfortunately, Louisiana is getting what it voted for-a self regulating industry that cares little about anything but profits. Maybe they will now learn that you can't trust companies to act in anyone's interest but their own. That is what capitalism is all about. Non-shareholders mean nothing to them; saving a few bucks here and there is what counts, regardless of the consequences.

Jindal only needs to look into the mirror to see who is in part responsible for the mess he now has washing up on Louisiana beaches and wetlands.

[Marcospinelli]

12:05 AM on 05/20/2010

It goes beyond Bush, back 35 years to the deregulation initiated under Nixon with Democratic administrations & Congresses signing on.

Obama doesn't get a pass. He has been in office for more than a year and is governing like "It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood". He's continuing just about all of Bush's policies. Instead of declaring war on Republicans and their obstructionism, he turns the other cheek. His schedule, his demeanor, is that of a country gentleman's. He blocked the way to investigating Bush and Cheney, and let the perpetrators of the greatest heist in the history of the world get away with it.

[iduran5600]

08:28 PM on 05/19/2010

Offshore Drilling is never safe. No amount of regulation or safety features are enough to prevent disasters such as occured in the Gulf. Join the campaign on Facebook- 1 MILLION STRONG AGAINST OFFSHORE DRILLING

[Old Hag]

07:50 PM on 05/19/2010

BP Fails Oil Spill Booming School 101

Excellent video but caution the language is very raw!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnTPOx-XCBQ

[Yakadee]

07:48 PM on 05/19/2010

The government couldn't organize a one-man-circle-jerk. After watching 60 Mins last Sunday I hope that BP execs are ultimately held accountable and sent to prison. Humans are destroying the earth for profit. It's wrong on so many levels.

[Dr Juan]

06:06 PM on 05/19/2010

Wouldn't you say stopping this leak and cleaning it up are both easier than launching national healthcare? Lets watch and see how efficient a bureacracy can handle things. I'm already pi55ed.

In the next election, remember to vote for any man of action you see in the big picture emerging to save this train wreck! I don't see anybody yet so maybe the Tea party has it right - keep changing them