GULF OIL DISASTER
House bills punish BP, boost drilling safety
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE66E5GX20100715?type=politicsNews
US reviews changes in offshore oil drilling office
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jqhcR7hSpZttNr1dicEdK97DMSJA
Environment America statement on BP capping the well
“Late this afternoon, the National Oil Spill Incident Commander announced that BP’s broken oil well had been capped at approximately 3:30 PM, shutting off the flow of 1.5 to 2.5 million gallons of oil per day into the Gulf of Mexico. The spill was in its 87th day. According to government estimates, the well has spilled between 125 million and 215 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico to date, which would make it the largest oil spill ever in the Gulf of Mexico and the largest U.S. oil spill. Damage to the Gulf of Mexico, marine and coastal wildlife, beaches, and the Gulf economy has been huge and will continue for some time after the oil flow has stopped. Anna Aurilio, Director of the Washington Office of Environment America said, “We hope this announcement means that the runaway BP well has finally been capped and no more oil escapes into the Gulf of Mexico. But remember, the permanent solution to this disaster won’t come until BP finishes drilling and plugging its relief well. The cleanup and restoration effort in the Gulf will take many months or years to finish.” Aurilio continued, “Now is the time to make sure this kind of catastrophe never, ever happens again. We have to hold BP accountable for the untold environmental and economic damage its gusher has caused. We have to ban offshore drilling in new places that were protected for decades. Most importantly, Congress must pass comprehensive energy legislation, including the bill introduced today by Senator Merkley, that reduces our oil consumption and pollution and shifts our economy to clean energy.”
DEEPWATER DRILLING MORATORIUM
Ban or no ban; two polls, two answers
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/behind-the-numbers/2010/07/ban_or_no_ban.html
It turns out (duh) you can get whatever answer you want, depending on how you ask the question (or what question you ask).
“In the new Washington Post-ABC News poll, respondents were asked this: "Do you support or oppose the current six-month ban on new offshore oil drilling while authorities investigate the cause of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico?" Some 56 percent of those polled said they're in favor of the temporary suspension. (In the most affected Gulf counties, the results were flipped, with 60 percent opposition.) The Bloomberg questionnaire phrases it thusly: "Do you think the spill proves off-shore drilling is just too dangerous and should be banned in U.S. waters, or was just a freak accident and offshore drilling can be made safer and should not be banned?" This is the one showing 73 percent on the negative side.”
FLORIDA
Governor Wants Permanent Ban On Offshore Drilling
http://cbs4.com/local/BP.delays.work.2.1805380.html
