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Congressional report claims Administration misled about efforts on oil spill
Billy Nungesser, president of New Orleans’ Plaquemines Parish, sensed that a chart showing 140 oil skimmers at work — a chart given to him by BP and the Coast Guard — was “somewhat inaccurate.” So, Nungesser asked to fly over the spill to verify the number.
The flyover was cancelled three times before those officials admitted that just 31 of the 140 skimmers were actually deployed.
The incident is detailed in a report released Thursday by Republicans on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. Republicans say the report provides evidence that the Obama administration misrepresented the assets devoted to the cleanup, misrepresented the timing of when government officials knew there was an oil spill and misrepresented the level of control the government had over the matter. It also claims the Obama administration seemed more interested in public relations than cleaning the mess and plugging the hole.
Judge faces death threats after overturning Obama’s drilling moratorium
While many Americans undoubtedly agree with the decision of U.S. District Court Judge Martin Feldman to overturn the Obama administration’s moratorium on deep water drilling, not everyone is happy. In fact, the Judge is now receiving death threats in the aftermath of his bold ruling.
Last night, Feldman served as a celebrity judge at a cooking contest at a school gymnasium in Uptown New Orleans. Due to the threats, Feldman was accompanied by a federal marshal security team.
Federal government halts sand berm dredging
WDSU,
The federal government has shut down the dredging that was being done to create protective sand berms in the Gulf of Mexico.
The berms are meant to protect the Louisiana coastline from oil. But the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Department has concerns about where the dredging is being done. The department says one area where sand is being dredged is a sensitive section of the Chandeleur Islands, and the state failed to meet an extended deadline to install pipe that would draw sand from a less-endangered area.
Jindal takes matters into own hands: Orders barrier wall to be built
ABC News, “Gov. Bobby Jindal Orders National Guard to Build Barrier Wall Off Louisiana Shore”
by David Muir
Eight weeks into the oil spill disaster in the Gulf of the Mexico, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal has told the National Guard that there’s no time left to wait for BP, so they’re taking matters into their own hands.
In Fort Jackson, La., Jindal has ordered the Guard to start building barrier walls right in the middle of the ocean. The barriers, built nine miles off shore, are intended to keep the oil from reaching the coast by filling the gaps between barrier islands.
Watch ‘World News’ for more on this story tonight on your ABC station.
ABC News article continues here.
Gulf oil spill could reach shore tonight
Yahoo! News (AP), “Gulf oil spill could reach shore Thursday night”
by Cain Burdeau
The edge of a massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico was expected to reach the Mississippi River delta by Thursday night and a new technique to break up the oil a mile underwater could be tried, officials said.
As of this morning, part of the slick was about 3 miles from the Louisiana shore, said National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration spokesman Charles Henry said. It’s too late to stop some of the spill from reaching the coast, but BP PLC said it might attempt to break up some of the oil spewing from a blown-out a mile under water.
The company also has asked the Department of Defense if it can help with better underwater equipment than is available commercially, said BP PLC chief operating officer Doug Suttles.
Yahoo! News (AP) article continues here.
Coast Guard to burn Gulf oil slick
MSNBC (AP), “Coast Guard to burn Gulf oil slick”
Crews geared up to set fire to oil leaking from the site of an exploded drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday, a last-ditch effort to get rid of it before it reaches environmentally sensitive marshlands on the coast.
A 500-foot boom will be used to corral several thousand gallons of the thickest oil on the surface, which will then be towed to a more remote area, set on fire, and allowed to burn for about an hour, the Coast Guard said. Such burns will continue throughout the day if they are working.
Story continues below ↓advertisement | your ad hereIt was unclear what would be used to set the oil on fire and how far from shore it would burn. The slick was about 20 miles east of the mouth of the Mississippi River.
MSNBC (AP) article continues here.
Coast Guard: Oil leaking from well at blast site
My Way News (AP), “Coast Guard: Oil leaking from well at blast site”
by Cain Burdeau
The Coast Guard discovered Saturday that oil is leaking from the damaged well that fed a massive rig that exploded this week off Louisiana’s coast, while bad weather halted efforts to clean up the mess that threatens the area’s fragile marine ecosystem.
As recently as Friday, the Coast Guard said no oil appeared to escaping from the well head on the ocean floor. Rear Adm. Mary Landry said the leak was a new discovery but could have begun when the rig sank on Thursday, two days after the initial explosion.
“This is a very serious spill, absolutely,” Landry said.
My Way News (AP) article continues here.
Oil rig explodes off Louisiana coast, 11 feared dead
Fox News (AP), “Hope Dims for 11 Workers Missing After Oil Rig Blast”
Eleven workers missing from an offshore oil platform may not have escaped after a massive explosion, officials said Thursday.
Crews continued to search by air and water for those missing from the Deepwater Horizon, which burned for nearly a day before sinking into the Gulf of Mexico on Thursday.
Adrian Rose, vice president of rig owner Transocean Ltd., said crew members who survived Tuesday’s explosion indicated the missing may have been near the blast and unable to escape. Officials had hoped they might have been able to get to a covered lifeboat with supplies.
Fox News (AP) article continues here.
Brees selected as Madden NFL 11 cover
ESPN, “Brees on cover of Madden NFL 11”
Drew Brees has another prize to put next to his Super Bowl MVP trophy: He’s the cover model for this year’s edition of the “Madden NFL” video game.
Electronic Arts Inc. Drew Brees says landing the Madden cover is “a great way to cap off an amazing year.”
The New Orleans Saints quarterback led his team to a 31-17 victory over the Indianapolis Colts in this year’s Super Bowl. He says landing the cover of “Madden” is “a great way to cap off an amazing year.”
The announcement was made Thursday.
ESPN article continues here.
James O’Keefe arrested for trying to tamper with Mary Landrieu’s phone system
FOX News, “Filmmaker Who Targeted ACORN Arrested in Alleged Senate Phone Scheme”
The independent filmmaker who brought ACORN to its knees last year with undercover exposes was arrested this week along with three others, including the son of a federal prosecutor, and accused of trying to interfere with the phones at Louisiana Sen. Mary Landrieu’s office.
FOX News article continues here.