BP Oil Spill Day 35: Is It Time to Push BP Aside?
Government Threatens to Take Over if BP Does Not Make Progress
Frustration along the Gulf Coast is mounting and the government has threatened to take over the cleanup process in the Gulf of Mexico if BP does not make progress soon as the oil spillenters its fifth week.
“If we find that they’re not doing what they’re supposed to be doing, we’ll push them out of the way appropriately and we’ll move forward to make sure that everything is being done to protect the people of the Gulf Coast,” Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar said Sunday.
BP acknowledged that the government is not happy with the progress in capping the underwater gusher so far, but said the government’s position “is no different from our own view.”
“We are putting everything we know how to do at this. We’ve got the best people, the best scientists with us from our own company or across the industry or from government,” BP COO Doug Suttles said on “GMA.” “I think everyone is frustrated, we’re frustrated, clearly the secretary [Salazar] is and they want us to get this done as quickly as we can.”
The impact from the spill has affected 150 miles and the oil has pushed 12 miles into the heart ofLouisiana’s mashes and wet lands. Although the government has threatened to take over the cleanup process, officials have acknowledged that BP has more expertise.
Today Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Secretary Salazar will lead a Senate delegation to check on BP’s progress.
