President Announces Members of the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling Commission

[cheapdate]

Source: Natural Resources Defense Council

The bipartisan Commission, established through an Executive Order, is tasked with providing recommendations on how we can prevent – and mitigate the impact of – any future spills that result from offshore drilling.

President Obama announced his intent to appoint the following individuals to key administration posts:

Frances G. Beinecke <...> is currently the President of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) <...> Ms. Beinecke has worked at NRDC for 35 years, serving as executive director, associate director and deputy executive director. From 1974 through 1983, Ms. Beinecke worked as a coastal resource specialist in NRDC’s water and coastal programs, fighting to protect marine ecosystems from the impact of offshore oil and gas development and advocating for sound coastal land use.

Donald “Don” Boesch is the President of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, where he is also a Professor of Marine Science and Vice Chancellor for Environmental Sustainability for the University System of Maryland.

Terry D. Garcia is currently Executive Vice President for Mission Programs for the National Geographic Society <...> Prior to joining the Society in 1999, Mr. Garcia was Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere at the U.S. Department of Commerce, and Deputy Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). In this role, he directed and coordinated U.S. coastal, ocean and atmospheric programs, including recovery of endangered species, habitat conservation planning, Clean Water Act implementation, development of the national marine sanctuary system and commercial satellite licensing.

Read more: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/president-obama-announces-members-bp-deepwater-horizon-oil-spill-and-offshore-drill

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I am so very pleased with these appointees. It is such a joy to see environmentalists finally get a seat at the table. This is why I'm a Democrat.

[FrenchieCat]

1. Wow!

Great list! :wow:

[TomCADem]

4. The President of the Natural Resources Defense Council

This should make for some interesting fireworks during commission hearings.

[kestrel91316]

2. Nice to see it's ALL hard core university scientists and or legitimate

environmental activists. Not a scum-sucking corporate board member among them.

[tabatha]

3. Great list.

I hope they know how to get the advice of people who may know how to stop the leak.

[MilesColtrane]

5. Nice list.

And if their recommendation is an indefinite moratorium on offshore drilling, what then Mr. President?

[Psephos]

6. How excellent! Imagine the awesome discussions, theories, arguments, and best of all, PowerPoints.

Not one of them, with their law degrees, chancellorships, advocacy training, Secretary appointments, faculty accolades, and all the rest of that stuff you hang on the wall, has ever had even a drop of crude oil under a fingernail.

Is anyone else starting to weary of Elites running things and effing them up with their astonishing brightness and their amazing theories?

When I need my car fixed, it goes to a mechanic.

[Gecko6400]

9. I agree!

It's difficult for me to imagine that a so called "... Off Shore Drilling Commission" with this composition would be able to come up with any pertinent solutions other than just "Don't Drill".

I am very unimpressed with this composition whose recommendations will probably be ignored.

Guess we will see in 6 months or so.

[cheapdate]

10. I don't know if any of the appointees have handled crude oil,

but based on their backgrounds I would guess that one or another of them have. When Dick Cheney was in charge for eight years, energy policy was developed almost entirely by oil and energy industry insiders with little or no interest in, or knowledge about marine ecosystem protection. These appointees are the correct choice for dealing with the problems created by the oil spill in the Gulf.

[fasttense]

11. The elites are all ready running things.

The CEOs and boardroom idiots with their Chamber of Commerce plaques and autographed pictures with paid political leaders are the elites. The banksters and Wall Street deal makers are ruining this country.

Some scientists and academics have sold out to the boardroom crowd but a lot more have NOT. An across the board condemnations of the entire group is inaccurate.

But to some extent I agree with you in that they need to add some Union workers and leaders. Most corporations with Union membership are far safer and safety should be a concern here.

But a general disdain for intelligence and science is not going to help solve anything.

[Psephos]

12. Science is the belief in the ignorance of experts.

Richard Feynman said that.

Progress in science is impossible until one doubts the experts. Think about it.

[IOKIYAL]

7. There He Goes With Those Oily Experts Again

what does he think this is? a college seminar?

[GeorgeGist]

8. First recommendation: Create a Board of Professional Critical Thinkers.

Second recommendation: Require that ALL elected Federal officials be Certified by this Board in Critical Thinking Skills.

Third recommendation: Immediately terminate the employment of any elected Federal official who fails to be Certified.

Fourth recommendation: Require that ALL candidates for elected Federal office be Board Certified in Critical Thinking prior to being put on a Ballot.

Predicted short term outcome: A large increase in the number of vacant elected Federal positions.

Predicted long term outcome: More job opportunities for people with verifiable critical thinkings skills, and a major reduction in acts of gross incompetence by the Federal government.