NOAA Warned Interior It Was Underestimating Threat Of Serious Spill (LAST FALL)

[glitch]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/03/noaa-warned-interior-was_n_561615.html?view=print

NOAA Warned Interior It Was Underestimating Threat Of Serious Spill

National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration officials last fall warned the Department of Interior, which regulates offshore oil drilling, that it was dramatically underestimating the frequency of offshore oil spills and was dangerously understating the risk and impacts a major spill would have on coastal residents.

NOAA is the nation's lead ocean resource agency, and the warnings came in its response to a draft of the Obama Administration's offshore oil drilling plans. The comments were Web-published in October by the whistle-blowing group, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER).

But NOAA's views were largely brushed aside as Obama went ahead and announced on March 31 that he would open vast swaths of American coastal waters to offshore drilling -- a plan now very much in doubt as a blown-out BP well in the Gulf of Mexico spews out an estimated 200,000 gallons of oil daily, for the 13th straight day.

The memo, which NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco wrote was based on the agency's "extensive science, management and stewardship expertise related to oceans, coasts and marine ecosystem" recommended that Interior conduct "a more complete analysis of the potential human dimensions of offshore production."

[polichick]

1. Wow - that shows blatant irresponsibility. nt

[benld74]

2. DAMN shoes keep on dropping dont they?,,,

[polichick]

3. Best thing Obama could do now - for the country and for his political welfare...

...is to own up to making some astoundingly bad decisions, replace Salazar with someone who will put the environment and country first, apologize for his cynical energy plan, take charge of the clean up and give us daily reports - and dramatically move us toward green energy.

[Amonester]

5. + + + + + + + + + ... (nt)

[glitch]

6. That would be what a good President would do.

He's already missed the window for great.

[lonestarnot]

7. Yep.

[glitch]

4. MSNBC had a blame NOAA piece which I thought needed a response.

We'll be seeing a lot of public opinion manipulation coming from the corporate media right now, best be prepared.

[hughee99]

8. So the administration was warned about the possibility of this 6 months in advance

and didn't prevent it?

[amborin]

9. knr and NOAA continues to scoff at independent scientists and downplay the magnitude

[glitch]

10. Plenty of blame to go around.

I just don't like to see one government organization get scapegoated on this catastrophe. I want to see Salazar retired in disgrace and I really want to see pressure on Obama to mobilize a real reponse.

[amborin]

11. +1