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RESPONSE TO THE OIL SPILL.
COASTGUARD ADMIRAL THAD ALLEN
AND EPA ADMINISTRATOR LEE SAID
JACKSON ARE AMONG THOSE WITH
WHOM HE MET.
RIGHT NOW WE ARE HAVING
PROBLEMS WITH THE HARVEST
COMING UP THE MOUTH OF THE
MISSISSIPPI AND COMING THROUGH
THESE PASSES.
WE ARE COMING TO THE INNER
WATERS RIGHT HERE.
THEY WERE HAVING TROUBLE
DEPLOYING ASSETS FROM THE
EASTERN SIDE OF THE MISSISSIPPI
TO THE WESTERN SIDE.
IT WAS TOO LATE A RESPONSE IN
ORDER TO GET ALL THIS DONE AT
THAT TIME.
NOW, THANKFULLY, THEY HAVE
DEPLOYED PEOPLE ALONG THIS AREA.
THE RESPONSE IS SUBSTANTIALLY
BETTER.
THEY HAVE SOME BARGES OUT IN THE
AREA AND HAS DONE SUBSTANTIALLY
BETTER CREATE A NUMBER OF
MANPOWER AND ASSETS DEPLOYED
HAVE GOT A SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER
OVER THE LAST TWO OR THREE
WEEKS.
WHAT WERE THE EFFECTS OF IT
BEING SLOW IN THE FIRST COUPLE
OF WEEKS?
WE HAD SIGHTINGS, AND THE
RESPONSE IS WAY TOO SLOW.
WE SEE SOME HARM COMING INTO OUR
PARIS ONE DAY, AND IT WAS THE
NEXT DAY BEFORE THEY WOULD EVEN
RESPOND TO LOOK AT IT.
THEY DID NOT HAVE THE ASSETS ARE
PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY DO THE
RESPONSE, AND BY THAT, RIGHT
NOW, IF WE SEE ONE, THEY SEND
SKIMMERS AND OTHER TEAMS IN
ORDER TO ACTUALLY MAKE CERTAIN
THAT WE ARE BEING PROTECTED.
WE HAVE NOT LACK FOR PEOPLE THAT
KNOW HOW TO CLOSE THE HOLE, KNOW
HOW TO DISPERSE THE OIL, PEOPLE
WHO KNOW HOW TO SAVE THE MARCH.
TRUST ME, WE HAVE NOT LACKED FOR
THAT.
THE PROBLEM WE RUN INTO IS
THE IMPLEMENTATION.
THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE, AND IT
IS A MATTER CONNECTING THE RIGHT
PEOPLE WITH THE RIGHT RESOURCES.
WHAT CONGRESSMAN MELANCON SAYS
IS EXACTLY CORRECT.
ARE YOU PLEASED WITH THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSE
NOW?
WHAT IS GOING TO HURT
TERREBONE PARIS RIGHT NOW IS UP
MORATORIUM AND THE BAN ON
DRILLING.
PLEASE.
TERREBONE HAS WORKED WITH THE
OIL FIELD AND THE SEAFOOD
INDUSTRY FOR YEARS.
A LOT OF PEOPLE GO FROM SEAFOOD
TO OILFIELD, OILFIELD TO
SEAFOOD.
RIGHT NOW, THE ECONOMIC IMPACT
ON THE FISHING INDUSTRY IS
SURVIVABLE.
BP HAS BEEN COMING IN AND MAKING
CLAIMS.
WE BELIEVE THAT THE RESPONSE IS
GETTING TO BE BETTER.
WE THINK AT LEAST THEY CAN
CAPET, THERE MAY BE SOME HOPE
FOR THE FUTURE FOR OUR FISHING
INDUSTRY.
OUR BIGGEST PROBLEM RIGHT NOW IS
THAT THEY AND WHERE THEY HAVE
DISCONTINUED DRILLING -- IS THE
BAN ARE THEY HAVE DISCONTINUED
DRILLING.
500 FEET IS THE MINIMUM, AND WE
HAD SOMEONE WHO WAS DRILLING IN
1,000 FEET OF WATER.
THEY
AND THEY WERE TOLD TO CEASE AND
DESIST.
THE HORIZON WAS $500,000 A DAY.
THERE IS NO WAY IT IS GOING TO
BE SITTING AROUND FOR SIX
MONTHS, AND WHAT IS GOING TO
HAPPEN, THEY ARE GOING TO GO TO
OTHER COUNTRIES.
ONCE THEY ARE THERE, THEY ARE
NOT GOING TO MOVE BACK AT THE
END OF SIX MONTHS.
IT WILL BE A HORRENDOUS IMPACT
IN OUR AREA.
RIGHT NOW, EASILY, WE ARE GOING
TO HAVE MANY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE
THAT WILL BE IMPACTED.
I WOULD BE WILLING TO BET THAT
AT LEAST 60% OF MY PARISH, AND I
HAVE 120,000 PEOPLE, ARE
DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY AFFECTED
BY THE OILFIELD.
UNDERSTAND, THAT HAVE OIL FILLED
PEOPLE THAT WORK ON THE RIGS,
THEY HAVE ZERO COMPANIES,
CATERING COMPANIES, MACHINE
SHOPS, A FABRICATION COMPANIES,
ALL OF THIS IS GOING TO COME TO
A SCREECHING HALT.
THIS IS THE CRITICAL THING.
WITH BP OVER THE SPILL, THEY
HAVE RESOURCES GO TO.
ON THIS MORATORIUM, IT IS NOT
COMPENSABLE BY ANYBODY.
THIS IS A LOSS THAT WE ARE GOING
TO HAVE, AND THE OIL-FIELD
DRILLING IS WITHOUT QUESTION
SUCH A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM THAT
IT WILL AFFECT MY COMMUNITY AND
MY PARISH MORE AT THIS TIME THAN
THE OIL SPILL WILL.
WE JUST LEFT HOUMA AND WE ARE
OVER HERE IN TERREBONE PARISH.
WE ARE GOING SOUTH ON HIGHWAY 56
TO THE COASTAL MARSHLANDS.
THERE ARE A COUPLE OF IRINA'S
AND JUMP OFF POINTS FOR OIL AND
GAS SERVICE INDUSTRY COMPANIES.
DOWN HERE IS LOUISIANA
UNIVERSITY MARINE CONSORTIUM
FACILITY THAT IS RIGHT BEFORE
YOU GET TO THE END OF THE ROAD
DOWN HERE.
CAN YOU JUST POINT OUT AREAS
THAT HAVE BEEN HARDEST HIT?
GRAND ISLE HAS BEEN GETTING
OIL ON THE BEACH.
RIGHT PAST GRAND ISLE THEY ARE+
GETTING OIL ON THE BEACH.
SOME OIL IS STARTING TO SHOW UP
ON THE BARRIER ISLANDS.
OF COURSE WE ARE GETTING SOME
OVER IN THE MOUTH OF THE RIVER.
AS THE CROW FLIES, YOU CAN SEE
THAT IS NOT VERY FAR.
HOW MANY MILES IS THAT?
I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT
MILEAGE.
I WOULD SAY PROBABLY 25 MILES TO
THE MOUTH OF THE RIVER.
THAT IS A GUESS.
WHEN YOU HEAR ABOUT OIL
GETTING INTO THE MARSHES, WHERE
IS THAT HAPPENING?
THAT IS HAPPENING AT THE
MOUTH OF THE RIVER.
THEY ARE GETTING SOME SHEEN INTO
THE INNER MARSH OF TO WHAT THEY
CALL MERLE GROVE, WHICH IS UP
HERE.
-- MYRTLE GROVE.
WE ARE GETTING EROSION OF A LOT
OF THESE WETLANDS AND MARSHES.
THEY ARE PUTTING BOOMS OUT IN
THIS INTERIOR MARCH, TRYING TO
PROTECT THE ESTUARIES WHERE
SHRIMP AND FISH LAY THEIR EGGS
AND SUCH AS THAT.
OF COURSE, OVER ON THE EAST SIDE
OF THE RIVER INTO ST. BERNARD
AND BLACKMON PARRISH.
LAKE CATHERINE IS STILL OPEN TO
FISHING, BUT THE OIL IS
COLLECTING ON CHANDELIER ISLAND.
IF IT KEEPS GOING LIKE THAT, IT
WILL KEEP GOING UP IN THE NORTH
END AND START GETTING INTO THOSE
LAKES FROM THE BACK SIDE.
YOU DO NOT KNOW WHERE THE TIDE
IS GOING TO TAKE THIS STUFF.
NEW ORLEANS IS RIGHT HERE ON THE
NORTH END OF ALL OF IT.
THE ADMINISTRATOR IS ON HER
WAY AND SHOULD BE HERE WITHIN
THE NEXT 10 MINUTES, AND ADMIRAL
ALLEN SHOULD BE HERE AS WELL.
HAVE YOU SEEN JOHNNIE GLOVER
AROUND THIS MORNING?
MR. GLOVER IS ACTUALLY HERE
TODAY WITH HIS WIFE.
LEAD THE WAY.
HOW ARE YOU DOING?
I AM ON ASSIGNMENTug0
FURTHER NOTICE.
[UNINTELLIGIBLE]
THANKS FOR COMING OVER.
HOW ARE THINGS GOING?
VERY GOOD.
HERE IS WHAT I AM INTERESTED
IN.
OVER THE LAST WEEK AND A HALF,
WE HAVE MADE A NUMBER OF
SIGNIFICANT CHANGES, TRYING TO
BE MORE RESPONSIVE.
I THINK WE HAVE A GREAT
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE EOC RIGHT
NOW.
WITH A BOOMING OPERATIONS,
[UNINTELLIGIBLE]
WE ARE CONSIDERING ALTERNATE
BILLING STRATEGIES B.G.E.
BOOMING STRATEGIES.
SOME ISLANDS MAY BE SWITCHING
TO -- WE GET TRUCKS AND EVERY
DAY.
[UNINTELLIGIBLE]
WE ARE REQUESTING SOME OF THE
LARGER ROOMS.
-- SOME OF THE LARGER BOOMS.
WE ARE GOING TO TRY TO GO
DOWN AND DO A TOUR OF THE
STAGING AREA.
WE ARE JUST TRYING TO GET
CAUGHT UP.
I HAVE NOT BEEN DOWN TO GRAND
ISLE SINCE LAST FRIDAY.
CHARLOTTE WAS DOWN THERE, AND WE
ARE HEARING THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT
THE DISPERSANT.
IT LOOKS LIKE THEY HAVE KIND OF
GOT CAUGHT UP AND ARE MOVING
QUITE WELL.
THERE ARE A FEW PLACES WE
CANNOT QUITE GET TO.
HOW ARE THEY STANDING ON THE
BOOM OVER THERE, DID THEY SAY?
THERE ARE PLENTY OF THE
PIECES THAT ARE WORKING.
THAT IS SOME OF THE MOST
EFFECTIVE USE OF THE BOOM I HAVE
EVER SEEN.
IS THAT THE GREEN STUFF?
IT IS ALL DIFFERENT COLORS.
THE OIL JUST ADHERES TO IT AND
IT IS REPLACED BY MORE.
WHEN YOU SEE THAT STEP AS
THEY PULL IT OUT, ALL YOU SEE IS
[UNINTELLIGIBLE]
IT IS BASICALLY POMPOMS TIED
TO A ROW.
-- TIED TO A ROPE.
I WENT TO GET A HAIRCUT, BUT
THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH THERE TO
GIVE TO ANYBODY.
I FEEL COMFORTABLE KNOWING
THAT WE HAVE [UNINTELLIGIBLE]
THAT HAVE BEEN DOING A LOT MORE
BURNING AND SKIMMING.
THEY ARE USING LESS THAN 15,000
GALLONS A DAY.
EVERYTHING THERE LOOKS GOOD.
THE TOXICITY TESTS IT LOOKED
VERY GOOD.
[UNINTELLIGIBLE]
I COULD IS A LITTLE BIT OF
REST.
IT IS ALL CONNECTED BY A
ROPE.
THE STRING IN DOWN THE BEACH,
AND SOMETIMES IT BECOMES VERY
ARE EMBEDDED, AND THAT IS OK.
IT HAS TO GO TO A DISPOSAL SITE,
AND THEN YOU REPLACE IT.
THE STATE HAS BEEN PUTTING
TOGETHER A WASTE DISPOSAL PLAN.
THEY'D TAKE IT ALL UP AND TAKE
IT TO A BUNCH OF LANDFILLS.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE A DEGREE
DISPOSAL PLAN AS WELL.
IT IS CONSIDERED HAZARDOUS
WASTE.
I ONLY HAVE ROOM FOR A FEW
PEOPLE.
IF IT IS RAINING, WE WILL RUN
OUT OF ROOM.
WERE YOU GUYS ALL FROM?
IT IS GOOD TO SEE.
-- FGCU.
A DOES WANT TO GET AN OVERVIEW.
THESE ARE THE BARRIER
ISLANDS.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE OPERATIONS
GOING ALL THE WAY UP HERE.
THEN WE HAVE SKIMMERS BETWEEN
THE ISLANDS EVERY DAY AS WELL
AS ON A SET COURSE FOR THE BAY.
WE ARE NOT ALSO NOW WORKING BE
-- WE ARE ALSO WORKING WITH THE
LOCAL INDIAN TRIBES TO PROTECT
THE BURIAL GROUNDS.
ONE OF THE IMPORTANT THINGS I
SAW YESTERDAY'S WAS ALL THE PRE
ASSESSMENT WORK THAT HAPPENS ON
THE SHORELINE.
WE HAVE A GOOD PICTURE OF THE
ABOVE FORBEFORE.
IT IS A GOOD WAY TO CLEAN UP
THE BEACHES.
VERY GOOD.
THIS CONNECTS OVER TO THE
PEOPLE OF THOSE PARISHES.
HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ON AT NIGHT
AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF?
EVERYONE IS WELL ON AN 12
OFF.
-- 12 ON AN 12 ALL.
THE NIGHT SHIFT IS OUT THERE
BUT READJUSTING THE VESSELS,
PUTTING THE BOOM ON.
THE FIRST THING IN THE MORNING,
ALL HAVE TO DO IS DO THEIR
MANIFEST AND THEY ARE READY TO
GO.
IT HAS PICKED UP OUR RESPONSE
TIME AS FAR AS LEAVING THE
DOCKS.
I HAVE BEEN HITTING ALL THESE
PLACES AND WHAT TO MAKE SURE
EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS.
REDUCING THE CYCLE TIME FROM
WHEN DECIDING IS FIRST MADE.
IT IS MOVING PEOPLE CLOSER TO
THE PROBLEM AND GIVING PEOPLE
THE AUTHORITY DOWN HERE TO DO
WHAT THEY NEED TO DO.
DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE GOT IT?
WE THINK WE DO.
ALL RIGHT.
IF ONE OF THE PARISH
OFFICIALS TELLL ME HE IS NOT
HAPPY WIIH SOMETHING, THEN I
HAVE AN ASK I NEED TO MAKE.
WHAT I HAVE TOLD CHARLOTTE,
MICHELLE, BILLY, WHAT I STOLE --
RIGHT TOASTY, IF YOU HAVE
SOMETHING AND YOU FEEL YOU ARE
NOT GETTING A RESPONSE, CALL ME.
I DID CALL IN AND TALK WITH RAHM
EMANUEL AT THE WHITE HOUSE.
NOW HAVE HAD THIS MEETING WITH
THAD ALLEN AND LISA JACKSON.
I AM TRYING TO FIND A BALANCE ON
THE DEEPWATER DRILLING.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THERE IS A
CONSCIOUS EFFORT FOR SAFETY.
WE CANNOT HAVE THIS HAPPEN
AGAIN, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THE
ECONOMIC IMPACT DOWN HERE IN
THIS REGION, AND I THINK THE
STATE OF LOUISIANA WAS THE
ECONOMY.
WE WERE ONE OF THE BRIGHT SPOTS
IN THE ECONOMY.
WE HAD THE LOWEST UNEMPLOYMENT
RATE IN THE COUNTRY FOR PROBABLY
TWO YEARS.
WITH THE FISHERMEN NOW OUT OF
WORK, MARINAS AND ICE HOUSES AND
TREVOR PROCESSORS, IT WOULD NOT
BE FOR ALL THE STUFF GOING ON
HERE.
I DON'T THINK JOHNNIE IS DOING
BETTER THAN THE REST OF US
BECAUSE OF HIS LOCATION.
IF YOU GO TO GRAND ISLE, THAT IS
LIKE A GHOST TOWN.
FROM MEMORIAL DAY ON, THAT IS
USUALLY WHEN THEY MAKE THEIR
MONEY.
YOU HAVE THE SHRIMPERS, HOTELS,
RESTAURANTS, GROCERY STORE IS
NOT MAKING ANY MONEY.
AND FOR THE OIL COMPANIES NOT TO
BE ABLE TO DRILL, THAT IS
ANOTHER ISSUE.
IT IS MOSTLY JUST GETTING
UPDATED ON WHERE THEY ARE.
THE MEETING THAT WAS THE MOST
IMPORTANT MEAT WAS SITTING DOWN
WITH MICHELLE.
I NEED TO KNOW THAT HE IS
FEELING BETTER.
HE IS FEELING BETTER, I AM
FEELING BETTER.
IT IS NOT A PERFECT WORLD.
WE ARE NOT GETTING EVERYTHING WE
WOULD LIKE, OBVIOUSLY.
AS I MENTIONED A MINUTE AGO, WE
ARE IN A RESPONSE MODE.
THE OIL HAS NOT COME INTO THIS
AREA.
WE ARE WATCHING FOR IT AT THE
BARRIER ISLANDS AND THOSE AREAS.
ONCE WE SEE IT, THEN THEY
DEPLOY.
RIGHT NOW THEY HAVE DEPLOYED TO
WHERE THEY NEED TO OR FEEL THAT
THEY NEED TO.
WE HAAE TO CONTINUE MAKING SURE
THAT THE INTEGRITY OF THE BOOM
IS THERE, WHEREVER IT HAS BEEN
PUT UP.
IT WILL BE AN ONGOING PROCESS.
AS LONG AS THAT THING IS PUMPING
OIL, WHO KNOWS HOW LONG IT IS
GOING TO GO ON?
ALL WE CAN DO IS KEEP OUR CHIN
UP.
IF YOU ARE OUT THERE WORKING,
LAYING BOOM, I DO NOT HAVE TO
TELL YOU ANYTHING.
I KNOW YOU ARE DOING IT BECAUSE
YOUR HEART IS IN IT, NOT BECAUSE
THERE IS A CHECK COMING.
THIS IS ABOUT SAVING AN AREA
THAT WE LOVE.
I GREW UP HUNTING AND FISHING
DOWN HERE.
ALL MY LIFE I HAVE FISHED OUT OF
TEH MARIIA.
JOHNNY GLOVER AND I SERVED IN
THE STATE LEGISLATURE TOGETHER.
ONE THING WE DO AGREE ON IS THE
SALTWATER MARSHES, THE
ESTUARIES, PRESERVATION OF THE
COASTAL WETLANDS AND
CONSERVATION FOR THE FISHERIES.
WE DO NOT DIFFER ONE IOTA ON ANY
OF THAT.
NOW, PRESIDENT OBAMA AND VICE
PRESIDENT BIDEN TORE A
COMMERCIAL TRUCK DEALERSHII ND
PARTS SUPPLIER IN MARYLAND.