BP Response Team Focuses On Containing Oil After 'Top Kill' Fails

By Justine Rellosa- Talk Radio News Service

Admiral Thad Allen, the National Incident Commander for the Deepwater BP oil response, said during a press briefing Tuesday that the failure of the 'top kill' method this past weekend has altered the response strategy's focus from capping the ongoing spill to simply containing the oil.

Currently, the response team is starting a new procedure to cut the top of the well's lower marine riser pipe and attach a cap to it that would then pump the leaking oil to a ship. During this period, Allen stated that a 20 percent increase in oil output could occur, making it a very risky procedure.

The method of containing the oil is a step to mitigate the crisis until a set of relief wells are constructed in August that could offer a permanent shut-off of the spill.

The Commander said that they were also looking to foreign governments for assistance and equipment needed to quell the disaster.

"We're actually reaching out to folks like the Netherlands, Canada and Mexico as sources of supplies."

BP Hesitant To Judge Effectiveness Of 'Top Kill' Method

By Justine Rellosa- Talk Radio News Service

Lamar McKay, the President and Chairman of BP America, was not yet ready to weigh in on the effectiveness of the oil giant's recently implemented "top kill" method to stop the massive oil spill off the Gulf Coast during his appearance before the House Natural Resources Committee Thursday.

“We do not know how long it will take for the operation to prove successful or otherwise ... If necessary, we are also preparing a technique to clog the BOP (Blow Out Preventer) and stop the flow. It involves injecting fibrous material into the BOP,” McKay said.

McKay reassured the Committee that BP is taking responsibility for all costs and will exceed the liability cap in their response to the Deepwater Horizon disaster.

“We are taking our responsibilities as a responsible party very seriously. We have said that we are not going to use any caps of any sort. We’ve said we are going to reimburse the government ... and we are not going to ask for reimbursement from the government for any claims.”

Police Chiefs Concerned Arizona Immigration Law Will Strain Resources

By Justine Rellosa - Talk Radio News Service

Following a meeting with Attorney General Eric Holder, police chiefs from several Western states held a press conference to discuss concerns regarding Arizona's controversial immigration law.

"Mandating that we now determine citizenship or immigration status ... will severely strain our resources," Tuscon Chief of Police Roberto Villasenor said. "We doubt the federal government can even handle the numbers of people that we will bring to them now for verification on immigration status."

The Arizona legislation grants law enforcement officials the authority to question individuals suspected of being in the country illegally, a provision that the police chiefs warned could make people less likely to turn the police for assistance.

"Laws like this will actually increase crime, not decrease crime ... they break down the trust that we have been building for decades," Los Angeles Chief of Police Charlie Beck emphasized.

Villasenor stressed that the Arizona law could also be dangerous for the police, since it will force officers to be put in confrontational situations.

Senate Democrats Want To Ensure BP Is Held Accountable

By: Justine Rellosa- Talk Radio News Service

After the Senate failed to pass legislation on Tuesday that would raise the liability cap for those responsible for the oil spill, Senators Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) and Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) held a briefing to stress the importance of lifting the liability limit for oil giants from $75 million to $10 billion.

“I don’t think BP’s words are anything to rely upon," said Menendez. Added the New Jersey Democrat, "By lifting the cap unlimitedly, whoever is determined to be beyond BP, the responsible party, will also be [held] responsible.

Lautenberg noted that BP does have the available funds to meet additional costs posed by a higher cap.

“BP had a $5 billion dollar profit quarter...they can afford to pay for their mistakes,” Lautenberg said.

Top DOJ Official Advocates Raising Liability Cap For Oil Industry

By: Justine Rellosa
Talk Radio News Service

U.S. Associate Attorney General Thomas Perrelli made clear on Tuesday that there should not be an arbitrary cap for oil spill accidents, like the one that occurred at the Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico site over one month ago.

“With respect to activities that might have the risk in resulting in a similar or major oil spill, such as we are seeing currently, we don’t think there should be an arbitrary cap on corporate responsibility,” said Perrelli during a hearing held by the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Current law caps how liable companies are for economic damages caused by spills at $75 million, although a group of Democratic Senators, led by Robert Menendez (D-N.J), is looking to the cap to $10 billion dollars.

Perrelli added that if Congress voted to raise the cap and apply it retroactively, the government would likely win any legal challenges put forth by members of the oil industry.

U.S. Department of the Interior Deputy Secretary David Hayes reassured the Committee that his department is doing all it can to make sure the regulatory system is “state of the art.”

“We are committed to doing a thorough investigation and a top to bottom evaluation of whether we have the right regulatory system...and whether there is enough oversight of industry.”