The giant oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, which administration officials described as “extraordinarily serious,” will reach the coast by late tomorrow. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson will fly to the coast tomorrow to oversee cleanup efforts, joining Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, who is already there.
President Obama is “actively following the BP oil spill,” White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said in a press briefing today. “The president has directed responding agencies to use every resource available,” he said, including resources under the Department of Defense if necessary.
At the briefing, officials said British Petroleum, the owner of a rig that exploded and sank, causing thousands of gallons of oils to leak into the Gulf, is primarily responsible for the cleanup. But several federal agencies, lead by the Coast Guard, are overseeing the efforts.
Those efforts include a controlled burn BP conducted yesterday to burn off some of the oil; dumping 100,000 gallons of chemical dispersants; and the collection of, so far, 685,000 gallons of oily water. The government has also approved the drilling of a relief well, which will begin in the coming days, and is reviewing the request for another well, should it be needed.
BP is still trying to activate a shut-off valve to stem the leak. It may be 90 days before they can.
It was announced today that the rig may be leaking 5,000 barrels of oil a day, five times the amount initially estimated.
“We will continue to push BP to engage in the strongest response possible,” said Napolitano. She added that BP is also responsible for reimbursing the taxpayers for the government’s help in the cleanup, but said that is not the focus right now.
The DHS and the Interior are investigating the causes of the explosion, and federal agents are inspecting every deep water rig in the Gulf to make sure they’re complying with safety standards. Salazar will meet with industry leaders and experts today to discuss additional preventative measures oil companies can take.
Napolitano said she will designate the incident a “spill of national significance,” which will free up assets from other parts of the country and allow the government to centralize communications.
As the oil reaches land, expected sometime late tomorrow, the EPA will step up its role.
