Speaking from the Oval Office Tuesday night, President Obama detailed recent oil spill cleanup efforts to the American people. He also used the opportunity to highlight the need for America to wean itself off of fossil fuels.
“Now is the moment for this generation to embark on a national mission to unleash America’s innovation and seize control of our own destiny,” said President Obama, encouraging Americans to jump in the race to find new and more efficient sources of energy.
Calling the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico “more like an epidemic” because of its ongoing nature, Obama explained that some barrier islands are being constructed off the coast of Louisiana to stop the oil. He said the government is also working with the states of Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi to come up with feasible means to protect their coastlines.
“We’ve directed BP to mobilize additional equipment and technology. And in the coming weeks and days, these efforts should capture up to 90 percent of the oil leaking out of the well,” Obama said.
Obama said the United States currently has around 30,000 personnel working on cleanup efforts across four states and in the Gulf. The U.S. president said that he was planning to call on another 17,000 troops of the National Guard as needed.
President Obama also took the opportunity to announce that Ray Mabus, secretary of the Navy, will be formulating a long-term Gulf Coast Restoration Plan. The plan will “be designed by states, local communities, tribes, fishermen, businesses, conservationists, and other Gulf residents.”
Area Closed to Fishing Expanded
The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) expanded the area in the Gulf of Mexico that is currently closed to fishing. The region was enlarged to include the oil slick now moving north of the area’s current boundary.
The closure applies to federal waters and not to state waters. It is a precautionary step to make sure that seafood coming from the Gulf is safe.
NOAA has now closed 33.4 percent of the Gulf of Mexico federal waters, or approximately 80,806 square miles. This leaves more than 66 percent of Gulf federal waters available for fishing.
According to NOAA, in 2008 Gulf commercial fishermen harvested more than 1 billion pounds of fish and shellfish.
“Now is the moment for this generation to embark on a national mission to unleash America’s innovation and seize control of our own destiny,” said President Obama, encouraging Americans to jump in the race to find new and more efficient sources of energy.
Calling the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico “more like an epidemic” because of its ongoing nature, Obama explained that some barrier islands are being constructed off the coast of Louisiana to stop the oil. He said the government is also working with the states of Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi to come up with feasible means to protect their coastlines.
“We’ve directed BP to mobilize additional equipment and technology. And in the coming weeks and days, these efforts should capture up to 90 percent of the oil leaking out of the well,” Obama said.
Obama said the United States currently has around 30,000 personnel working on cleanup efforts across four states and in the Gulf. The U.S. president said that he was planning to call on another 17,000 troops of the National Guard as needed.
President Obama also took the opportunity to announce that Ray Mabus, secretary of the Navy, will be formulating a long-term Gulf Coast Restoration Plan. The plan will “be designed by states, local communities, tribes, fishermen, businesses, conservationists, and other Gulf residents.”
Area Closed to Fishing Expanded
The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) expanded the area in the Gulf of Mexico that is currently closed to fishing. The region was enlarged to include the oil slick now moving north of the area’s current boundary.
The closure applies to federal waters and not to state waters. It is a precautionary step to make sure that seafood coming from the Gulf is safe.
NOAA has now closed 33.4 percent of the Gulf of Mexico federal waters, or approximately 80,806 square miles. This leaves more than 66 percent of Gulf federal waters available for fishing.
According to NOAA, in 2008 Gulf commercial fishermen harvested more than 1 billion pounds of fish and shellfish.
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