Why is Jindal still complaining about the berm instead of building it?

[ProSense]

La. Gov.: still no final word on sand berms

The Associated Press

(AP) — NEW ORLEANS - Gov. Bobby Jindal is complaining that Louisiana still lacks final federal approval for a project to build 40 miles of sand berms to protect coastal wetlands from an offshore oil spill.

However, Jindal said Tuesday that federal incident commander Thad Allen has promised to decide by Wednesday night whether to recommend approval of the project to the White House.

Jindal also said BP hasn't yet gotten started on the one sand berm project that the federal government already has approved. He called on federal authorities to pressure BP to either begin the smaller sand berm project or pay the state to start it. BP officials were not immediately available for comment.

Nevertheless, on Thursday, May 27, 2010, U.S. Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen said the government would give permission for the construction of six barriers and authorize BP to pay for one, as a test to see if the barrier plan is feasible. That one barrier would cost $16 million and be paid for by BP or the federal Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund.

<...>

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers listed 33 separate conditions that had to be met, including protections for navigation channels and wildlife.

Allen said the approval was meant as a test case. "There are a lot of doubts whether this is a valid oil spill response technique, given the length of construction and so forth," he said. "But we're not averse to attempting this as a prototype."

Some environmentalists also criticized initial proposals for dredging sand for the barriers too close to shore, according to a report in the Times-Picayune newspaper. After changes were made to address those concerns, the cost estimates for the barriers rose from $250 million to $350 million.

The state government could move to build the barriers with state money, but Jindal has rejected that idea without a guarantee of reimbursement.

So Jindal is right that the federal government has authorized payment for only one of six barriers. But he leaves out the fact that the government has doubts about the plan and whether it will work or not, and the first barrier is meant as a test case. We rate his statement Mostly True.

more

Text

Admiral Allen Approves One Section of Louisiana Barrier Island Project Proposal as Part of Federal Oil Spill Response

Will Save Louisiana the Cost of Funding a Major Construction Project

<...>

WASHINGTON - The National Incident Commander for the BP oil spill, Admiral Thad Allen, today approved the implementation of a section of Louisiana’s barrier island project proposal that could help stop oil from coming ashore and where work could be completed the fastest—as an integrated part of the federal response to the BP oil spill.

This step will save Louisiana the cost of construction for this section by integrating it with the federal government’s ongoing oil spill response—thus paving the road for payment by BP, as a responsible party, or the federal Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund.

It will also allow assessment of the effectiveness and environmental impacts of this strategy in one of the areas most at risk of long-term impact by BP's leaking oil.

“We are relentlessly working to secure the spill at source and attack the oil being released using every safe and reasonable technique available,” said Allen. “Implementing this section of the proposal will allow us to assess this strategy’s effectiveness in protecting coastal communities and habitats of the Gulf region as quickly as possible. We will not be satisfied until the spill is stopped, the oil is removed, the communities are safe, and their way of life restored.”

The Army Corps of Engineers has granted partial approval for Louisiana's barrier island project proposal, covering approximately half of the state's original request and including six sections.

Under this permit, but without coordination with Admiral Allen and the Unified Command, Louisiana is authorized to construct the barrier islands at its own expense, so long as construction meets the terms and conditions established by the Army Corps of Engineers and any other required permits are obtained. If Louisiana moves forward, they will need to address all potential costs and environmental impacts.

Admiral Allen’s recommendation would integrate a section of the project with the federal oil spill response—and therefore potential funding by BP, as a responsible party, or the federal Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund.

Based on feedback from the Interagency Solutions Working Group established under the NIC and comprised of subject matter experts from the National response Team and other federal agencies, Admiral Allen determined that his recommendation best strikes a balance between three major considerations:

• The imperative to protect vulnerable Louisiana coastlines;
  
  
• The need for any construction to contribute effectively to the overall response effort, which includes numerous on- and off-shore activities; and
  
  
• The extensive time needed to implement such a strategy.

If the evaluation of the recommended section’s effectiveness and environmental impact show a net environmental benefit, additional areas may be considered by the National Incident Commander as part of the oil spill response moving forward.

Louisiana’s original proposal called for the dredging of more than 92 million cubic yards of material over a six to nine month period to build temporary barrier islands. The NIC Working Group found that implementation of the proposal in all areas approved by the Army Corps of Engineers, in the midst of an active spill, would not be prudent or provide effective protection—especially considering the complications of a major construction project occurring in the midst of a response encompassing more than 20,000 personnel and 1,300 vessels.

Since the first moments of the Deepwater BP Oil Spill, the federal government has continuously anticipated and planned for a worst case scenario, and Admiral Allen has led and coordinated an ongoing, all-hands-on-deck response to mitigate the spill, for which BP is responsible and required to pay response and cleanup costs.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' permit and agency comments can be found here.

[Clio the Leo]

1. Because he wants to be President. NT

[ProSense]

5. Hmmm!

Jindal said work has not started on the berm Allen approved Thursday near Scofield Island in Plaquemines Parish because BP has yet to provide funding.

<...>

But Jindal said the state would not do so without an assurance of being reimbursed by BP or the federal Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund.

link

From the OP: "That one barrier would cost $16 million and be paid for by BP or the federal Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund."

[napi21]

2. He keeps saying he wants PERMISSION to build these berms, but

I don't think there's any way in the world La. has the $$ to do that! He doesn't really want permission to build the berms, he wants somebody else to build them for him!

[ProSense]

3. Each of the states got $25 million from BP. Still,

"$16 million and be paid for by BP or the federal Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund."

There is nothing preventing him from proceeding.

[dflprincess]

4. Because he is a right wing tool and

they never take responsibility for anything.

[TheKentuckian]

6. Some will say he needs permission but really he wants those Federal dollar$

He ain't paying to protect his state out of the state budget. That ain't small government.

[TomCADem]

7. Dupe

Delete

[TomCADem]

8. Here Is Bobby Jindal Two Years Ago Bragging About The Safety Of Offshore Oil Drilling

Bobby Jindal is perhaps the biggest oil industry apologist in politics, yet the major media and some on DU continue to buy into this narrative of Jindal getting things done. Lousiana's coast is about to become an environmental wasteland and it is due to the policies that he himself championed. Deregulation. Expanded offshore oil drilling. In addition to the 2006 bill that he sponsored, here is Bobby Jindal on youtube as governor continuing to lie about the safety of offshore oil drilling.

Bobby Jindal Claims Katrina Caused No Oil Spills

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b12iyoB3mmo

[ProSense]

12. Here's Jindal

today.

[ProSense]

9. UPDATE: Louisiana gets White House OK for dredge plan

UPDATE: Louisiana gets White House OK for dredge plan

(CNN) – The White House has ordered BP to fully fund Louisiana's plan to dredge up walls of sand to protect coastal marshes from the massive Gulf of Mexico oil spill, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal announced Wednesday.

The news comes about a week after the federal government approved one segment of the plan on a trial basis. But U.S. officials raised concerns about the long-term environmental effects of what would effectively amount to building dozens of miles of new barrier islands off Louisiana.

"We have just received word from the White House that they are going to require BP to fund the five remaining segments," Jindal said to applause in an announcement amid a news conference.

<...>

But Jindal said BP has yet to move on the first segment, which was approved last Thursday. He told reporters that BP should "sign the contracts today to move the dredges, or write us the check and move out of the way so we can get it done."

more

Why is he waiting on BP?

[niceypoo]

10. Posturing

[Dr Morbius]

11. Because he's a talker, not a walker. A critic, not a doer. (nt)