BP Complaints

During a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing, US Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., today pressed Department of the Interior (DOI) Secretary, Ken Salazar, to explain the Administration’s decision to place a 6-month moratorium on all deepwater drilling operations. Sen. Landrieu questioned why DOI ignored advice from eight experts who helped prepare Secretary Salazar’s May 27 report to President Obama outlining safety recommendations in the wake of the April 20 explosion of the Deepwater Horizon. Among the recommendations in that report was the 6-month moratorium on all ongoing drilling in waters deeper than 500 feet. Yesterday, the eight experts sent a letter to Sen. Landrieu and several other government officials highlighting their opposition to the moratorium.