Science

There is no comparison between the two. Once again the media has blown things out of proportion and in reality has placed much blame where it ABSOLUTELY does not belong. Hurricane Katrina was a natural disaster. The Deepwater Horizon drilling explosion was a tragedy brought on by the fault of man, whether it was purposeful or simply just an accident. I’m sure like most I am greatly upset over the loss of lives due to the explosion, but the fact is the federal government held no responsibility for this occurrence. Natural disasters that cause either extensive property damage or hamper the well being of our citizens are events which call for local, state, and federal responsibility. The best recent example being Hurricane Katrina which practically flooded most of the city of New Orleans and several other coastal areas in other states. The Deepwater Horizon drilling explosion was NOT a natural disaster. The local, state, and federal governments are not responsible for the fault of the explosion. Neither in turn are they responsible for the clean up of the disaster. That responsibility lies DIRECTLY with the companies (British Petroleum/TransOcean/Anadarko Petroleum/Cameron International/and Halliburton)
that own or operate the platform. The most notable being British Petroleum. Our local, state, and federal governments are responsible only for two very key instances. Once it was realized that the information concerning the leak was greatly underestimated, that the previous estimate of a 1,000 barrels per day was incorrect, that in fact it was actually more than 5,000 barrels a day, it became evident that the governments would have to become involved to help British Petroleum somehow get a handle on this tragedy. At this point it was realized that the oil slick would soon not only endanger plant and fish life, but the lives of Americans as well. The federal government then realized it would have to help BP and others clean up their mess. And they are. They have not done what is required of them, but what was asked of them instead.

So far five state attorneys general have requested that the federal government assist them in all possible information gathering so that when the necessity arises they can file suit to attain restitution for the peoples of their states. These states are Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. All the states that may incur damages from the approaching oil slick. The federal government is and should be responsible for helping these five attorneys general build the necessary case in order to file suit against the guilty parties involved. They are in the process of doing just this.

Here is the absolute truth. The federal government had no initial response to this tragedy because it was NOT required, by law or otherwise. Response to the tragedy was wholly the responsibilities of the companies that own the platform. Only once it was discovered the magnitude of the spill and the fact that it would reach American soil before BP could get a handle on it, was it necessary for the federal government to become involved. And they did. None of this can be disputed by the attorneys general which is why the letter of intent sent to the President contained no language of possible litigation against any federal agency or commission. The only possible litigation mentioned was that against any of the companies involved in the ownership of the New Horizon drilling platform. Reason being because it was THEIR responsibility for the tragedy, THEIR responsibility for the clean-up, and THEIR responsibility for any restitution as a result of the spill itself. NOT the responsibility of the federal government.