Governor Charlie Crist on Monday expanded the Executive Order declaring a State of Emergency to include an additional 13 counties, as all efforts to stop the gushing oil gushing from the leaking well off Louisiana have failed. The added counties are: Franklin, Wakulla, Jefferson, Taylor, Dixie, Levy, Citrus, Hernando, Pasco, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Monatee and Sarasota. Last Friday, Crist had declared a State of Emergency for Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Bay and Gulf counties.
While British Petroleum’s (BP’s) chief executive, Tony Haywood said on Monday on ABC’s Good Morning America that his company was “not responsible for the accident,” he indicated that BP is “responsible for the oil on the surface and its clean up.” A statement on the company’s website said “BP will pay all necessary and appropriate clean up costs.”
As BP continues to work with the U.S. Coast Guard and other federal agencies and contractors to effectively stop the oil flow, one proposal is for a large structure–Subsea Oil Recovery System–to be placed over the largest leak source where oil will be collected from the well and pumped to a tanker on the surface. While such a system has never been used at depths of 5,000 feet or more, if the weather allow, BP plans to deploy the system within the next six to eight days.
Meanwhile, the company is also working with local fisherman and more than 2,000 volunteers have been trained to assist in the response effort. Many are engaged in clearing the beaches of existing debris, as the efficiency of the clean-up effort is enhance once the oil spill reaches the shoreline. PB has also deployed hundreds of thousands of feet of boom to help contain the spill.
BP has indicated it will reimburse volunteers at the rate of $10 per hour. Contractors are also hiring people to support shoreline clean up. Contractor rates go as high as $18 per hour for supervisors.
According to tampabay.com, Department of Environment Protection Secretary Mike Sole said “The magnitude of this spill is daunting”. Sole said an oil slick — not a full-fledged soaking spill — and “slight tar balls” will likely make a landing on Florida’s shores.
BP has established a Claims Line for oil spill-related claims. The number is # 1-800-440-0858.
