BP miss “deadline after deadline” in oil spill crisis
BP’s has missed “deadline after deadline” in its tackling of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, a top US official has said.
US interior secretary Ken Salazar claimed the company had fallen short on its pledges to stem the flow of oil caused by a drilling platform explosion a month ago.
The comments came as it emerged that only half the flow of oil was being stopped by BP’s emergency moves.
The Coast Guard has estimated that more than 65 miles of Gulf Coast has experienced “shoreline impact” and less than half of it could be quickly cleaned up.
Salazar said: “I am angry and I am frustrated that BP has been unable to stop this oil from leaking and to stop the pollution from spreading.
“We are 33 days into this effort and deadline after deadline has been missed.
“If we find they’re not doing what they’re supposed to be doing, we’ll push them out of the way appropriately.”
Salazar’s comments followed President Barack Obama’s attack on the company.
He blamed the spill on “a breakdown of responsibility” at BP.
Meanwhile BP said that it will be “open and transparent” in its clean-up of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.