Posted on 02/07/2011 5:13:49 PM PST by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON (AFP) – The United States is ill-equipped to deal with a major oil catastrophe in Alaska, the Coast Guard admiral who led the US response to the massive Gulf of Mexico oil spill and others warn.
Only one of the US Coast Guard's three ice breakers is operational and would be available to respond to a disaster off Alaska's northern coast, which is icebound for much of the year, retired admiral Thad Allen told reporters this week.
Former Alaska lieutenant governor Fran Ulmer said that before drilling in the Arctic, the United States must "invest in the Coast Guard."
"It's not an option; it's a mandatory next step for our country to take," said Ulmer, who was a member of a presidential commission that last month called for more government oversight to prevent a repeat of the Gulf of Mexico disaster.
But funding for expensive new icebreakers is unlikely to be high on the list of priorities of Republicans .. vowing to slash spending.
And yet, Republicans are likely to push for more drilling off Alaska's coast, an area rich in oil.
Allen drew a grim picture of the difficulties that would face authorities .. in the Arctic.
Hundreds of clean-up workers, spill investigators, counsellors and advisers poured into Louisiana after the Gulf of Mexico spill, taking over entire coastal towns.
But the town of Barrow, which is close to the offshore areas and where some rigs and offshore islands have already been erected, there are few facilities to house workers, let alone .. response crews or rescuers, ..
"If you have 30 people, you've maxed out the beds," ..
The town has no de-icing facilities and no hangar for fixed-wing aircraft, which were used extensively in the aftermath of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Too bad. I'm sure Alaska could use the business.. instead of the cold shoulder. maybe a little of that stimulus dough would have been better spent here..
A picture provided by BP shows pipes at an oil production facility in Prudhoe Bay, Alsaka. The United States is ill-equipped to deal with a major oil catastrophe in Alaska, the Coast Guard admiral who led the US response to the massive Gulf of Mexico oil spill and others have warned. (BP/HO/File)
Ping.
This shouldn’t be a problem with all the global warming going on.
We can convince ourselves that we are ill-equipped if we hear it enough... maybe we should just all slash our wrists now and get it over with.
This is the spirit that won WWII?
Just perhaps a little domestic energy boom would do wonders for our collective state of mind.
Guess I’ll have to wait for President Palin in 2012.
US not ready for Arctic oil drilling: officials
Really? Say, here’s a thought you ignorant dumba$$es... drill on ground.
US not ready for Arctic oil drilling: officials
Really? Say, here’s a thought you ignorant dumba$$es... drill on ground.
More sandbagging as to why we CAN’T do yet another thing to produce energy in this country.
It's not safe to ride horses.
It's not safe to be on a boat.
So, let's not drill.
This guy Thad Allen is an absolute loser. He made a total mess out of handling the gulf spill, and now he wants to close down drilling in Alaska.
Classified Ad:
Admiral Thad Allen, FOR SALE TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER
ALL PARTIES WELCOME
INQUIRE WITHIN
He is full of SH_T and a lying bastard.
Never mind we have drilled in Alaska since well before the 70s.
If buying a few boats will ensure a tangible return in the form of flowing oil and subsequent revenue, then buy the damn votes. Better that than welfare for some crack pimp and his hos.
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