Summary

Gulf Oil Spill hearing/Senate Homeland Security and Govt Affairs Cmte Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing with Janet Napolitano, Secretary of Homeland Security, and Lamar McKay, the president and CEO of BP, America. PANEL #1 The Honorable Janet A. Napolitano Secretary U.S. Department of Homeland Security Rear Admiral Peter V. Neffenger Deputy National Incident Commander, U.S. Coast Guard U.S. Department of Homeland Security 14:36:18 Napolitano & Neffenger arrive 14:36:58 LIEBERMAN STATEMENT 14:37:46 our focus is on preparedness and response of our government and the private businesses 14:39:13 secretary of HS charged with coordinating response to major disasters 14:39:40 USCG responsible for managing oil spill cleanup *14:40:17 in fact much of the work being done by contractors hired by BP 14:40:39 oil companies spill response must be approved by MMS 14:41:59 did government have knowledge of disaster independent of what BP was telling it? 14:42:51 I regret that MMS leadership has chosen not appear before our committee today. *14:43:59 Bp required to submit plan to MMS. Under law this can be specific to rig. Only 10 years ago BP filed only regional plan. MMS satisfied without asking for more. (*satisfied with only regional response plan, rather than specific? *14:48:35 until those questions are answered satisfactorily, I don't see how any new offshore wells can be drilled 14:49:14 COLLINS statement 14:49:34 remember personal tragedy for 11 workers 14:51:23 how do we turn off this faucet of oil that is stuck open nearly a mile under water? 14:53:27 we must examine whether we need special requirements for drilling permits in these challenging conditions - believe president is right 14:54:05 we need to explore what level of preparedness MMS requires. 14:56:46 need to take a close look at liability caps to see if they are still accurate 14:56:58 this oil spill will be recorded as an epic catastrophe 14:57:31 NAPOLITANO statement 14:58:26 thanks men and women of coast guard *14:59:04 government has brought all resources to bear to limit impacts and make sure.made whole by British Petroleum SEGMENT [1] 2010/05/17 ************************************************ Gulf Coast Oil Spill Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing with Janet Napolitano, Secretary of Homeland Security, and Lamar McKay, the president and CEO of BP, America. PANEL #1 The Honorable Janet A. Napolitano Secretary U.S. Department of Homeland Security Rear Admiral Peter V. Neffenger Deputy National Incident Commander, U.S. Coast Guard U.S. Department of Homeland Security 14:36:45 SENATOR JOE LIEBERMAN: GOOD AFTERNOON. THE HEARING WILL COME TO ORDER. 14:36:54 WE CONVENE TODAY TO ASSESS THE PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SECTOR 14:36:59 RESPONSE TO WHAT IS RAPIDLY AND OMINOUSLY BECOMING THE WORST OIL 14:37:04 SPILL IN AMERICA'S HISTORY. WE DO SO AS PART OF BELIEVE 14:37:08 COMMITTEE'S RESPONSIBILITY TO OVERSEE THE OPERATIONS OF 14:37:10 GOVERNMENT. AND IN THIS CASE SPECIFICALLY 14:37:15 THE INCIDENT MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF 14:37:18 HOMELAND SECURITY AND THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD. 14:37:20 WE'RE NOT HERE TO DETERMINE HOW THE EXPLOSION OF THE OIL 14:37:25 WELL-KNOWN AS DEEPWATER HORIZON HAPPENED NOR DO WE SEEK TO 14:37:31 DETERMINE WHICH ELEMENTS OF THE WELL FAILED AND WHO'S 14:37:32 RESPONSIBLE TO THAT. THOSE ARE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT 14:37:34 QUESTIONS. BUT OTHER CONGRESSIONAL 14:37:39 COMMITTEES, EXECUTIVE BRANCH AGENCIES AND PRIVATE GROUPS HAVE 14:37:41 ALREADY BEGUN TO EXPLORE THOSE QUESTIONS. 14:37:46 OUR FOCUS TODAY IS ON PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE. 14:37:50 THE PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE OF OUR GOVERNMENT AND THE PRIVATE 14:37:57 BUSINESSES INVOLVED TO THIS ACCIDENT AND OIL SPILL AFTER 14:37:59 THEY OCCURRED. WHERE THE OIL COMPANIES AND 14:38:05 GOVERNMENT AGENCIES PREPARED FOR A DEEP WATER BLOWOUT LIKE THIS 14:38:08 ONE. AND HOW HAVE THEY PERFORMED IN 14:38:10 RESPONSE? THOSE ARE THE BIG QUESTIONS THAT 14:38:15 WE HOPE TO BEGIN TO ANSWER THIS AFTERNOON. 14:38:18 WE OWE IT TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO LEARN FROM THIS CATASTROPHE, 14:38:21 NOT ONLY SO THAT WE CAN DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PREVENT 14:38:24 ANYTHING LIKE IT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN, BUT ALSO HAVING IN MIND 14:38:31 OUR FOCUS ON PREPAREDNESS IN RESPONSE SO THAT WE CAN 14:38:34 GUARANTEE THAT IF IT DOES HAPPEN AGAIN, THE OIL COMPANIES AND THE 14:38:39 GOVERNMENT WILL NOT BE LEFT TO SCURRY ABOUT TRYING TO FIGURE 14:38:42 OUT HOW TO STOP THE OIL GUSHING INTO THE GULF LIKE FIREFIGHTERS 14:38:48 TRYING TO EXTINGUISH FIRES ALREADY BURNING AND CONSUMING A 14:38:51 NEIGHBORHOOD. INSTEAD, HOPEFULLY THEY WILL 14:38:55 HAVE LEARNED LESSONS FROM THIS SPILL AND WILL BE MUCH BETTER 14:38:59 PREPARED TO RESPOND QUICKLY. UNDER THE HOMELAND SECURITY ACT, 14:39:05 AND HOMELAND SECURITY PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE NUMBER 14:39:08 FIVE, THE SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY IS CHARGED WITH 14:39:12 COORDINATING THE FEDERAL RESPONSE TO MAJOR DISASTERS. 14:39:17 THE SECRETARY IS FURTHER CHARGED WITH COORDINATING THE ACTIVITIES 14:39:19 OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND NONGOVERNMENTAL PLAYERS IN 14:39:25 RESPONSE TO A DISASTER AND MUST ENSURE THAT DISASTER INFORMATION 14:39:27 IS GATHERED AND DISSEMINATED TO THE PUBLIC AND PUBLIC AND 14:39:31 PRIVATE SECTOR OFFICIALS. THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD IS 14:39:38 SPECIFICALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING A MARINE OIL SPILL 14:39:40 CLEANUP. A HOST OF OTHER AGENCIES OF OUR 14:39:46 GOVERNMENT, THE MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE WITHIN THE 14:39:49 DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR, THE NATIONAL OCEAN OGRAPHIC AND THE 14:39:58 ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES IN THIS 14:40:00 KIND OF CRISIS AND, OF COURSE, THE PRIVATE SECTOR COMPANIES 14:40:05 INVOLVED HERE HAVE ENORMOUS OBLIGATIONS UNDER LAW. 14:40:07 IN FACT, MUCH OF THE ACTUAL CLEANUP IS BEING CONDUCTED BY 14:40:13 CONTRACTORS BP HAS HIRED TO RESPOND TO THE SPILL. 14:40:17 AND IS PROVIDED BY LAW THE PRIVATE COMPANIES RESPONSIBLE 14:40:22 FOR THIS SPILL WILL PAY FOR THE CLEANUP REGARDLESS OF WHO WAS 14:40:25 ACTUALLY CARRYING OUT THE RESPONSE. 14:40:31 WE KNOW THAT THE OIL COMPANIES SPILL RESPONSE PLANS MUST BE 14:40:36 FILED AND APPROVED BY THE MINERALS AND MINING SERVICE FOR 14:40:42 WELLS AND BY THE U.S. COAST GUARD FOR DRILLING VESSELS OR 14:40:47 RIGS BEFORE ANY DRILLING CAN BEGIN. 14:40:51 THIS AFTERNOON WE'RE GOING TO ASK WHETHER BP HAD ADEQUATE 14:40:55 INCIDENT MANAGEMENT AND RESPONSE PLANS IN PLACE AHEAD OF TIME TO 14:41:00 GUIDE THEIR RESPONSE EFFORTS. DID THE MMS REQUIRE SUCH 14:41:07 ADEQUATE INCIDENT MANAGEMENT AND RESPONSE PLANS? 14:41:11 DID THE PLANS SPECIFICALLY COVER THE CONSEQUENCES OF A BLOWOUT 14:41:15 AND OIL GUSHING 5,000 FEET UNDER WATER? 14:41:18 WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT PLANS WERE IN PLACE TO GUIDE THE COAST 14:41:22 GUARD AND OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES INVOLVED IN THE RESPONSE. 14:41:27 WHAT CAPABILITIES DID THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, 14:41:29 THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AND OTHER AGENCIES MAKE AVAILABLE IN 14:41:33 THE EARLY DAYS OF THE OIL SPILL. DID THEY ACT QUICKLY ENOUGH? 14:41:39 AND WHAT RESPONSE CAPABILITIES WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE AS THE 14:41:42 DISASTER CONTINUES. WE'RE ALSO GOING TO ASK WHETHER 14:41:46 OUR GOVERNMENT WAS FORCED TO OVERRELY ON THE OIL COMPANIES 14:41:52 EXPERTISE HERE. DID THE GOVERNMENT HAVE 14:41:56 KNOWLEDGE OF THE DISASTER INDEPENDENT OF WHAT BP WAS 14:41:58 TELLING IT? I WOULD SAY MYSELF THAT I'VE 14:42:07 SPENT, SINCE THIS ACCIDENT AND SPILL, SOME TIME STUDYING WHAT 14:42:12 THE LAW REQUIRES OF THE OIL DRILLING COMPANIES IN OUR 14:42:14 GOVERNMENT. AND WHAT SHOULD BE ON THE 14:42:21 RESPONSE PLANS THAT WERE FILED AND APPROVED BY THE U.S. COAST 14:42:26 GUARD AND THE MINERALS AND MINING SERVICE FOR THE DEEP 14:42:29 HORIZON WELL. AND I MUST SAY THAT I EMERGENCY 14:42:34 WITH AN UNSETTLING TENTATIVE CONCLUSION AND QUESTIONS THAT I 14:42:40 HOPE CAN BE ANSWERED TODAY BY OUR WITNESSES. 14:42:44 THERE'S ONE SET OF WITNESSES THAT ARE NOT HERE. 14:42:46 AND I MUST SAY THAT'S FROM MMS. I REGRET THAT THE MMS LEADERSHIP 14:42:53 HAS CHOSEN NOT TO APPEAR BEFORE OUR COMMITTEE TODAY BECAUSE 14:42:58 REALLY THEY NEED TO BE ASKED THE SAME QUESTIONS I'M GOING TO ASK 14:43:02 HOMELAND SECURITY, COAST GUARD AND BP. 14:43:04 BECAUSE MMS, AS I MENTIONED, MUST APPROVE OR REJECT THE OIL 14:43:10 SPILL RESPONSE PLANS FOR WELLS, WHICH IS WHERE THIS ACCIDENT 14:43:15 OCCURRED BEFORE THOSE WELLS CAN BE DRILLED. 14:43:17 THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR IN WHICH MMS IS HOUSED WILL FIRST 14:43:21 APPEAR TOMORROW BEFORE ITS COMMITTEE -- THE DEPARTMENT'S 14:43:25 COMMITTEE OF ORIGINAL JURISDICTION, THE ENERGY AND 14:43:26 NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE. BUT I DO WANT TO SAY HERE THIS 14:43:30 AFTERNOON THAT IF APPROPRIATE AND CONSTRUCTIVE, OUR COMMITTEE 14:43:33 WILL ASK THE SECRETARY AND/OR LEADERSHIP OF THE MMS TO APPEAR 14:43:38 BEFORE US AT A LATER DATE. BUT HERE IN BRIEF IS SOME OF 14:43:43 THE -- WHAT I'VE CONCLUDED TENTATIVELY BASED ON MY OWN 14:43:47 INQUIRY AND THE QUESTIONS I BELIEVE MOST NEED TO BE ANSWERED 14:43:50 BY OUR WITNESSES. BP WAS REQUIRED TO SUBMIT AN OIL 14:43:54 RESPONSE PLAN TO THE MMS. UNDER THE LAW, THIS PLAN CAN BE 14:44:02 REGIONAL OR SPECIFIC TO A PARTICULAR WELL AND RIG. 14:44:05 ALMOST TEN YEARS AGO, IN DECEMBER, 2000, BP FILED ONLY A 14:44:10 REGIONAL RESPONSE PLAN. AND THE MMS ACCEPTED IT WITHOUT 14:44:15 ASKING FOR MORE. SO BP SATISFIED ITS LEGAL 14:44:19 REQUIREMENT. BUT THE QUESTION IS, WAS IT 14:44:28 ADEQUATE AND SHOULD THE MMS ASKED FOR MORE. 14:44:31 IT WAS MOST RECENTLY REVISED IN JANUARY OF LAST YEAR. 14:44:34 SO MY FIRST QUESTION IS, SHOULD THE GOVERNMENT HAVE BEEN 14:44:37 SATISFIED WITH ONLY A REGIONAL RESPONSE PLAN INSTEAD OF ONE FOR 14:44:40 EACH WELL? AND A REGIONAL RESPONSE PLAN 14:44:43 THAT WAS FILED ALMOST A DECADE AGO. 14:44:46 SECOND AND MORE IMPORTANT, DID OUR GOVERNMENT THROUGH THE 14:44:52 MINERALS AND MINING SERVICE REQUIRE AN OIL SPILL RESPONSE 14:44:56 PLAN ADEQUATE TO THE WIDEST RANGE OF POSSIBLE DANGERS 14:45:02 INCLUDING THE FAILURE OF A BLOWOUT PREVENTER? 14:45:04 IT SURE APPEARS THAT THEY DID NOT. 14:45:08 THE RESPONSE PLAN WHICH BP FILED AND WHICH WAS APPROVED BY THE 14:45:13 MINERALS AND MINING SERVICE AS REQUIRED INCLUDED AN APPENDIX 14:45:19 WHICH IDENTIFIES WORST CASE SPILL SCENARIOS AND PROPOSED 14:45:21 METHODS FOR RESPONDING. UNDER MMS REGULATIONS, THE PLAN 14:45:29 MUST ADDRESS AN UNCONTROLLED BLOWOUT AT A WELLS HIGHEST 14:45:37 CAPACITY AND AT ITS PLAN BP FORESAW A WORST CASE SCENARIO 14:45:41 FOR A DEEP WATER BLOWOUT RESULTING IN MORE THAN 250,000 14:45:49 BARRELS OF CRUDE OIL BEING DISCHARGED EVERY DAY. 14:45:52 AS PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THIS CRISIS KNOW, THAT 14:45:56 IS MUCH MORE THAN IS ACTUALLY BEING DISCHARGED IN THIS 14:45:59 HORRIFIC SPILL OCCURRING IN THE GULF TODAY. 14:46:01 THE ESTIMATES RANGE FROM A LOW OF 5,000 BARRELS DAILY TO A HIGH 14:46:06 OF 100,000 BARRELS DAILY. BUT HERE'S THE PROBLEM AS I SEE 14:46:11 IT AND WANT TO ASK ABOUT IT. IN ITS PROPOSED RESPONSE PLAN, 14:46:18 OIL SPILL RESPONSE PLAN APPROVED BY THE MINERAL AND MINING 14:46:22 SERVICE. BP SAID IT COULD USE BOOMS AND 14:46:28 DISBURSEMENTS TO COUNTER AND COLLECT MORE THAN 490,000 14:46:30 BARRELS A DAY. BUT THAT WAS AS I SEE IT MOSTLY 14:46:34 FROM THE SURFACE. WHERE BOOMS AND SKIMMING VESSELS 14:46:40 AND DISBURSEMENTS ARE MOSTLY EFFECTIVE. 14:46:45 AS FAR AS I CAN TELL AND KNOW AND WANT TO ASK, THOSE METHODS 14:46:51 DON'T EFFECTIVELY DEAL WITH THE ENORMOUS ACCUMULATION OF OIL 14:46:55 FORMING NOW UNDER WATER IN THE GULF. 14:46:59 REPORTEDLY AS LARGE AS 10 MILES LONG, 3 MILES WIDE AND 300 FEET 14:47:04 THICK. WAS THAT A FORESEEN CONSEQUENCE 14:47:12 OF A DEEP WATER WELL BLOWOUT? AND IF IT WAS, WHY DIDN'T THE 14:47:17 MINERAL AND MINING SERVICE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR 14:47:21 REQUIRE THAT OIL COMPANIES HAVE A BETTER PLAN FOR RESPONDING TO 14:47:24 THAT CONSEQUENCE? AND FINALLY, PERHAPS MOST 14:47:30 IMPORTANT, IN THE APPROVED BP RESPONSE PLANS, THERE APPEARS TO 14:47:34 BE IN THE END TOTAL RELIANCE ON THE BLOWOUT PREVENTER AS THE 14:47:38 LAST LINE OF DEFENSE. AS IF A BLOWOUT PREVENTER COULD 14:47:43 NOT FAIL. BUT BLOWOUT PREVENTERS HAVE 14:47:48 FAILED IN THE PAST. NONE WITH ANYWHERE NEAR THE 14:47:51 CONSEQUENCES OF THIS ONE. BUT THEY HAVE FAILED. 14:47:56 AND NO PLANS WERE FILED OR REQUESTED FOR WHAT TO DO TO 14:48:02 CONTROL AND STOP A SPILL IF A BLOWOUT PREVENTER IN DEEP WATER 14:48:08 FAILED, AS IT DID IN THE CURRENT CASE. 14:48:12 SO I WANT TO ASK WHY NOT? WHAT COULD BE DONE TO PREVENT 14:48:17 ANOTHER FAILURE OF A BLOWOUT PREVENTER OF DEEP WATER OR 14:48:21 CONTROL THE SPILL MORE QUICKLY AND EFFECTIVELY IF IT DOES? 14:48:28 UNTIL THOSE QUESTIONS ARE ANSWERED SATISFACTORILY, I DON'T 14:48:31 SEE HOW OUR GOVERNMENT CAN ALLOW ANY NEW DEEP WATER WELLS TO BE 14:48:34 PERMITTED AND DRILLED. AND I SAY THAT WITH REGRET 14:48:40 BECAUSE I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT OFFSHORE AMERICAN OIL IS TO OUR 14:48:44 NATION'S ENERGY INDEPENDENCE. BUT THE U.S. GOVERNMENT HAS A 14:48:50 RESPONSIBILITY FOR PROTECTING THE PUBLIC SAFETY THAT IS MORE 14:48:52 IMPORTANT. AND THAT RESPONSIBILITY, I FEAR, 14:48:56 WAS NOT FULFILLED IN THIS CASE. PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT OCCURRING. 14:49:04 THE RESULT IS THE HUMAN ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC 14:49:07 CATASTROPHE WE ARE NOW WITNESSING IN THE GULF. 14:49:09 SENATOR COLLINS? THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. 14:49:15 MR. CHAIRMAN, AS WE BEGIN THIS OVERSIGHT HEARING INTO WHAT IS 14:49:21 CERTAINLY AN ENVIRONMENTAL CATASTROPHE AND WHAT IS LIKELY 14:49:27 TO BE AN ECONOMIC DISASTER, LET US ALSO REMEMBER WHAT A PERSONAL 14:49:34 TRAGEDY THIS INCIDENT IS FOR THE FAMILIES OF THE 11 WORKERS WHO 14:49:41 LOST THEIR LIVES AFTER THE EXPLOSION ROCKED AND THEN SANK 14:49:46 THE DEEP WATER HORIZON OIL DRILLING PLATFORM NEARLY FOUR 14:49:49 WEEKS AGO. WHEN THIS CATASTROPHE BEGAN BUT 14:49:57 NONE OF US KNOWS WHEN IT WILL END. 14:50:02 TODAY, 27 DAYS AFTER THE FATAL EXPLOSION AND FIRE, OIL 14:50:07 CONTINUES TO GUSH FROM THE WELL HEAD NEARLY A MILLION BELOW THE 14:50:10 SURFACE OF THE GULF OF MEXICO. DESPITE RECENT SUCCESSFUL 14:50:16 EFFORTS TO SIPHON OFF A PORTION OF THE OIL SPEWING FROM THE 14:50:22 BROKEN PIPE, THE WATERS OF THE GULF ARE SLOWLY BECOMING A SEA 14:50:26 OF CRUDE OIL. THE EXPANDING PLUME IS MENACING 14:50:33 THE FRAGILE ECOSYSTEMS IN THE GULF POTENTIALLY DAMAGING A VAST 14:50:39 ARRAY OF SEA LIFE, THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE FUTURES OF 14:50:44 AMERICANS WHO WILL LIVE AND WORK ALONG THE GULF COAST. 14:50:49 NOAA HAS ESTIMATED THAT EACH DAY SOME 5,000 BARRELS OF OIL ARE 14:50:53 FLOWING INTO THE WATERS OF THE GULF. 14:50:59 BUT RECENT EXPERTS ESTIMATES PLACE THAT NUMBER AS HIGH AS 14:51:03 70,000 BARRELS. HUNDREDS OF FEDERAL OFFICIALS, 14:51:09 COAST GUARD PERSONNEL, SCIENTISTS, ENGINEERS AND 14:51:13 OFFICIALS FROM BRITISH PETROLEUM SEARCH FOR SOLUTIONS TO FIX THIS 14:51:15 URGENT PROBLEM. HOW DO WE TURN OFF THIS FAUCET 14:51:22 OF OIL THAT IS STUCK OPEN NEARLY A MILE UNDER THE WATER? 14:51:28 IN THE RECENT WEEKS, WE HAVE LEARNED MUCH ABOUT THE 14:51:33 EXPLOSION, FIRE AND CHALLENGING RESPONSE EFFORTS. 14:51:36 BUT THERE IS STILL FAR TOO MANY UNANSWERED QUESTIONS. 14:51:39 AT TODAY'S HEARING WE WILL ASK WHAT THE GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY 14:51:44 COULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY IT OFF AVOID THIS CATASTROPHE AND 14:51:53 HOW THE DAMAGE OF THE GULF OF MEXICO CAN BE MITIGATED AND HOW 14:51:55 THE SPILL CAN EVENTUALLY BE STOPPED. 14:51:58 AS THE COAST GUARD COMMANDANT HAS NOTED, THE TECHNOLOGICAL 14:52:02 FEATS AND INGENUITY NOTED TO STOP THIS LEAK HAVE PARALLELS TO 14:52:09 THE APRIL 1970 RESCUE MISSION FOR APOLLO 13. 14:52:14 IN RESPONDING TO THIS CATASTROPHE, OUR NATION FACES A 14:52:20 SIMILAR HERCULEAN ENGINEERING TASK. 14:52:23 BUT THIS TIME IN A DEEP OCEAN ENVIRONMENT THAT IS DARK, COLD 14:52:26 AND UNFORGIVING. THERE ARE SOME 90 RIGS DRILL IN 14:52:33 THE GULF RIGHT NOW PROVIDING 1.7 MILLION BARRELS OF OIL A DAY. 14:52:38 OR NEARLY ONE-THIRD OF TOTAL U.S. PRODUCTION. 14:52:45 ACCORDING TO THE FEDERAL MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE, 14:52:49 ONLY .7% OF ACTIVE DRILLING PLATFORMS ARE SEARCHING FOR OIL 14:52:55 IN WATERS DEEPER THAN 1,000 FEET. 14:53:00 YET, MORE THAN 14:53:44 , TO THE APPROVAL OF FURTHER DRILLING IN 14:53:45 DEEP WATERS. MMS HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR 14:53:53 REVIEWING AND APPROVING OIL RESPONSE PLANS FOR DRILLING 14:53:57 CONDUCTED ON OFFSHORE RIGS LIKE THE DEEP WATER HORIZON. 14:54:02 WE NEED TO EXPLORE WHAT LEVEL OF PREPAREDNESS MMS REQUIRES OF 14:54:08 COMPANIES SEEKING TO DRILL IN THIS HAZARDOUS ENVIRONMENT. 14:54:10 . ... -- 14:54:12 FOR THE COAST GUARD TO EFFECTIVELY PERFORM ITS ROLE IN 14:54:16 MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, IT MUST WORK CLOSELY WITH MMS 14:54:20 AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO BE PREPARED FOR A WORST-CASE 14:54:23 SCENARIO. TO THAT END, I WAS SURPRISED TO 14:54:26 LEARN THAT THE CURRENT LEASE HAS NO REQUIREMENT FOR MMS TO SHARE 14:54:36 OIL SPILL RESPONSE PLANS WITH THE COAST GUARD. 14:54:38 HOW CAN THAT BE? IT SEEMS TO ME THAT MANDATING 14:54:42 CONCURRENT COAST GUARD APPROVAL OF THESE PLANS IS THE COMMON 14:54:46 SENSE CHANGE THAT WE SHOULD MAKE IMMEDIATELY. 14:54:50 TODAY WE WILL ALSO HEAR MORE ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OF 14:54:53 HOMELAND SECURITY'S COORDINATION OF THE RESPONSE TO THE SPILL. 14:54:58 THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR HAVE COMMITTED 14:55:02 SUBSTANTIAL RESOURCES TO RESPOND TO THE SPILL. 14:55:06 THOSE EFFORTS WILL CERTAINLY CONTINUE. 14:55:09 BUT CONCERNS HAVE BEEN RAISED REGARDING THE ADEQUACY AND 14:55:15 TIMELINESS OF RESOURCES COMMITTED TO THIS EFFORT IN THE 14:55:20 INITIAL DAYS OF THE BLOWOUT. FURTHERMORE, WITH THE 14:55:27 ADMINISTRATION'S PROPOSED $75 MILLION CUT IN THE COAST GUARD 14:55:32 BUDGET, IT IS A QUESTION IN MY MIND WHETHER THE COAST GUARD CAN 14:55:37 CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT CAPABILITIES TO RESPOND TO THIS 14:55:41 AND FUTURE DISASTERS ALONG WITH PERFORMING ITS MYRIAD OTHER 14:55:49 MISSIONS. SURELY, THIS CATASTROPHE SHOULD 14:55:51 PROMPT THE ADMINISTRATION TO RECONSIDER THE ILL-CONCEIVED AND 14:55:57 BUDGET CUTS. IT IS ALWAYS THE COAST GUARD, 14:56:01 WHETHER IT IS HURRICANE KATRINA, THE CRISIS IN HAITI, OR THE OIL 14:56:08 SPILL IN THE GULF COAST REGION, THAT IS ALWAYS FIRST TO RESPOND. 14:56:13 AND THE LAST THING WE SHOULD BE DOING IS REDUCING THE NUMBER OF 14:56:18 COAST GUARD PERSONNEL, UNIFORMED PERSONNEL, BY MORE THAN 1000 14:56:22 INDIVIDUALS, AS THE ADMINISTRATION'S BUDGET 14:56:27 PROPOSES. FINALLY, THE PRIVATE SECTOR MUST 14:56:30 ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS FAILURE IN MODERN ENGINEERING, 14:56:38 AT THE LIABILITY -- AND WE NEED TO TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT THE 14:56:43 LIABILITY CAPS TO SEE IF THEY ARE STILL ADEQUATE. 14:56:46 THIS OIL SPILL, WHEN IT FINALLY DOES CONCLUDE, WILL BE RECORDED 14:56:50 AS AN EPIC CATASTROPHE WHOSE IMPACTS ARE LIKELY TO BE FELT 14:56:55 FOR A LONG TIME TO COME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SENATOR 14:57:01 COLLINS. WE WILL GO RIGHT TO SECRETARY 14:57:03 BOLLER TOTTEN. -- SECRETARY NAPOLITANO. 14:57:08 TO SAY THE OBVIOUS, YOU HAVE ONE OF THE TOUGHEST JOBS IN AMERICA 14:57:12 BUT I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO EVERY DAY AND YOUR WILLINGNESS 14:57:14 TO COME BEFORE US. THE OVERSIGHT OF ORIGINAL 14:57:18 JURISDICTION OVER YOUR DEPARTMENT FOR THIS TESTIMONY 14:57:23 THIS AFTERNOON. THANK YOU. 14:57:28 THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, SENATOR COLLINS, MEMBERS OF THE 14:57:32 COMMITTEE. I LOOK FORWARD TO THE 14:57:34 OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY ABOUT THE RESPONSE TO THE BP OIL SPILL IN 14:57:40 THE GULF OF MEXICO. SOME OF YOUR QUESTIONS ARE 14:57:43 PROBABLY BETTER DIRECTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR OR 14:57:47 BRITISH PETROLEUM ITSELF, BUT I WILL NOT BE -- I WILL BE 14:57:54 TESTIFYING ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED, THE ORI 14:57:57 AND THEN REAR ADMIRAL PETER NEFFENGER IS HERE TO ANSWER ANY 14:58:01 QUESTIONS OF A TECHNICAL NATUREA THAT I'M NOT MYSELF ABLE TO 14:58:05 ANSWER, ALTHOUGH I MUST SAY I ARE NOT ABLE 14:58:07 HAVE LEARNED, AS WE ALL HAVE, AE UTT ABOUT OIL SPILLS OVER THEBO 14:58:12 LAST FOUR WEEKS.IL I WANT TO BEGIN BY THANKING THE 14:58:16 MEN AND WOMEN OF THE COAST GUARD WHO HAVE BEEN AT THIS EVENT FROM 14:58:21 ITS BEGINNING. THEY HAVE WORKED SWIFTLY, THEY 14:58:24 HAVE WORKED TIRELESSLY INTIRELEY RESPONSE TO WHAT, AS SENATOR 14:58:29 COLLINS RIGHTLY NOTED, IS ONE OY THE MOST DEVASTATING 14:58:33 ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTERS THIS NATION HAS EVER FACED. 14:58:35 AND I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS MY OWN SYMPATHIES TO THE ENVMENL 14:58:40 EVMILIES OF THE WORKERS WHO WERE KILLED IN THE INITIAL EXPLOSION. 14:58:43 IT WAS A TERRIBLE HUMAN TRAGEDY EVEN AS WE CONTINUE TO DEAL WITE 14:58:48 THE ENVIRONMENTAL OUTFLOW FROM IT. 14:58:50 IT IS A CONSTANTLY-EVOLVING CONT SITUATION. 14:58:54 THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS BROUGHT ALL RESOURCES TO BEAR TH 14:58:56 LIMIT THE SPILL'S ENVIRONMENTALO ECONOMIC AND PUBLIC HEALTH 14:59:00 IMPACTS AND INSURE THAT COMMUNITIES AND NATURAL LIMIT 14:59:03 RESOURCES OF THE GULF COAST ARE RESTORED AND MADE WHOLE BY 14:59:09 BRITISH PETROLEUM. DHS, AS YOU NOTED S THEDHS 14:59:15 PRINCIPAL COORDINATING AGENCY. I BELIEVE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME 14:59:20 IT'S ACTUALLY BEEN OVERLAID ON THE NATIONAL RESPONSE FRAMEWORK 14:59:24 ENABLING US TO COORDINATE ACROSS NO. 5 14:59:26 THE MANY FEDERAL AGENCIES AND TO DO THE INTERAGENCY CONSULTATIONC 14:59:31 AND INVOLVEMENT NECESSARY FORENA THIS BILL. 14:59:36 WE ARE LITERALLY WORKING 24/7 TN INSURE THE EFFICIENT DEPLOYMENT 14:59:43 OF RESPAPONSE, ASSETS, PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT, AND THE IMPACT TI 14:59:47 DATE SPEAKS OF THEIR EXTENSIVE EFFORTS. SAKS 14:59:50 FIRST, I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU A QUICK UPDATE ON THE CURRENTIVE 14:59:53 STATUS AS OF THE TIME I LEFT,STS AND THEN I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE 15:00:20 more than 17-thousand personnel in gulf region, 2100 volunteers trained, 750 vessels currently responding: skimmers, tugs, barges, recovery vessels 15:00:55 deployed 1.7 million foot of boom, another 1.9 million foot in supply chain *15:01:20 insure we can respond within 24 hours, or 4 or 5 miles reported of oil hitting shore. 15:01:45 more than 6.6 million gallons oily water recovered 15:02:06 17 staging areas set up - 17,500 national guard members approved. No reported delays or closures to shipping. No vessels required decontamination 15:02:43 yesterday BP attempted another test by inserting small pipe 15:02:56 BP reports the pipe is recovering some oil and gas, no confirmation on rate and flow 15:03:21 we will continue to bring all resources to bear until well is tapped, oil is cleaned up, and claims are paid 15:03:41 federal scientists continue provide oversight and expertise to BP **15:04:07 the response to this incident began immediately and has remained constant and strong over the last four weeks 15:04:24 coast guard was first on scene 15:04:38 april 21: named mary landry regional response coordinator 15:05:37 [Napolitano reads timeline of 'immediate' govt response] *15:06:04 no oil leak was apparent. *15:06:24 the next day, Saturday april 24th BP found the first two leaks. 15:06:51 on Wednesday first controlled boom 15:06:58 later that day BP discovered additional leak *15:08:02 doing everything we can to make sure personnel and equipment efficiently deployed and utilized. 15:08:52 government has mobilized best scientists and experts to work with BP 15:09:31 we are keeping the public engaged and making sure people who want *15:09:41 we are ensuring BP as responsible party is paying cost of cleanup and compensating 15:09:58 claims can be filed online, an access point we've been urging BP to make available for weeks *15:10:15 BP has not yet denied a claim 15:11:18 LIEBERMAN questions *why not prepared to deal with this kind of blowout?* *15:12:46 NAP: before the blowout it is clear there was assumption BOP would never fail. Plans submitted based on that assumption. 15:13:12 NAP: there have been extensive plans prepared under national response framework 15:13:34 NAP: those plans not only exist but are exercised 15:14:15 NAP; before spill there was overreliance on BOP. Post-spill there was extensive planning exercise framework in place. *but those drills were not for deepwater blowout?* 15:15:05 JOE what do you do when deepwater blows? What do you do with oil under the water *trained for dealing with consequences of deepwater?* 15:15:45 NEFF we do however drill for massive oil releases *prepare for possibility of BOP failure?* 15:18:38 NEFF this spill raises a lot of questions like that *15:18:48 NEFF we certainly never anticipated ongoing release of this magnitude. Have to go back and look at planning for various contingency plans. 15:19:54 NAP further deepwater permits are going to be stopped until this is investigated 15:20:15 all working together to say 'what power should MMS have had that it didn't?' 'was there overreliance on the BOP?' *15:20:45 this isn't about who's responsible for paying. Our work is to make sure the well is capped, make sure it is cleaned up, make sure oil is prevented from hitting landfall, make sure claims are paid 15:21:30 COLLINS questions *why wouldn't you have coast guard share info with MMS, also be responsible for co-approval of plan?-one agency approves plan above water, different agency approves plan for wellehead. Broaden USCG responsibility?* 15:22:30 NAP a lot will be looked at 15:22:42 NEFF I would concur, we need to look *what is assessment of expertise we have today in government to deal with spills of national significance?* 15:26:04 NEFF we have capability now and people who have looked at this. In private industry *15:26:25 NEFF I do believe we have capability.been impressed with what ive seen. *resources adequately deployed by BP?* 15:28:37 NAP this was an evolving spill *15:28:45 NAP I would like to reserve judgment on adequacy of private sector response 15:29:00 NAP heads were in Washington very quickly.they have been in command centers 15:29:24 15:29:24 15:30:12 McCAIN questions *best/worse case scenarios* 15:31:15 NAP worst case scenario is we'll be at this for quite a while *optimism?* **15:32:04 I'm just taking it day by day. We are in middle of this crisis. 15:33:55 *border crisis* 15:35:43 I want to know whether you're going to send Guard to the border or not? 15:36:39 homes being violated. 15:38:00 NAP not the kind of law I would have signed. Bad law enforcement. 15:39:49 LANDRIEU questions *when will flow be stopped? Others, etc.* 15:48:39 PRYOR questions 15:49:21 NEFF what OPA of 1990 provides is op to reach into emergency fund 15:49:37 NEFF initial 50 million dollars available, can take one time 100 million dollars *budget hampered? 15:50:38 NEFF budget situation has not hampered *exercises* *15:52:54 NEFF there has been improved response. Improved over Valdez 15:53:35 NEFF we think we have pretty robust exercise program 15:55:31 LIEBERMAN questions *consequences (plume)* 15:55:48 NAP we have to be careful about what is being assumed about undersea plume 15:56:04 NAP some of early reports made based on observation 15:56:20 NAP need to continue to watch undersea plume as one develops 15:56:37 NAP that process being looked at with consortium of govt scientists 15:56:52 NAP NOAA director responsed to statements that seemed inaccurate 15:57:03 NAP EPA has approved undersea use of dispersants *plumes: can move from source?* 15:58:42 NEFF we're preparing for potential impact on southern florida coast 15:58:53 NEFF likely oil picked up will be heavily weatherd. Likely to be tarballs, a little easier to cleanup. More manageable. SEGMENT [1] 2010/05/17 ************************************************ Gulf Coast Oil Spill Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing with Janet Napolitano, Secretary of Homeland Security, and Lamar McKay, the president and CEO of BP, America. 15:00:01 YOU SOME DETAIL ON THE ORIGINAL RESPONSE BECAUSE IT IS OF SOME 15:00:07 IMPORTANT INTEREST BY H OF YOU.E BY MANY OF YOU. 15:00:11 MORE THAN 17,000 PERSONNEL ARE CURRENTLY IN THE GULF REGION 15:00:14 CONDUCTING RESPONSE ACTIVITIES. IN ADDITION, MORE THAN 2100 15:00:19 VOLUNTEERS HAVE BEEN TRAINED TO HELP DEAL WITH ANY POTENTIAL 15:00:22 EFFECTS OF OIL ONSHORE. MORE THAN 750 VESSELS ARE 15:00:26 CURRENTLY RESPONDING TO THIS SPILL INCLUDING SKIMMERS, TUGS, 15:00:32 BARGES AND RECOVERY VESSELS THAT ASSIST IN CONTAINMENT AND 15:00:36 CLEAN-UP EFFORTS. THIS IS IN ADDITION TO DOZENS OF 15:00:39 AIRCRAFT, REMOTELY-OPERATED VEHICLES AND OTHER ASSETS BEING 15:00:43 DEPLOYED. WE HAVE DEPLOYED 1.7 MILLION 15:00:48 FOOT OF BOOM TO DATE, AND WE HAVE ANOTHER 1.9 MILLION FEET OF 15:00:53 BOOM IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN. AIRCRAFT ARE CONSTANTLY 15:00:57 MONITORING THE INTEGRITY OF THE BOOM AND ARE DIRECTING POLLUTION 15:01:01 RESPONSE TEAMS TO MAKE NECESSARY ADJUSTMENT TO THE LINES. 15:01:06 WE HAVE, ARE ABLE WITH THESE SUPPLIES TO INSURE THAT WE CAN 15:01:13 RESPOND WITHIN 24 HOURS OR 5 MILES OF OIL HITTING SHORE, 15:01:19 WHICHEVER WOULD BE SOONER. LET ME JUST SAY THAT THE BOOM IS 15:01:23 SET UP AND DEPLOYED IN STAGING AREAS SO THAT IT CAN BE DEPLOYED 15:01:27 WITHIN 24 HOURS OR 5 MILES OF OIL, WHICHEVER WOULD BE SOONER. 15:01:32 MORE THAN 6.6 MILLION GALLONS OF OILY WATER HAVE BEEN RECOVERED, 15:01:38 APPROXIMATELY 625,000 GALLONS OF DISPERSANT HAVE BEEN APPLIED. 15:01:42 THIS INCLUDES APPROXIMATELY 45,000 GALLONS APPLIED SUBSEA, A 15:01:48 METHOD THAT HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE NATIONAL RESPONSE TEAM. 15:01:52 AND FOR THE FIRST TIME.ND FOR SEVENTEEN STAGING AREAS ARE 15:01:57 CURRENTLY SET UP TO PROTECTRRENO VITAL SHORELINE. 15:02:00 WE HAVE APPROVED THE USE OF UP TO 17,500 NATIONAL GUARDTO 15:02:04 MEMBERS, MORE THAN 1450 AREMBER, CURRENTLY DEPLOYED. 15:02:08 ALL SHIPPING CHANNELS AND PORTSG REMAIN OPEN IN THE GULF COAST 15:02:12 REGION. THERE ARE NO REPORTED DELAYS OR 15:02:15 CLOSURES TO SHIPPING. NO VESSELS HAVE REQUIRED 15:02:18 CLEANING OR DECONTAMINATION, BUT OUR TEAMS ARE ON STANDBY IF SUCH 15:02:23 A NEED ARISES.RISES. DRILLING HAS COMMENCED ON BOTH 15:02:28 RELIEF WELLS WHICH WILL RELIEVE PRESSURE AND PERMANENTLY STOP 15:02:31 THE FLOW OF OIL. FLOW YESTERDAY BP ATTEMPTED ANOTHER 15:02:34 TEST TO CONTAIN SOME OF THE OILF LEAKING FROM THE RISER BY 15:02:39 INSERTING A SMALL PIPE INTO IT M CARRYING OIL DIRECTLY UP TO THE 15:02:43 SURFACE TO A COLLECTION VESSEL.O AS OF THIS MORNING, BP REPORTSFS 15:02:47 THE PIPE IS RECOVERING SOME OILS AND GAS. 15:02:50 THERE'S NO CONFIRMATION YET ON THE RATE OF FLOW. 15:02:55 MNS AND BP ARE MONITORING THIS TEST CLOSELY TODAY AND ADJUSTING 15:03:00 PRESSURES TO ACHIEVE THE HIGHEST TONCENTRATIONS OF OIL BEING 15:03:03 BROUGHT TO THE SURFACE. NOW, IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT 15:03:07 EVEN IF THIS EFFORT IS SUCCESSFUL, IT WILL NOT CHANGE 15:03:11 OUR POSTURE.F WE WILL CONTINUE TO BRING ALL 15:03:14 RESOURCES TO BEAR UNTIL THE WELL IS TAPPED, THE OIL IS CLEANED 15:03:17 UP, AND THE CLAIMS ARE PAID. THAT SAID, WE ARE ALSO ACTIVELY 15:03:23 EXPLORING OTHER METHODS TO TETIGATE THE SPILL'S IMPACT. 15:03:27 RIGHT NOW FEDERAL SCIENTISTS ARE CONTINUING TO PROVIDE OVERSIGHT 15:03:31 AND EXPERTISE TO BP AS THEY MOVE FORWARD WITH OTHER STRATEGIES TO 15:03:35 CONTAIN THE SPILL AND STOP THE FLOW OF OIL. 15:03:39 AND THIS WEEKEND BP STAGED OI 15:03:42 EQUIPMENT FOR A TECHNIQUE CALLED THE TOP KILL WHICH WILL PUMP 15:03:46 HEAVY FLUIDS INTO THE WELL AND ATTEMPT TO STOP THE FLOW OF OIL. 15:03:50 THIS OPERATION IS EXPECTED TO IN 15:03:52 START AT THE END OF THIS WEEK.T NOW, AS I SAID EARLIER, THED OF. 15:03:56 RESPONSE TO THIS INCIDENT BEGAN IMMEDIATELY AND HAS REMAINED 15:04:00 CONSTANT AND STRONG OVER THE PAST FOUR WEEKS. 15:04:04 WHEN THE EXPLOSION ON THE DEEP SHORE -- DEEPWATER HORIZON 15:04:10 OCCURRED LATE AT NIGHT ON TUESDAY, APRIL THE 20, THE COAST 15:04:14 GUARD WAS FIRST ON THE SCENE WITH TWO CUTTERS AND AIRCRAFT 15:04:18 BEGINNING A LARGE-SCALE SEARCH AND RESCUE EFFORT. 15:04:21 BY THE MORNING, 115 CREW MEMBERS WERE ACCOUNTED FOR. 15:04:26 ON APRIL THE 21ST, WE NAMED MARY LANDRY THE FEDERAL ON-SCENE 15:04:32 COORDINATOR TO HEAD UP THE REGIONAL RESPONSE TEAM COMPRISED 15:04:35 OF FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL REPRESENTATIVES AND LAUNCHED AN 15:04:39 INTERAGENCY INVESTIGATION. IN OTHER WORDS, FROM APRIL THE 15:04:43 21ST WE WERE ALREADY BEGINNINGRE TO BRING RESOURCES TO BEAR IN AN 15:04:46 INTERGOVERNMENTAL WAY TO THIS TRAGEDY. 15:04:48 ON THE MORNING OF THURSDAY, TRA. APRIL, THE OIL RIG SANK 15:04:53 WITH 700,000 OF GALLONS OFTHIS DIESEL FUEL ONBOARD. 15:05:01 THIS PROMPTED THE NATIONAL RESPONSE TEAM WHICH INCLUDES 15:05:05 LEADERSHIP FROM THE WHITE HOUSE TO DHS TO THE EPA AND THE A BRIS 15:05:09 DEPARTMENTS OF DEFENSE, COMMERCE AND INTERIOR. DEPARTMT 15:05:12 I LEAD THE NRT AS THE PRINCIPALE FEDERAL OFFICIAL RESPONSIBLE FOR 15:05:18 COORDINATING THE FEDERAL RESPONSE. 15:05:19 THE DERAL DAY PRESIDENT OBAMA CONVENED A PRINCIPALS MEETINGIDT 15:05:24 HADUT THE INCIDENT. AT THIS TIME THERE WERE NO 15:05:28 APPARENT OIL LEAKS, BUT 100,000 APPARE 15:05:31 GALLONS OF DISPERSANTS WERE PREPOSITIONED. 15:05:34 WE ALSO INITIATED INTERGOVERNMENTAL CALLS TO 15:05:37 PROVIDE UPDATES ON THE SITUATION TO POTENTIALLY AFFECTED 15:05:41 POTENTLLYES ALONG THE GULF COAST. AFFEC 15:05:43 ONTED FRIDAY, APRIL THE 23RD, E SUNKEN RIG WAS FOUND ON THE 15:05:49 OCEAN FLOOR WITH AN OIL SHEEN ESTIMATED AT 8400 GALLONS 15:05:55 NEARBY. THE NO OIL LEAK WAS APPARENT, BUT NT 15:05:57 THE NRT CONVENED IN ORDER TO PLAN AHEAD IN CASE THE SITUATION 15:06:02 DETERIORATED CONTINUING TO PREPOSITION VESSELS AND 15:06:05 DISPERSANTS AND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF FEET OF BOOM IN 15:06:09 PREPARATION FOR SUCH A WORST-CASE SCENARIO. 15:06:11 THE NEXT DAY, SATURDAY, APRIL THE 24TH, BP FOUND THE FIRST TWI 15:06:17 LEAKS AND ALERTED THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. 15:06:19 THE FIRST THREE EQUIPMENT-STAGING LOCATIONS WERE 15:06:22 STOOD UP AT VENICE, LOUISIANA, BILOXI, MISSISSIPPI, AND 15:06:26 PENSACOLA, FLORIDA. ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL AND VESSELS 15:06:32 WERE DEPLOYED TO THE AREA. WE BEGAN TO ACTUALLY MOVE 15:06:35 ADDITIONAL BOOM THERE THE NEXT DAY. 15:06:38 ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL THE 28TH, THE FIRST CONTROLLED BURN 15:06:42 OPERATION WAS CONDUCTED, AND IT WAS SUCCESSFUL. 15:06:45 LATER THAT DAY BP DISCOVERED AN ADDITIONAL LEAK FROM THE OIL 15:06:50 WELL. BY THIS TIME THE DISCOVERY OF 15:06:52 THE THIRD LEAK, WE HAD ALREADY MUSTERED 50 RESPONSE VESSELS, 15:06:58 ROUGHLY 150,000 FEET OF BOOM HAD BEEN DEPLOYED. 15:07:01 WE HAD APPLIED 56,000 GALLONS OF DISPERSANTS, AND WE HAD OVER A 15:07:06 THOUSAND PERSONNEL WORKING THE SCENE. 15:07:09 ON THURSDAY, APRIL THE 29TH, I DESIGNATED THE EVENT A SPILL OF 15:07:16 NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE WHICH BUILT ON THE OPERATIONAL AND 15:07:19 POLICY COORDINATION ALREADY UNDERWAY FROM THE BEGINNING OF 15:07:22 THIS RESPONSE. NOW, BY THIS DAY WE HAD 70 15:07:27 VESSELS ALREADY ON SCENE, 1100 PERSONNEL AND MORE BOOM AND 15:07:31 DISPERSANT AT THE READY. ON MAY THE 1ST, WE ANNOUNCED 15:07:35 THAT ADMIRAL THAT'D ALLEN, THE OUTGOING COMMANDANT OF THE COAST 15:07:42 COMMR. WOULD SERVE AS THE INCIDENT COMMANDER. 15:07:44 LET ME BRIEFLY DESCRIBE THE ONGOING ACTIVITIES. 15:07:49 WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO INSURE THAT VITAL RESPONSE 15:07:52 ASSETS, PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT ARE EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY 15:07:56 DEPLOYED AND UTILIZED. I HAVE VISITED EACH OF THE 15:08:00 RESPECTIVE STATES TO SEE THAT EFFORTS ARE UNDERWAY AND 15:08:04 FIRSTHAND MEETING WITH GOVERNORS, MAYORS, FIRST 15:08:06 RESPONDERS AND IMPACTED COMMUNITIES. 15:08:08 WE ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS 15:08:11 EVERY STEP OF THE WAY ON JOINT RESPONSE PLANS AND THROUGH THE 15:08:14 COMMAND CENTERS. WE HAVE DAILY CALLS WITH 15:08:17 GOVERNORS, MAYORS AND MEMBERS OF THE CONGRESS. 15:08:20 WE ARE OVERSEEING BP, THE RESPONSIBLE PARTY, IN ITS 15:08:24 EFFORTS TO STOP THE LEAK AT ITS SOURCE, REDUCE THE SPREAD OF 15:08:28 OIL, PROTECT THE SHORELINE AND MITIGATE DAMAGES. 15:08:32 DRILLING RELIEF WELLS, WHICH WILL RELIEVE PRESSURE AND 15:08:36 PERMANENTLY STOP THE PRESSURE OF OIL AS I MENTIONED, IS UNDERWAY. 15:08:40 THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS MOBILIZED ITS BEST SCIENTISTS 15:08:44 AND INDUSTRY EXPERTS TO WORK WITH BP TO IDENTIFY OTHER 15:08:48 STRATEGIES FOR SEALING THE WELL. AND THE PRESIDENT HAS TASKED THE 15:08:51 DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY TO PROVIDE EXPERTISE ON THAT FRONT. 15:08:55 ABOVE THE SURFACE WE CONTINUE TO CONDUCT CONTROLLED BURNS, SKIMEI 15:08:59 OIL AND APPLY CHEMICAL DISPERSANTS TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT 15:09:03 OF OIL AND BREAK UP THE SLICKEDE FAR OFFSHORE. 15:09:06 OF WE ARE DEPLOYING BOOM TO PROTECT 15:09:08 WE ARE SHORELINE AND WILDLIFE IN ALL 15:09:10 THE GULF STATES THAT COULD BE AFFECTED, AND IMMEDIATELY 15:09:14 DISPATCHING CLEAN-UP TEAMS WHEN OIL -- GENERALLY IN THE FORM OF 15:09:19 TARBALLS -- REACHES THE SHORE. WE ARE KEEPING THE PUBLIC 15:09:22 ENGAGED AND MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE WHO WANT TO VOLUNTEER FOR 15:09:26 CLEAN UP, FOR HELPING TO DEPLOY BOOM OR IN OTHER WAYS CAN HELP. 15:09:30 AND WE ARE INSURING THAT BRITISH PETROLEUM AS THE RESPONSIBLE 15:09:34 PARTY IS PAYING THE COSTS OF THE CLEAN UP AND COMPENSATING 15:09:38 INDIVIDUALS, COMMUNITIES AND BUSINESSES THAT HAVE SUFFERED 15:09:41 ALREADY AS A RESULT OF THISCOMMD SPILL. 15:09:45 ACTUALLY, BEGINNING TODAY THEIR CLAIMS CAN ACTUALLY BE FILED 15:09:50 ONLINE, AN ACCESS POINT WE'VE BEEN USUALING BP TO MAKE. 15:09:54 AVAILABLE FOR THE PAST FEW WEEKS. 15:09:56 SO FAR OVER 16,000 CLAIMS HAVE BEEN FILED BY AFFECTEDED 15:10:00 INDIVIDUALS AND BUSINESSES.BY BP HAS PAID OUT OVER $9.6 15:10:05 MILLION, IT HAS NOT YET DENIED A CLAIM. 15:10:08 LOOKING AHEAD, THE ADMINISTRATION WILL CONTINUE THA 15:10:11 STRONG RESPONSE THAT WE HAVE SUSTAINED SINCE THE 20TH OF WEAE 15:10:14 APRIL. WE WILL MOBILIZE EVERY AVAILABLE 15:10:17 RESOURCE TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT, ECONOMY AND PUBLIC 15:10:20 HEALTH IN THE GULF REGION WITHIE ALL HANDS ONNT DECK. 15:10:23 THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE WITH YOU 15:10:27 TODAY. I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER YOUR 15:10:29 QUESTIONS. THANKS VERY MUCH, MADAM 15:10:32 SECRETARY. BEFORE I ASK MY QUESTIONS, I 15:10:34 WILL DO A SEVEN-MINUTE ROUND. I HAVE A CIRCUIT IN MY HEAD, I 15:10:41 THINK I KEPT REFERRING TO MMS BY THE WRONG NAME. 15:10:45 IT'S THE MINERALS MANAGEMENT MIN SERVICE, SO LET THE RECORDER SH. 15:10:49 I APPRECIATE VERY MUCH THE RESPONSE EFFORTS, IT'S REALLY 15:10:53 QUITE ENORMOUS, THAT YOU'VE DESCRIBED, SECRETARY NAPOLITANO, 15:10:57 THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS INVOLVED THIS AND THAT BP IS INVOLVED INE 15:11:02 BUT I WANT TO GO BACK AGAIN TO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS I RAISED O 15:11:06 IN MY OPENING STATEMENT, ANDOPEG THIS REALLY GOES TO PREPAREDNESS 15:11:10 UNIQUELY FOR A PROBLEM WITH THEE DEEPWATER WRELL, AND I'LL ASK 15:11:17 YOU, MADAM SECRETARY. MAY W END UP THAT THIS ISYOU, 15:11:21 TECHNICAL AND YOU WANT THE SECR, ADMIRAL TO RESPOND IS, BUT B 15:11:23 HERE'S THE QUESTION AND LET METE JUST SPEAK AS SOMEBODY WHO'SUES, 15:11:26 BEEN WATCHING THIS. A SPEAK TO AS YOU W SATCOMH, AS WE WATCH TE 15:11:30 COMPANY, THE GOVERNMENT TRYING E DESPERATELY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO 15:11:35 CLOSE THIS WELL, TO STOP THISTO SPILL IN THE GULF WE, OBVIOUSLY, 15:11:42 HAVE TO CONCLUDE THAT PEOPLE WEREN'T PREPARED TO DO IT, 15:11:45 WEREN'T PREPARED TO DEAL WITH THIS KIND OF PROBLEM. 15:11:49 IN FACT, AS THE COMPANY SAID QUITE HONESTLY, THEY HAD CAPPED 15:11:55 WELLS BEFORE, PERHAPS SOME THAT HAD A FAILURE OF THE BLOWOUT 15:11:59 PREVENTER, BUT NEVER AT THIS DEPTH. 15:12:02 SO WHY SHOULDN'T THE COMMITTEE, I OR ANYBODY IN THIS COUNTRY 15:12:08 CONCLUDE THAT, IN FACT, WE WERE, WE WERE NOT PREPARED, EITHER THE 15:12:14 GOVERNMENT OR THE COMPANY BY DEMAND OF THE PERMITTING 15:12:20 AUTHORITIES, TO DEAL WITH THIS KIND OF BLOWOUT OF A DEEPWATER 15:12:25 WELL? LET ME DIVIDE IT, IF I MIGHT, 15:12:28 MR. CHAIRMAN, INTO BEFORE THE BLOWOUT AND AFTER THE BLOWOUT. 15:12:34 OKAY.ORE THE I THINK BEFORE THE BLOWOUT IT 15:12:39 IS CLEAR THAT THERE WAS AN ASSUMPTION THAT A BOP WOULD 15:12:44 NEVER FAIL AND THAT PLANS WERE SUBMITTED BASED TO THE MMS WHICH 15:12:49 IS PART OF THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR BASED ON THAT 15:12:52 ASSUMPTION. AND I'VE READ SOME OF THE SAMEIE 15:12:56 MATERIALS THAT YOU HAVE. BUT FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF AN 15:13:01 EXPLOSION AND A SPILL, THERE HAVE BEEN EXTENSIVE PLANS 15:13:05 PREPARED UNDER THE NATIONAL PLAS RESPONSE FRAMEWORK. 15:13:08 THERE ARE AREA CON TIN GENERALTY CITY -- CON TIN GIN SI PLANS PUT 15:13:15 FRGETHER THAT INCLUDE INTENSIVE EFFORTS THERE STATES, 15:13:19 LOCALITIES, PARISHES, THERE ARED THE REGIONAL RESPONSE PLANS AND 15:13:22 THEN THERE'S THE NATIONAL RESPONSE FRAMEWORK. 15:13:25 THOSE PLANS NOT ONLY EXIST, BUT ARE EXERCISED ON A REGULAR 15:13:29 BASIS. INDEED, I THINK THERE WAS AN 15:13:32 AREA RESPONSE PLAN FOR AN OIL-RELATED INCIDENT JUST IN 15:13:37 MARCH OFF OF THE COAST OF MAINE, SENATOR COLLINS. 15:13:43 AND THERE WAS A NATIONAL EXERCISE WITH THE EXACT PREMISE 15:13:47 OF THIS WHICH IS A MAJOR SPILL IN THE GULF COAST. 15:13:51 RIGHT. THAT WAS DONE IN 2002, AND 15:13:55 ADMIRAL ALLEN WAS THE NATIONAL COMMANDER FOR THAT EXERCISE AND, 15:13:59 INDEED, HE'S THE NATIONAL INCIDENT COMMANDER HERE. 15:14:03 SO TO THE EXTENT THAT BEFORE SPILL THERE WAS OVERRELIANCE, 15:14:09 PERHAPS, ON THE B.O.P., THAT WILL BECOME MORE CLEAR AS THE 15:14:13 INVESTIGATION PROCEEDS. RIGHT. 15:14:15 ISN'T IT -- POST-SPILL, THOUGH, THERE WAS 15:14:20 AN EXTENSIVE PLANNING EXERCISE FRAMEWORK IN PLACE. 15:14:24 YEAH. BUT ISN'T IT TRUE THAT, AND, 15:14:27 ADMIRAL, I WELCOME YOU TO COMMENT ON THIS, THAT THOSE 15:14:31 KINDS OF DRILLS WERE NOT REALLY TO DEAL WITH A BLOWOUT IN A 15:14:36 DEEPWATER WELL? IN OTHER WORDS, THERE WAS A LOT 15:14:37 OF WORK DONE, AND THERE'S BEEN ENORMOUS EFFORT AT RESPONSE. 15:14:42 AND I THINK IT'S REALLY HAD AN EFFECT ON THE WATER ON THE 15:14:45 SURFACE. BUT NOW WE'VE GOT TWO ENORMOUS 15:14:48 PROBLEMS THAT I DON'T BELIEVEAVS UNLESS YOU CAN CONVINCE ME 15:14:51 OTHERWISE THAT WE WERE READY TO, DEAL WITH AND THE COMPANY WASN'T 15:14:54 EITHER WHICH IS WHAT DO YOU DOTA WHEN A DEEPWATER WELL BLOWS, AND 15:14:57 THEN WHAT DO YOU DO ABOUT THE OIL UNDER THE WATER THAT IS NOWR 15:15:01 ACCUMULATING IN THIS MASSIVEH PLUME? 15:15:03 ADMIRAL, DOES THE COAST GUARD -- COASARD -- DO A LOT OF DRILLING, 15:15:08 DO YOU DRILL FOR DEALING WITH, T MEAN, YOU KNOW, TRAIN FOR 15:15:15 DEALING WITH THE CONSEQUENCES OF A DEEPWATER WELL EXPLOSION? 15:15:21 MR. CHAIRMAN, WE DON'T DRILL THIS SPECIFIC SCENARIO, NO.RILL 15:15:26 WHAT WE, AND WHAT THE SECRETARYN WAS REFERRING TO WAS THE SPILL A 15:15:29 OF NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE EXERCISE THAT WE DO EVERY THREE 15:15:32 YEARS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. RIGHT. 15:15:34 WE DO, HOWEVER, DRILL FOR DRF MASSIVE OIL RELEASES, AND INLEAS 15:15:38 THIS CASE WE DID DRILL IN 2002 FOR MASSIVE OIL RELEASE FROM A 15:15:42 WELLHEAD DISCHARGE IN THE GULFE. OF MEXICO, ALTHOUGH IT WAS NOT 15:15:45 AT ALL LIKE THIS SPECIFICIKE SCENARIO. 15:15:48 AND WAS IT AS DEEP AS THISN'P WELL? 15:15:50 NO, SIR, IT WAS NOT. THI AND AS SENATOR COLLINS SAID, 15:15:53 MY UNDERSTANDING THAT INCREASINGLY IN THE GULF ANDY US 15:15:56 ELSEWHERE WE'RE USING DEEPWATERL WELLS, IS THAT TRUE BASED ON 15:15:59 WHAT YOU KNOW? WE'RE DEEPWATER DRILLING. 15:16:02 I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT NUMBEI OF DEEPWATER WELLS. 15:16:05 I KNOW IT'S SOME 1% OF ALL THE WELLS THAT ARE OUT THERE, AND I. 15:16:10 GUESS I WOULD HAVE TO REFER TO F MMS FOR THE EXACT NUMBER. WLD 15:16:13 BUT THERE IS AN INCREASINGEFER T AMOUNT OF ACTIVITY IN THE DEEPER 15:16:16 PARTS OF THE OUTER CONTINENTAL V SHELF, YES, SIR. 15:16:18 I KNOW EPTHATER THE COAST GU, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, HAS 15:16:23 CONT RESPONSIBILITY FOR APPROVING OIL 15:16:25 SPILL RESPONSE PLANS THAT COME O FROM WHAT IS CALLED THE VEZ EL 15:16:29 OR WHAT I WOULD CALL THE RIG, WHAT'S ON THE SURFACE OF THE 15:16:33 WATER, AND THE MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE HAS TOTVICE 15:16:38 APPROVE THE PLAN FOR A SPILL THOSE 15:16:40 FROM A WELL NO MATTER WHAT DEPTH. 15:16:42 BUT I WANTED TO ASK YOU IF TWO THINGS. 15:16:47 ONE IS GOING BACK TO SOMETHING G SAID IN MYOING OPENING STATEMENY 15:16:50 DOES IT MAKE SENSE THAT BP WAS ENABLED TO FILE JUST A REGIONAL 15:16:57 RESPONSE PLAN WHICH PRESUMABLY WOULD COVER BOTH DEEPWATER AND 15:17:01 MORE SHALLOW WATER WELLS ASCOVER OPPOSED TO A SPECIFIC RESPONSE 15:17:05 PLAN FOR EACH WELL, PARTICULARLS THE DEEPWATER WELLS?E 15:17:09 WELL, I CAN TELL YOU, YOU S? 15:17:12 KNOW, IN OUR CASE WE REQUIRE SPECIFIC RESPONSE PLANS PERRE SI 15:17:15 VESSEL THAT'S REQUIRED TO, THATL WE THINK MIGHT HAVE THE W 15:17:18 POTENTIAL TO DISCHARGE -- OKAY, THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT. 15:17:20 SO YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT APPROACH THAN MMS DOES ON THAT. 15:17:24 YES, SIR, WE DO. DOES ON WELL, THAT'S IMPORTANT. 15:17:27 LET ME JUST ASK YOU, FINALLY, BECAUSE MY TIME IS WINDING DOWN, 15:17:36 I THINK SECRETARY SAID ITI CORRECTLY AND I AGREE WITH HER D 15:17:39 FROM WHAT I'VE LOOKED AT, THERE FROM 15:17:41 WAS TOTAL RELIANCE PUT ON THIS W BLOWOUT PREVENTER. 15:17:44 BUT IN THE END LIKE SO MUCH, YOU , ENDIN LIFE, IT'S A PIECE OF 15:17:48 EQUIPMENT, AND THEY FAIL. IN FACT, THERE WAS SOMEUIPMENT. 15:17:50 EVIDENCE, AS I SAID, THAT THE EE BLOWOUT PREVENTERS HAD FAILE 15:17:53 SOME IN THE PAST.OU NOT A LARGE NUMBER AND NEVER THE 15:17:57 WITH A SPILL OF THIS KIND. BUT BECAUSE COAST GUARD HASE COD 15:18:05 RESPONSIBILITY FOR MARINE OIL SPILLS WHAT DO YOU THINK SHOULD 15:18:09 BE DONE TO TRY TO HAVE A LEVEL OF PREPAREDNESS THAT ALLOWS FOR 15:18:17 THE POSSIBILITY WHICH MAY BE ALE RARE, BUT AS WE SEE NOW IN THE E 15:18:21 GULF, CONSEQUENCES ARE ENORMOUSS OF A FAILURE OF A BLOWOUT 15:18:26 PREVENTER? WELL, SENATOR, I THINK THAT 15:18:28 THIS SPILL RAISES A LOT OF QUESTIONS LIKE THAT THAT WE'RE 15:18:31 GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE A GOOD, R HARD LOOK AT.IONS LIKE THAT 15:18:33 I MEAN, CLEARLY, THIS IS BEYONDD WHAT WE ANTICIPATED BEING 15:18:37 SOMETHING THAT COULD HAPPEN. WE CERTAINLY NEVER ANTICIPATEDAN 15:18:40 NN ONGOING RELEASE OF THIS HAPPE MAGNITUDE OVER THIS PERIOD OF 15:18:42 TIME.IPATED A SO I THINKN THAT THAT IS A VERY 15:18:45 QUESTION THAT HAS TO BE VERREALE ADDRESSED.HA 15:18:48 AT A MINIMUM,T WE'RE GOING TOWEH REVE TO LOOK AT OUR PLANNING 15:18:52 ADDRSED.FOR FUTURE REVISIONS OF OUR VARIOUS CONTINGENCY PLANS.OO 15:18:55 MADAM SECRETARY, I KNOW THAT YOU'RE WORKING WITH SECRETARYPL. 15:18:58 SALAZAR AND MAYBE ONE OR TWO I U OTHERS ON THIS SHORT-TERM WITH 15:19:04 SECRET INVESTIGATION STUDY THAT THE 15:19:05 PRESIDENT HAS ASKED ON YOU TO D, AND I HOPE -- I'M SURE YOU AED T 15:19:07 PROBABLY WERE O DOING IT SUR ALREADY -- THAT YOU'LL TAKE AG T 15:19:10 CLOSE LOOK AT THE SPECIAL SPECIL REQUIREMENTS FOR PROTECTION THAT 15:19:15 IT SEEMS TO ME WE NOW HAVE ALL V LEARNED HAVE TO APPLY TO 15:19:19 DEEPWATER DRILLING, INCLUDING THE BLOWOUT PREVENTERS THAT IBRD 15:19:23 FEAR OR WERE NOT APPLIED BY MMS BEFORE. 15:19:26 IF I MIGHT, MR. CHAIRMAN, YOU KNOW, WITH EVERY INCIDENT THAT 15:19:33 OCCURS LESSONS ARE LEARNED.NTS T RIGHT. W 15:19:35 AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THE PRESIDENT HAS WT 15:19:39 BEEN SO VERY CLEAR THAT FURTHER DEEPWATER DRILLING PERMITS ARE 15:19:44 GOING TO BE STOPPED UNTIL THISDR CAN BE INVESTIGATED AND 15:19:50 WSURANCES CAN BE GAINED THATTHS THINGS HAVE BEEN CHANGED SO THAS 15:19:53 WE DON'T HAVE A DUPLICATION OF THE DEEPWATER HORIZON INCIDENT. 15:19:57 AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, PRUDENCE WOULD DICTATE THAT THAT WOULD BE 15:20:01 WHAT WOULD HAPPEN. AND SO I THINK WE'RE ALL WORKING 15:20:04 TOGETHER TO SAY, ALL RIGHT, WHAD HAPPENS HERE -- WHAT HAPPENED 15:20:11 HERE, WHAT POWER SHOULD MMS HAVE THAT IT SHOULDN'T HAVE HAD, WHAD 15:20:16 POWERS DID IT NOT EXERCISE, WASE THERE OVERRELIANCE ON THE EXERC? 15:20:20 B.O.P., WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE B.O.P.? 15:20:25 I SAID I THINK THAT PERHAPS THERE MAY BE A FEW LAWYERS THAT 15:20:29 GET INVOLVED IN SOME OF THAT AS THE LITIGATION HAPPENS, BUT I 15:20:33 THINK THE PRESIDENT WAS HAPPENS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT LAST FRIDAY TO 15:20:36 SAY THIS ISN'T ABOUT, YOU KNOW, FOR'S RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING. 15:20:42 OUR WORK IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS WELL IS CAPPED, TO MAKE 15:20:46 SURE THAT IT IS CLEANED UP, TO A MAKE SURE THAT OIL IS PREVENTEDO 15:20:51 FROM HITTING LANDFALL, AND WHEN NT DOES, THAT IT IS CLEANED UP,E 15:20:55 THAT ALL CLAIMS ARE PAID AND THAT THEY ARE DONE SO PROMPTLY. 15:20:58 AND TO ME, THAT'S THE DEFINITIOP RIGHT NOW OF THIS RESPONSE AND R 15:21:04 WHEN WE WILL DECLARE THE RESPONSE OVER. 15:21:06 THANK YOU. SENATOR COLLINS. 15:21:08 THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. C THE CHAIRMAN MENTIONED THE 15:21:13 DIVIDED RESPONSIBILITY FOR APPROVAL OF THE OIL RESPONSE THE 15:21:18 PLANS BETWEEN MMS AND THE COASTT GUARD.HE 15:21:23 THIS MY STATEMENT -- IN MY STATEMENT I RAISED THE QUESTION 15:21:26 OF WHY WOULDN'T YOU HAVE THE NOT COAST GUARD HAVE SOME SHARING OF 15:21:31 INFORMATION WITH MEASURING MS -- MMS SUCH THAT THE COAST GUARD 15:21:36 WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR SOME BE SORT OF CONCURRENT APPROVAL OF 15:21:40 THE PLAN. IT DOESN'T MAKE A LOT OF SPENCE 15:21:44 AT FIRST -- SENSE AT FIRST BLUSH TO HAVE ONE AGENCY RESPONSIBLE 15:21:48 FOR APPROVING THE PLAN IF IT'S E ABOVE THE WATER FOR THE VESSELE 15:21:53 AND ONE, A DIFFERENT AGENCY ANDN A DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT EVEN, DEM 15:21:59 RESPONSIBLE IF THE PLAN APPLIES TO THE WELLHEAD. 15:22:03 HAS THERE BEEN ANY THOUGHT TO AT LEAST BROADENING THE COAST T COT 15:22:10 GUARD'S RESPONSIBILITY IN THISDB AREA, MADAM SECRETARY? 15:22:13 SENATOR COLLINS, I THINK SEN 15:22:15 THERE'LL BE A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS LOOKED AT AS TO WHO HAS 15:22:19 WHAT AUTHORITIES AND WHATWHAT AUTHORITIES NEED TO BE ADJUSTED 15:22:22 IN LIGHT OF THIS. SPEAKING FOR MYSELF RIGHT NOW, I 15:22:26 THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE AUGITIMATE QUESTIONS OR WHAT 15:22:29 AUTHORITIES THAT WE NEED TO BE LOOKING INTO. BE IN LIGH 15:22:30 ADMIRAL? QUESTNS I WOULD CONCUR WITH THE>> 15:22:34 SECRETARY. I THINK THAT MOVING FORWARD WE 15:22:36 NEED TO LOOK AT WHETHER OR NOTMO THERE NEEDS TO BE AVI DEFINITIVE 15:22:39 STATEMENT WITH RESPECT TO THAT O CONCURRENT REVIEW. 15:22:41 AS YOU KNOW, WE DO CURRENTLYWE HAVE MEMORANDUMS OFAVE 15:22:45 UNDERSTANDING WITH THE MMS WHICE WOULD ALLOW US TO REVIEW THOSE 15:22:47 WOULD PLANS, BUT THERE IS NOW 15:22:49 REQUIREMENT TO DO SO. ADMIRAL, THIS CATASTROPHE IS 15:22:52 THE FIRST SPILL TO BE CLASSIFIED AS A SPILL OF NATIONAL 15:22:59 SIGNIFICANCE SINCE THAT TERM WAI FIRST COINED IN THE WAKE OF THE 15:23:04 EXXONIN VALDEZ DISASTER IN 1989S DURING THE INTERVENING 20-PLUS 15:23:11 YEARS, SOME HAVE EXPRESSED THE CONCERN THAT BECAUSE OUR NATION, 15:23:18 FORTUNATELY, HAS NOT BEEN FORCED TO RESPOND TO A MAJOR OIL SPILL 15:23:22 IN SUCH A LONG TIME THAT WE'VE LOST THE EXPERTISE AND 15:23:28 INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE THAT IS NECESSARY FOR A QUICK AND THA 15:23:32 EFFECTIVE RESPONSE.TIVE AND, INDEED, IN 2004 WHEN THEN 15:23:38 COAST GUARD DID AN EXERCISE IN THIS AREA, THE AFTER-ACTION 15:23:45 REPORT HAD SOME TROUBLING I WALUSIONS, AND I WANT TO READ 15:23:48 FROM THAT. THE AFTER-ACTION REPORTTHE 15:23:53 CONCLUDED, QUOTE, THAT OIL SPILL RESPONSE PERSONNEL DID NOTONNELT 15:23:58 APPEAR TO HAVE EVEN A BASIC KNOWLEDGE OF THE EQUIPMENT OF TE 15:24:03 REQUIRED TO SUPPORT SALVAGE OR O SPILL CLEAN-UP OPERATIONS.LEAN-P 15:24:07 THERE WAS A SHORTAGE OF PERSONNEL WITH THE EXPERIENCE TO 15:24:12 FILL KEY POSITIONS.FILL MANY MID-LEVEL SPILL MANAGEMENT- 15:24:16 STAFF HAD NEVER WORKED ON A WOR LARGE SPILL AND SOME HAD NEVER 15:24:21 BEEN INVOLVED IN AN EXERCISE.ANH ..AD 15:24:26 I KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN TWO SUBSEQUENT EXERCISES SINCE THEN, 15:24:30 INCLUDING THE ONE HOSTED BY THE STATE OF MAINE THIS SPRING, FOR 15:24:34 WHICH THE AFTER ACTION REPORT HAS NOT YET BEEN WRITTEN. 15:24:38 WHAT IS YOUR ASSESSMENT OF THE EXPERTISE THAT WE HAVE TODAY IN 15:24:45 GOVERNMENT AND IN THE INDUSTRY TO DEAL WITH A MAJOR OIL SPILL? 15:24:50 SENATOR, I THINK YOU ARE REFERRING TO THE 2004 DRILLING 15:24:55 IN LOS ANGELES AND LONG BEACH HARBOR. 15:24:57 I WAS A UNIFIED COMMANDER FOR THAT EXERCISE. 15:25:00 THOSE WERE MY RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU JUST READ THAT CAME OUT 15:25:02 OF THAT. BUT YOU TEND TO AGREE WITH THEM. 15:25:07 I DID AT THE TIME. -- YOU TEND TO AGREE WITH 15:25:12 THEM. I DID AT THAT TIME. 15:25:15 WE HAVE DONE A LOT TO IMPROVE OUR ABILITY. 15:25:18 IF YOU LOOK AT THE SUBSEQUENT EXERCISES IN THE INTERVENING 15:25:22 PERIODIC ANNUAL AND TRY ANNUAL EXERCISES THAT WE DO, -- 15:25:28 TRIANNUAL EXERCISES THAT WE DO, WE HAVE LEARNED A LOT. 15:25:33 WE HAVE NOT HAD A MAJOR OIL SPILL, BUT THAT DOES NOT KEEP US 15:25:36 FROM PREPARING EFFECTIVELY FOR IT. 15:25:40 DO WE HAVE THAT EXPERTISE NOW? 15:25:44 CLEARLY, IF YOU ARE ACTUALLY CLEANING UP OIL, THERE IS AN 15:25:49 EXPERTISE AT YOU DEVELOP THAT CANNOT BE DEVELOPED IN ANY OTHER 15:25:53 WAY. I THINK WE HAVE THE CAPABILITY 15:25:56 NOW. WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO LOOK 15:25:57 AT THIS OVER AN EXTENDED TIME PERIOD. 15:26:03 YOU THE CAPABILITY IN THE PRIVATE INDUSTRY WITH RESPECT TO 15:26:05 THE ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN 15:26:12 EXPERTISE. WE STILL HAVE A NUMBER OF 15:26:13 ONGOING MINOR SPILLS THAT PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR 15:26:16 TRAINING PEOPLE IN RESPONDING. WE HAVE THE CAPABILITY. 15:26:20 IN THE CASE OF THIS OIL SPILL, I HAVE BEEN VERY IMPRESSED. 15:26:24 I'VE SPENT QUITE A BIT OF THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS DOWN IN THE 15:26:27 GULF, AROUND THE AREA AND AT THE COMMAND CENTER, AND WATCHING THE 15:26:35 OPERATIONS. I HAVE BEEN VERY IMPRESSED WITH 15:26:36 WHAT I HAVE SEEN. MADAM SECRETARY, YOU 15:26:40 MENTIONED THE FEDERAL RESOURCES THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO BEAR 15:26:44 ON THIS CATASTROPHE AND THE FACT THAT THE COWS ARE -- THE COAST 15:26:51 GUARD WAS ON SEEN IMMEDIATELY. THERE HAVE BEEN SOME QUESTIONS 15:26:53 ABOUT WHETHER RESOURCES -- THE COAST GUARD WAS ON-SCENE 15:27:02 IMMEDIATELY. THERE HAVE BEEN SOME QUESTIONS 15:27:04 ABOUT WHETHER RESOURCES WERE DISPERSED IMMEDIATELY. 15:27:13 SEARCH AND RESCUE WAS NOT FOCUSED ON CONTAINING THE OIL 15:27:18 SPILL. WHAT IS YOUR ASSESSMENT OF THE 15:27:23 RESOURCES, THE ADEQUACY, AND THE TIMELINESS IN OF THE 15:27:29 RESOURCES THAT BRITISH PETROLEUM AND ITS PARTNERS BROUGHT TO THE 15:27:33 TASK IN THOSE INITIAL DAYS. I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO 15:27:39 ASK A DIFFERENT QUESTION. WELL, I THOUGHT OF ASKING YOU 15:27:44 WHETHER YOU WERE SATISFIED WITH THE FEDERAL RESPONSE. 15:27:47 BUT I HAVE A FEELING -- I KNOW WHAT THE ANSWER TO THAT WOULD 15:27:49 BE. SO I DECIDED TO ASK YOU ABOUT 15:27:53 THE PRIVATE SECTOR RESPONSE. WELL, AND YES, AND THAT'S ONE 15:27:57 OF THE REASONS WHY I WANTED TO GIVE YOU REALLY THE TICK TOCK OF 15:27:59 THE FEDERAL RESPONSE. BECAUSE RECOGNIZING THAT THE 15:28:05 EXPLOSION OCCURRED LATE ON THE EVENING OF THE 20th, THEN YOU GO 15:28:10 ON THE 22nd, THE RIG SINKS. YOU GO THE 24TH AND YOU BEGIN 15:28:19 SEEING FIRST SIGNS OF LEAKING HOLLYWOOD AND THEN ON THE 28th 15:28:24 IS WHEN YOU HAD SIGNS OF THE THIRD LEAK OF THE RISERS. 15:28:34 I WOULD LIKE TO, IF I MIGHT, RESERVE JUDGMENT ON THE ADEQUACY 15:28:40 OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR RESPONSE. I WILL SAY THAT BRITISH 15:28:45 PETROLEUM LEADERSHIP, BOTH THE AMERICAN HEAD OF BRITISH 15:28:49 PETROLEUM AND THE INTERNATIONAL HEAD, WERE IN WASHINGTON VERY 15:28:51 QUICKLY. THEY WERE IMMEDIATELY ASSUMING 15:28:56 RESPONSIBILITY AS THE RESPONSIBLE PARTY, WHICH THEY 15:28:58 SHOULD AND SHOULD HAVE. THEY HAVE BEEN IN THE COMMAND 15:29:05 CENTERS AND IN THE STAGING AREAS. 15:29:10 THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING IN TERMS OF CLEANUP AND GETTING -- 15:29:15 HIRING, FOR EXAMPLE, LOCAL FISHERMAN TO DEPLOY BOOM AND THE 15:29:19 REST. WHETHER THE EXACT HOURS AROUND 15:29:23 THE SINKING -- EXPLOSION AND SINKING OF THE RIG, THEY SHOULD 15:29:26 HAVE HAD MORE OR DIFFERENT EQUIPMENT THERE OR MORE OR 15:29:30 DIFFERENT KINDS OF EXPERTISE THERE, IT WOULD BE PREMATURE OF 15:29:32 ME TO SAY. THANK YOU. 15:29:36 THANKS VERY MUCH, SENATOR COLLINS. 15:29:40 SENATOR McCAIN AND THEN SENATOR LANDRIEU IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE. 15:29:42 GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU. 15:29:46 THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, MADAM SECRETARY AND ADMIRAL. 15:29:51 MAYBE, MADAM SECRETARY, TO LIFT THIS UP A LITTLE BIT. 15:29:54 WHAT'S YOUR BEST CASE SCENARIO AND WORSE CASE SCENARIO ABOUT 15:29:57 THIS CRISIS RIGHT NOW? WELL, OBVIOUSLY WE WOULD LIKE 15:30:05 TO SEE THE INSERTION PIPE CONTINUE TO WORK AND LIFT OIL 15:30:07 OFF THE SURFACE. WE'D LIKE TO SEE WHEN AND IF THE 15:30:13 TOP-KILL METHODOLOGY IS DEPLOYED AND THAT IT WORKS AND THAT OIL 15:30:18 IMMEDIATELY BEGINS TO BE LIFTED OFF THE SEA FLOOR AS TO THE SEA 15:30:23 SURFACE. IF THEY ARE DRILLING THE RELIEF 15:30:27 WELL AND HIT IT THE FIRST TIME. AND WHEN YOU'RE DRILLING THESE 15:30:31 WELLS MY UNDERSTANDING YOU DON'T NECESSARILY HIT THE PLACE YOU 15:30:33 NEED TO HIT THE FIRST TIME. THAT WOULD BE THE BEST CASE 15:30:36 SCENARIO. WE ON THE OTHER HAND HAVE FROM 15:30:43 THE BEGINNING NOT PLANNED OUR RESPONSE BASED ON NUMBERS OR 15:30:47 BASED ON -- WHETHER 5,000 BARRELS OR 25,000 BARRELS. 15:30:54 OUR RESPONSE IS GEARED TO WHAT IS NECESSARY TO FIGHT THE OIL ON 15:30:56 THE SEA. TO PREVENT THE OIL FROM HITTING 15:30:59 LAND. AND IF IT HITS LAND, TO CLEAN IT 15:31:01 UP IMMEDIATELY. WORSE CASE SCENARIO? 15:31:07 WORSE CASE SCENARIO IS THAT WE'LL BE AT THIS FOR QUITE A 15:31:09 WHILE. AND THE -- AND WHERE DO YOU 15:31:15 THINK WE ARE IN EITHER SCENARIO? WELL, YOU KNOW, IF THE 15:31:21 INSERTION -- THE RRT IS IN RIGHT NOW. 15:31:24 AND IF IT BEGINS TO LIFT OIL AS IT LOOKS PROMISING THAT IT IS, 15:31:27 AND THEY'RE ABLE TO DO THE JUNK-FILL, THAT WOULD HAPPEN BY 15:31:30 THE END OF THE WEEK. BUT IN TERMS OF DRILLING ANOTHER 15:31:38 RELIEF WELL, I THINK WE'RE SOME WEEKS AWAY, WELL INTO THE 15:31:40 SUMMER. I THINK THERE'S A BP WITNESS 15:31:42 AFTER ME. YOU MIGHT ASK HIM. 15:31:46 AND WHERE'S YOUR LEVEL OF OPTIMISM? 15:31:54 I'M JUST TAKING IT DAY BY DAY. 15:31:56 AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO. 15:31:59 I THINK WE NEED TO JUST SAY, LOOK, WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF 15:32:01 THIS CRISIS. WE'RE NOT AT THE BEGINNING. 15:32:07 WE'VE BEEN AT IT A MONTH ALMOST. BUT WE'RE NOT AT THE END AS 15:32:09 WELL. BUT IN MY VIEW, OUR JOB IS TO 15:32:14 JUST KEEP MOVING AND JUST KEEP ASSEMBLING, DEPLOYING, 15:32:19 PREPARING, CLEANING AND KEEPING TRACK OF WHAT WE'RE SPENDING 15:32:22 BECAUSE ULTIMATELY THE TAXPAYERS SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BEAR THIS 15:32:24 COST. AND YOU HAVE DISPATCHED 15:32:30 17,000 NATIONAL GUARD TO HELP OUT AND CLEANUP AND OTHER 15:32:34 EFFORTS TO BE MADE ON THE GULF; IS THAT RIGHT? 15:32:39 THERE HAVE BEEN UP TO 17,000 THAT HAVE BEEN AUTHORIZED. 15:32:42 I BELIEVE THERE ARE A THOUSAND OR SO THAT ARE ACTUALLY WORKING 15:32:43 RIGHT NOW. AND WHAT DO YOU EXPECT? 15:32:47 IT DEPENDS. IT DEPENDS ON WHETHER WE 15:32:55 CONTINUE TO SEE OIL REACHING THE SHORE. 15:32:57 IT DEPENDS -- WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO START ROTATING PEOPLE IN 15:32:59 AND OUT. IN TERMS OF DOING AIR FLIGHTS 15:33:04 OVER THE BOOM AND MONITORING IT AND REPLACING IT BECAUSE IT 15:33:07 DOESN'T LAST, YOU KNOW, FOREVER OUT THERE. 15:33:08 IT GETS -- IT GETS BROKEN. WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO REPLACE 15:33:14 PEOPLE IN TERMS OF STAFFING, THE FORWARD OPERATING CENTERS AND 15:33:17 THE LIKE. SO I THINK OVER THE COURSE OF 15:33:22 THE SUMMER, WE'LL SEE A NUMBER OF THE GUARD DEPLOYED. 15:33:25 IN THOSE KINDS OF CAPACITIES, SIR. 15:33:27 WELL, IF YOU'LL INDULGE ME, WE THINK WE HAVE ANOTHER CRISIS 15:33:32 ON THE BORDER. AND I SENT YOU A LETTER ON APRIL 15:33:36 6th -- EXCUSE ME, BACK IN MARCH. YOU SENT ME A LETTER BACK ON 15:33:40 APRIL 9th, WELL OVER A MONTH AGO, IN RESPONSE TO OUR REQUEST 15:33:46 THAT THE GUARD BE SENT TO THE ARIZONA/MEXICO BORDER, AND I 15:33:51 QUOTE FROM YOUR RESPONSE, THE NATIONAL GUARD HAS A POTENTIAL 15:33:54 TO CONTRIBUTE ADDITIONAL CAPABILITIES AND CAPACITIES TO 15:33:57 ASSIST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AND THEIR BORDER SECURITY AND 15:33:58 LAW ENFORCEMENT MISSIONS. THE USE OF THE GUARD TO SUPPORT 15:34:02 LAW ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS IS ONE OF THE MANY OPTIONS BEING 15:34:07 CONSIDERED IN THE ADMINISTRATION'S OVERALL BORDER 15:34:09 SECURITY STRATEGY. I'LL KEEP YOU INFORMED AS OUR 15:34:13 FORCE MULTIPLICATION ALONG THE SOUTHWEST BORDER CONTINUES. 15:34:17 DO YOU HAVE NOW IN THE INTERVENING MONTH AND -- OVER A 15:34:21 MONTH ANYTHING TO KEEP ME INFORMED ABOUT? 15:34:23 YES, I DO ACTUALLY BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN WORKING THE SOUTHWEST 15:34:29 BORDER ISSUE CONSTANTLY. AND HARD. 15:34:33 BUT LET ME -- IF I MIGHT, SENATOR, WE'LL GIVE YOUR STAFF 15:34:38 IF WE HAVE NOT ALREADY, I APOLOGIZE A MORE EXTENSIVE 15:34:40 BRIEFING. BUT WE HAVE -- I'M GOING TO USE 15:34:45 AS MY START DATE, THE DATE OF THE MURDER OF ROB KRENZ THE 15:34:51 RANCHER NEAR DOUGLAS. WE HAVE INCREASED FLIGHT HOURS, 15:34:57 50% OVER THE TUCSON SECTOR SINCE THE DAY OF THAT MURDER. 15:35:03 WE HAVE 24/7 COVERAGE THERE. AND WE CONTINUE TO INCREASE ON 15:35:12 BOTH THE FIXED AND ROTOR WING AIRCRAFT. 15:35:16 JUST ON THE TUCSON AREA, NOT JUST AT THE BORDER. 15:35:20 WE WILL MOVE AND I WILL GIVE YOU EXACT NUMBERS, MOBILE 15:35:23 SURVEILLANCE -- I DON'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT, 15:35:25 GOVERNOR, BUT I'M NOT -- MADAM SECRETARY. 15:35:27 BUT I KNOW ALL THOSE THINGS ARE GOING ON. 15:35:29 I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT WHETHER YOU'RE GOING TO SEND THE GUARDS 15:35:31 TO THE BORDER OR NOT? AS YOU KNOW, IF I MIGHT, GIVE 15:35:37 YOU ONE OTHER THING THAT WE HAVE ADDED IN ADDITION TO NUMBERS. 15:35:42 AND THAT WILL BE STARTING AT THE END OF THIS MONTH. 15:35:47 BUT BEGINNING AGAIN THE PROCESS OF INTERIOR REPATRIATION OF 15:35:49 EVERYBODY THAT WE PICK UP. BUT WITH RESPECT TO THE GUARD, 15:36:00 THOSE REQUESTS AS YOU KNOW ARE INVOLVED IN THE DEPARTMENT OF 15:36:03 DEFENSE. THEY INVOLVE THE DEPARTMENT OF 15:36:07 HOMELAND SECURITY AND INVOLVE THE WHITE HOUSE. 15:36:10 THAT QUEST AND THAT ANALYSIS REMAINS IN THAT INTERAGENCY 15:36:13 PROCESS. AND DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA AS TO 15:36:16 WHEN THAT DECISION MIGHT BE MADE? 15:36:19 I WOULD LIKE IT TO BE MADE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. 15:36:21 BUT I CANNOT GIVE YOU A DATE CERTAIN. 15:36:26 WELL, MEANWHILE, PEOPLE'S HOMES ARE BEING VIOLATED AND 15:36:29 THEIR FAMILIES CAN'T TAKE KIDS TO THE BUS STOP. 15:36:34 AND YOU'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE ISSUE BECAUSE YOU YOURSELVES 15:36:39 YOURSELF ASKED FOR THE GUARD TO GO TO THE BORDER BACK IN 2006. 15:36:43 SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT TAKES FOR US TO GET A DECISION ON IT. 15:36:47 AT LEAST THE PEOPLE IN MY STATE HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW WHETHER, 15:36:55 SINCE THIS IS A LONG-STANDING REQUEST, IN FACT, IT WAS 15:37:00 REQUESTED BACK IN 2009 -- I THINK THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW 15:37:02 WHETHER THEY ARE GOING TO BE SENT OR NOT. 15:37:08 I WOULD HOPE YOU WOULD EXPEDITE THAT PROCESS AT LEAST TELLING US 15:37:13 WHETHER THEY'RE GOING TO BE SENT OR NOT. 15:37:17 FINALLY, IF I MIGHT ASK OF YOU, HAVE YOU HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW 15:37:20 THE NEW LAW THAT WAS PASSED BY THE STATE OF ARIZONA? 15:37:24 I'VE NOT REVIEWED IT IN DETAIL. 15:37:25 I CERTAINLY KNOW OF IT, SENATOR. SO YOU'RE NOT PREPARED TO 15:37:29 MAKE A JUDGMENT ON IT? SENATOR, THAT IS NOT A LAW -- 15:37:41 LET ME JUST SAY THIS. AS YOU KNOW, AND ARE WELL AWARE, 15:37:49 THAT'S NOT THE KIND OF LAW I WOULD HAVE SIGNED? 15:37:50 FOR WHAT REASON? BECAUSE I BELIEVE IT'S A BAD 15:37:55 LAW ENFORCEMENT LAW. I BELIEVE IT MANDATES AND 15:37:59 REQUIRES LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT -- OR PUTS THEM IN A 15:38:01 POSITION MANY DO NOT WANT TO BE PLACED IN. 15:38:05 WHEN I WAS DEALING WITH LAWS HAVE THAT ILK, MOST OF THE LAW 15:38:11 ENFORCEMENT ORGANIZATIONS IN ARIZONA AT THAT TIME WERE 15:38:14 OPPOSED TO SUCH LEGISLATION. WELL, I'D BE PLEASED MAYBE IN 15:38:18 WRITING TO HEAR WHAT SPECIFIC ASPECT OF THE LAW WOULD IMPEDE 15:38:23 OR HARM LAW ENFORCEMENT SINCE THE MAJORITY OF LAW ENFORCEMENT 15:38:27 IN ARIZONA STRONGLY SUPPORTS THIS LEGISLATION. 15:38:33 AND UNFORTUNATELY BOTH THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES 15:38:34 AND -- THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES PORTRAYED IT AS 15:38:38 A -- THAT SOMEONE CAN'T EVEN GO OUT FOR ICE CREAM WITHOUT BEING 15:38:42 HARASSED, WHICH IS ONE OF THE MORE OUTRAGEOUS STATEMENTS I'VE 15:38:44 EVER HEARD. AND NOW OUR OWN ATTORNEY GENERAL 15:38:50 HAS -- AFTER CONDEMNING THE LAW SAID HE HADN'T EVEN READ IT. 15:38:54 THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE, NOT JUST IN ARIZONA, BUT AROUND THIS 15:38:57 COUNTRY. I WOULD HOPE THAT WE WOULD AT 15:39:00 LEAST HAVE A DECISION ON WHETHER THE GUARD IS GOING TO BE SENT TO 15:39:02 THE BORDER. AND I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE 15:39:06 SPECIFICS, IF YOU GET TIME, AND I KNOW IT'S NOT IN YOUR AREA OF 15:39:10 EXPERTISE ANYMORE -- BUT I KNOW ALSO AS A FORMER GOVERNOR OF THE 15:39:15 STATE, YOU HAVE A SIGNIFICANT INTEREST OF WHAT PARTICULAR 15:39:18 ASPECTS OF THAT LAW THAT YOU WOULD FIND OBJECTIONABLE. 15:39:20 THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. THANKS, SENATOR MARION. 15:39:23 -- McCAIN. SENATOR LANDRIEU, THANKS FOR 15:39:27 BEING HERE. YOU'VE COME TO ONE OF THESE 15:39:31 INQUIRIES AS YOU DID SO OFTEN DURING THE KATRINA 15:39:35 INVESTIGATIONS WITH A REAL PERSONAL INTEREST ON BEHALF OF 15:39:36 YOUR STATE. SO I APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE 15:39:37 HERE. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR 15:39:39 QUESTIONS NOW. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. 15:39:42 MY JOB IS MADE SOMEWHAT EASIER BECAUSE OF THE WORK THAT YOU AND 15:39:45 THE RANKING MEMBER HAVE DONE. AND I MEAN THAT SINCERELY. 15:39:47 AND I THANK YOU. SENATOR COLLINS FOR CALLING THIS 15:39:52 HEARING. I'VE ACTUALLY ENCOURAGED THE 15:39:55 CALLING OF HEARINGS OF A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT HEARINGS BECAUSE 15:39:59 OBVIOUSLY THE PEOPLE THAT I REPRESENT WOULD LIKE TO ANSWERS. 15:40:00 THEY'RE EXTREMELY CONCERNED. EVERYONE IN THE STATE, ALONG THE 15:40:05 GULF COAST PARTICULARLY THOSE ALONG THE COASTAL COMMUNITIES. 15:40:09 SO I WANT TO BEGIN, MR. CHAIRMAN, BY SAYING THAT THE 15:40:12 QUESTIONS THAT YOU ASKED IN YOUR OPENING STATEMENT, I HOPE THAT 15:40:15 WE WILL GET ANSWERS TO. AND I THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE 15:40:18 EXCELLENT AND RIGHT ON POINT. SECONDLY, MADAM SECRETARY, I 15:40:24 WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR MULTIVISITS TO LOUISIANA OVER 15:40:28 THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS BEFORE THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED. 15:40:32 WORKING ON THE LAST INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED AS WELL AS YOUR 15:40:35 TIME FOCUSED ON THIS ONE. AND THE MANY SENIOR-LEVEL 15:40:42 OFFICIALS THAT HAVE BEEN ON THE GROUND FROM THE COAST GUARD TO 15:40:44 THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT TO NOAA, TO EPA. 15:40:48 YOU ALL HAVEN'T JUST SENT YOUR MIDMANAGERS OR YOUR NEWLY 15:40:54 APPOINTED DIRECTORS BUT YOUR CABINET OFFICIALS THERE HAVE 15:40:56 BEEN AND CONTINUE. AND I GET GOOD FEEDBACK FROM 15:41:01 REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATIC LOCAL OFFICIALS BECAUSE OF THAT. 15:41:05 AND I WANT ON THEIR BEHALF EXPRESS OUR THANKS. 15:41:09 I WOULD SAY THAT THE PEOPLE IN LOUISIANA ARE VERY INTERESTED IN 15:41:11 A COUPLE OF IMPORTANT QUESTIONS. SOME OF WHICH YOU HIT. 15:41:16 WHEN HAVE WILL THIS UNCONTROLLED FLOW BE STOPPED? 15:41:20 IS EVERYTHING BEING DONE THAT CAN POSSIBLY BE DONE? 15:41:22 WHEN AND HOW WILL CLAIMS BE PAID? 15:41:23 WILL THEY BE TRANSPARENT? WILL THEY BE ADEQUATE? 15:41:27 WHAT ARE THE LONG-TERM IMPACTS TO OUR FISHERIES, WHICH IS A 15:41:30 MULTIBILLION DOLLAR INDUSTRY, AS YOU KNOW. 15:41:33 AND HOW CAN THIS INDUSTRY BE MADE SAFER FOR THE FUTURE? 15:41:39 I'M NOT GOING TO ASK YOU TO RESPOND TO ALL A FOUR OF THOSE 15:41:42 NOW. BUT IN WRITING I WOULD LIKE SOME 15:41:45 RESPONSE. I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MINUTE OF 15:41:47 MY QUESTIONS, MR. CHAIRMAN, TO PUT SOME THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE 15:41:51 FOR THIS SITUATION. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT. 15:41:54 I DID THIS AT THE OVERSIGHT HEARING ON ENERGY. 15:41:58 I DID THIS AT THE OVERSIGHT HEARING FOR THE EPW HEARING. 15:42:00 AND I'D LIKE TO DO IT TODAY. THERE ARE 42,645 WELLS THAT HAVE 15:42:09 BEEN DRILLED IN STATE AND FEDERAL WATERS IN THE GULF OF 15:42:10 MEXICO. ALONE. 15:42:14 THE FIRST DEEP WELL WAS DRILLED 31 YEARS AGO. 15:42:17 NOT LAST WEEK. THE FIRST DEEP WELL 31 YEARS AGO 15:42:21 IN 1979. FROM THAT TIME UNTIL 2008, THERE 15:42:29 HAVE BEEN 2,239 DEEP WATER WELLS DRILLED AVERAGING APPROXIMATELY 15:42:35 133 WELLS PER YEAR. GETTING TO YOUR POINT, RANKING 15:42:42 MEMBER COLLINS, IN 1990, YOU'RE CORRECT. 15:42:45 ONLY 4% OF THE OIL COMING FROM THE GULF WAS RESPONSIBLE IN THE 15:42:48 DEEP WATER. ONLY 4%. 15:42:51 BUT TODAY 60% OF THE OIL COMING FROM THE GULF COMES FROM DEEP 15:42:55 WATER AND ULTRA DEEP WATER. THE RECORD WILL SHOW THAT FROM 15:43:01 1947 TO 2009, ONLY 1, -- I'M SORRY 175,000 BARRELS HAVE BEEN 15:43:07 SPILLED OUT OF 16 BILLION PRODUCED. 15:43:10 THAT'S ABOUT ONE THOUSANDTH OF 1% OF TOTAL PRODUCTION. 15:43:13 SO UNTIL THIS HAPPENED, THE RECORD WAS PRETTY GOOD. 15:43:18 THE PROBLEM IS, THIS BLOWOUT IS PUTTING MORE OIL IN THE WATER IN 15:43:24 ONE AND A HALF DAYS THAN HAS BEEN PUT IN THIS WATER IN THE 15:43:25 LAST DECADE. THAT IS STARTLING TO THOSE OF US 15:43:30 THAT ARE FAIRLY FAMILIAR WITH THE INDUSTRY. 15:43:32 AND WE'RE EXTREMELY CONCERNED AND WANT IT TO BE SAFER. 15:43:37 SO, ONE, I SUPPORT THE PRESIDENT'S 30-DAY LOOK. 15:43:41 I MOST CERTAINLY SUPPORT TIGHTER CONTROLS OVER DEEP WATER WELLS. 15:43:44 AND WOULD SAY TO THIS COMMITTEE, WE PIONEERED THIS TECHNOLOGY IN 15:43:46 THE GULF. GULF OF MEXICO. 15:43:49 WE DID. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE GET THIS 15:43:53 RIGHT BECAUSE IT HAS A MAJOR IMPACT ON HOW THESE WELLS ARE 15:43:55 DRILLED AROUND THE WORLD. IF OURS ARE SAFE, MOST OTHER 15:43:59 COUNTRIES WILL BE SAFE. AND WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION NOT 15:44:04 JUST TO OURSELVES BUT TO THE PEOPLE OF THE PLANET ACTUALLY. 15:44:08 SO LET ME ASK A COUPLE THINGS 'CAUSE I'M EXTREMELY INTERESTED 15:44:12 IN HOW MUCH MONEY OUR GOVERNMENT HAS SPENT ON RESEARCH AND 15:44:18 DEVELOPMENT, EITHER THROUGH HOMELAND SECURITY, EPA, NOAA, OR 15:44:20 INTERIOR? DO YOU ALL HAVE A RECORD? 15:44:24 NOW YOU WON'T HAVE FROM THOSE OTHER AGENCIES BUT MADAM 15:44:27 SECRETARY, FROM YOUR OWN AGENCY, DO YOU KNOW IF ANY MONEY? 15:44:30 AND IF SO WHAT THE DOLLAR AMOUNT IS OR WHAT PERCENTAGE IS SPENT 15:44:35 ON RESPONSE TO A CATASTROPHE LIKE THIS? 15:44:38 AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT EXACT NUMBER, COULD YOU GIVE IT TO ME 15:44:42 IN WRITING AND MAYBE COMMENT GENERALLY ON IF YOU THINK 15:44:46 HOMELAND SECURITY IS DOING WHAT IT NEEDS TO DO TO BE BETTER 15:44:49 PREPARED OR PREPARED FOR AN INCIDENT LIKE THIS? 15:44:53 WELL, WE'RE ALWAYS -- YOU KNOW, AS I SAID EARLIER, YOU 15:44:57 LEARN FROM EVERY INCIDENT. YOU BEGIN WITH THE PLANS AND YOU 15:45:00 EXERCISE THE PLANS. BUT THEN AS ANY INCIDENT 15:45:03 COORDINATOR OR COMMANDER WILL TELL YOU, YOU'VE GOT TO WORK THE 15:45:06 PROBLEM AT THAT POINT. YOU'VE GOT TO GO AT IT. 15:45:09 AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING. 15:45:14 I WILL TELL YOU, WE ARE ACCUMULATING WITHIN THE 15:45:17 DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY THE COSTS THAT WE ARE EXPENDING. 15:45:21 AND OUR DEPARTMENT'S RESPONSE, THAT INCLUDES THE COAST GUARD. 15:45:26 IT WILL NOT BE AN INSIGNIFICANT SUM. 15:45:29 AND WE HAVE ASKED THROUGH THE NRT THAT THE OTHER FEDERAL 15:45:32 AGENCIES KEEP TRACK OF THE COSTS THAT THEY ARE EXPENDING. 15:45:35 IT WOULD BE -- SINCE WE ARE REALLY IN THE MIDDLE OF 15:45:39 RESPONSES, I INDICATED TO SENATOR McCAIN, I THINK IT WOULD 15:45:41 BE PREMATURE TO GIVE YOU AN ESTIMATE OF THAT. 15:45:46 AND I JUST WANT TO RESTATE AND I DON'T HAVE THE FULL COST 15:45:51 OF WHAT THE ESTIMATES WILL BE, AND I'M ASSUMING BP HAVE STEPPED 15:45:54 UP AS THEY HAVE SAID AND COVER ALL OF THESE COSTS FOR 15:45:57 INDIVIDUALS, FOR BUSINESSES, FOR THE GOVERNMENT AT EVERY LEVEL. 15:46:03 AND I KNOW THAT THEY HAVE BEEN FORTHCOMING WITH SOME OF THE 15:46:05 REQUESTS FROM OUR GOVERNORS, $25 MILLION IN AUTHORITY UP TO A 15:46:10 MILLION DOLLARS FOR SOME OF THE COUNTIES, WHICH HAS BEEN 15:46:12 IMPRESSIVE BUT WE MAY NEED MORE THAN THAT. 15:46:15 BUT IT'S THE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT DOLLARS IN THESE 15:46:19 MAJOR AGENCIES THAT I'M WONDERING CONSIDERING THIS 15:46:22 INDUSTRY, JUST THE INDUSTRY FOR BONUSES AND SEVERANCE, HAVE 15:46:28 CONTRIBUTED $165 BILLION TO THE FEDERAL TREASURY SINCE 1955. 15:46:33 $165 BILLION. WHAT PERCENTAGE OF OUR BUDGETS 15:46:39 AND THEIR BUDGETS I'M GOING TO BE ASK THEM IS GOING TO RESEARCH 15:46:44 AND DEVELOPMENT ON SPECIFICALLY SAFETY, EQUIPMENT, NEW 15:46:46 TECHNOLOGY, AND CLEANUP. BECAUSE WE MAY NEED TO SUGGEST 15:46:52 MORE MONEY TO MAKE SURE THIS NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN. 15:46:55 SO WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO COLLECT THOSE -- THAT DATA, 15:46:57 MR. CHAIRMAN. AND MY TIME HAS EXPIRED. 15:47:02 SO THANK YOU. SENATOR PRYOR? 15:47:04 THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. I WANT TO THANK YOU AND SENATOR 15:47:07 COLLINS FOR LEADING THE EFFORT ON THIS. 15:47:10 AND LET ME, IF I MAY, MADAM SECRETARY, START WITH YOU. 15:47:15 AND THAT IS JUST, YOU KNOW, ABOUT THE STAFFORD ACT. 15:47:19 AND TYPICALLY A DISASTER HAPPENS AND GOVERNORS MAKE REQUESTS. 15:47:23 I'M ASSUMING THAT YOU'VE ALREADY DONE QUITE A BIT OF WORK WITH 15:47:26 THE GOVERNORS TO UNDERSTAND THE SCOPE AND THE NATURE OF THEIR 15:47:28 REQUEST. AND COULD YOU GIVE US JUST A 15:47:33 LITTLE OUTLINE ON WHAT YOU THINK THIS NEXT FEW WEEKS MIGHT LOOK 15:47:36 LIKE DOWN THERE? YES. 15:47:39 WELL, WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE GOVERNORS IN ALL OF THE 15:47:46 VARIOUS COMMAND CENTERS DOWN THERE AS WELL AS -- WE HAVE A 15:47:48 DAILY CALL WITH THE GOVERNORS. WE ARE WORKING WITH THEM NOW ON 15:47:56 WHAT THE CLAIMS PROCESS SHOULD BE FOR STATES AND LOCALITIES. 15:47:59 WE'RE VERY COGNIZANT OF LONG-TERM ECONOMIC DAMAGES THAT 15:48:03 MIGHT PERTAIN SUCH AS TO SOME OF THE FISHERIES DOWN THERE THAT 15:48:07 HAVE BEEN CLOSED BY NOAA ALREADY. 15:48:10 AND SO WE'RE WORKING OUR WAY THROUGH THAT. 15:48:13 THIS IS -- AS YOU KNOW, SENATOR, THIS IS NOT A STAFFORD ACT 15:48:16 SITUATION. THIS COMES UNDER ANOTHER STATUTE 15:48:20 ALL TOGETHER. AND THE DIFFERENCE IS HUGE 15:48:24 BECAUSE UNDER THE STAFFORD ACT, THE TAXPAYERS OF THE UNITED 15:48:29 STATES PAY FOR THE RESPONSE. UNDER THIS ONE, THE RESPONSIBLE 15:48:33 PARTY IS GOING TO PAY. AND SO WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF 15:48:37 MAKING SURE THERE'S A GOOD AND EASY PROCEDURE FOR THOSE CLAIMS 15:48:40 TO BE MADE. OKAY. 15:48:41 GOOD. AND LET ME ASK REAR ADMIRAL 15:48:51 NEFFENGER, IF I MAY, WITH YOU. I KNOW THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, OTHER 15:48:56 CIRCUMSTANCES, FEMA, FOR EXAMPLE, MIGHT BURN THROUGH 15:49:00 RESOURCES VERY RAPIDLY ON A MAJOR DISASTER. 15:49:03 IS THAT TRUE WITH YOUR AGENCY AND HOW YOU'RE DEALING WITH 15:49:05 THIS? WELL, AS A THE SECRETARY 15:49:11 MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, WE ARE SPENDING MONEY EVERY DAY TO 15:49:12 MANAGE THIS RESPONSE. BUT AS SHE ALSO MENTIONED, WHAT 15:49:16 THE OIL POLLUTION ACT OF 1990 PROVIDES IS AN ABILITY TO REACH 15:49:20 INTO THE OIL SPILL LIABILITY TRUST FUND. 15:49:26 THE EMERGENCY FUND OF THAT. THERE'S AN INITIAL $50 MILLION 15:49:29 AVAILABLE. WE CAN TAKE A ONE-TIME TRANSFER 15:49:33 OF ANOTHER $100 MILLION INTO THAT EMERGENCY FUND, WHICH WE 15:49:35 HAVE DONE. WE'VE ASKED FOR AND HAS BEEN 15:49:37 GRANTED. SO THAT PROVIDED $150 MILLION TO 15:49:42 THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR ITS RESPONSE ACTION. 15:49:46 AND THAT'S PRIMARILY PAYING FOR COAST GUARD ACTIVITIES AT THIS 15:49:47 POINT. AND I KNOW EITHER IN THIS 15:49:52 COMMITTEE OR IN OTHER COMMITTEES, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT 15:49:56 THE COAST GUARD BEFORE AND HOW YOU GUYS JUST DO GREAT WORK. 15:50:00 AND WE SAW IT DOWN ON THE GULF COAST AFTER KATRINA AND WE'VE 15:50:03 SEEN IT MANY, MANY TIMES. BUT ALSO WE RECOGNIZE THAT 15:50:07 REALLY IN MANY WAYS, YOU'RE UNDERRESOURCED. 15:50:11 AND YOU HAVE A BACKLOG OF OLDER SHIPS THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO 15:50:14 UPDATE OR REPLACE AND ALL THAT. HAS THE FACT THAT YOU'VE BEEN 15:50:20 HAMPERED FROM A BUDGETARY SENSE -- CAN YOU SEE THAT AND 15:50:24 HOW ARE YOU ABLE TO RESPOND TO THIS? 15:50:28 OUR BUDGET SITUATION IS NOT HAMPERED OUR RESPONSE INITIALLY 15:50:31 TO THIS. OBVIOUSLY, FOR ANY AGENCY, A 15:50:34 LONG-TERM SUSTAINED RESPONSE TO SOMETHING OF THIS MAGNITUDE 15:50:36 BECOMES A CHALLENGE. AND THAT WOULD BE THE CASE NO 15:50:38 MATTER HOW MANY PEOPLE YOU HAVE. I THINK AS THE SECRETARY SAID, 15:50:43 SUSTAINABILITY IS ONE OF THE CRITICAL CONCERNS THAT WE'RE 15:50:44 LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW. HOW DO YOU -- HOW DO YOU DO THIS 15:50:48 IF IT WERE TO GO ON FOR SOME EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. 15:50:52 WE HAVE QUITE A FEW FORCES SURGED TO THAT AREA RIGHT NOW. 15:50:54 AT SOME POINT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT THE IMPACT AND THE RISK 15:50:57 POSITION WE TAKE THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE COUNTRY AS WE PULL 15:51:00 THOSE RESOURCES FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. 15:51:05 AND I KNOW YOUR OFFICE AS WELL AS FEMA AND MANY OTHER 15:51:12 FEDERAL, LOCAL STATE AGENCIES TRY TO ANTICIPATE VARIOUS 15:51:16 DISASTERS AND, YOU KNOW, RUN THROUGH EXERCISES AND GAME THEM 15:51:19 OUT TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ALL WOULD HAPPEN, WERE YOU ABLE 15:51:21 TO DO THIS? HAVE YOU BEEN DOING THIS IN 15:51:26 YEARS PAST WITH A MAJOR OIL EVENT LIKE THIS? 15:51:30 WELL, EVERY THREE YEARS SOMEWHERE IN THE COUNTRY WE DO 15:51:32 WHAT WE CALL A SPILL OF NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE EXERCISE. 15:51:36 AND THAT'S A FULL SCALE DEPLOYMENT EXERCISE WHERE WE 15:51:40 SIMULATE A MASSIVE OIL DISCHARGE OF SOME SORT. 15:51:43 THE MOST RECENT ONE WAS ON THE NORTHEAST OFF THE COAST OF 15:51:47 PORTLAND, MAYBE McCAIN WHERE WE DID A SPILL OF SIGNIFICANT 15:51:51 SIMULATING A LARGE TANKER OIL SPILL. 15:51:55 THE ONE THAT SENATOR COLLINS WAS ONE THAT I PARTICIPATED IN 2004 15:51:58 OFF THE SOUTHERN COAST OF CALIFORNIA. 15:52:02 AGAIN SIMULATING A TANKSHIP RUPTURING AND SPILLING A LOT OF 15:52:06 OIL. WE DO EXERCISE FOR MASSIVE OIL 15:52:10 DISCHARGES PERIODICALLY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. 15:52:12 AND IN EVERY CAPTAIN OF THE PORT ZONE AND FEDERAL ZONE, THERE'S A 15:52:18 CYCLE OF EXERCISES THAT ARE REQUIRED TO BE CONDUCTED ON AN 15:52:24 ANNUAL, BIANNUAL AND TRIANNUAL BASIS. 15:52:25 I WOULD SAY WE EXERCISE QUITE A BIT. 15:52:28 ALTHOUGH THOSE FULL SCALE EXERCISES ARE EVERY THREE YEARS 15:52:30 AND THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY IN EVERY ZONE EVERY THREE YEARS. 15:52:34 BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THOSE EXERCISES HAVE PAID OFF FOR YOU 15:52:37 IN HOW YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO RESPOND TO THIS? 15:52:38 WELL, I THINK THEY HAVE. CLEARLY, THE RESPONSE THAT WE 15:52:44 WERE ABLE TO MOUNT TO THIS SPILL IS A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT 15:52:46 OVER WHAT YOU'VE MIGHT HAVE SEEN 20 YEARS AGO PRIOR TO THE EXXON 15:52:49 SPILL. BEFORE WE HAD THIS PROGRAM IN 15:52:51 PLACE. THERE'S A ROBUST EXERCISE 15:52:56 OVERSIGHT PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE CALLED THE PREP, 06:53:44 15:53:47 AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ANSWERS. 15:53:49 MR. CHAIRMAN, I'D LIKE TO NOTE IN OUR SUBCOMMITTEE, THE STATE, 15:53:52 LOCAL PRIVATE SECTOR PREPAREDNESS AND INTEGRATION 15:53:56 SUBCOMMITTEE, WE'RE ACTUALLY HAVING A HEARING ON MAY 25th 15:54:00 ABOUT THIS AND GO INTO MORE DETAIL ABOUT WHAT STATE, LOCAL 15:54:04 AND PRIVATE SECTOR HAVE BEEN DOING FOR THIS. 15:54:06 THANK YOU, SENATOR PRYOR, I APPRECIATE YOUR SUBCOMMITTEE IS 15:54:08 DOING THAT. I'D LIKE IF YOU WOULD STICK 15:54:14 AROUND AND WE'LL DO A SECOND ROUND. 15:54:16 AS I HEAR THE QUESTIONS BACK AND FORTH, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT 15:54:22 POST-EXXON VALDEZ, THE INVOLVEMENT AND THE OIL INDUSTRY 15:54:25 HAVE WORKED TOGETHER TO GET VERY GOOD AT DEALING WITH A MAJOR 15:54:28 SPILL AT THE SURFACE. BUT I STILL REMAIN TO BE 15:54:34 CONVINCED, ONE, THAT WE DID ENOUGH TO PREVENT THIS DEEP 15:54:37 WATER ACCIDENT IN THE WELL FROM OCCURRING. 15:54:38 AND, TWO, THAT WE'RE READY TO DEAL WITH THE UNBELIEVABLE 15:54:43 CONSEQUENCES OF IT UNDER WATER. IN THAT REGARD, I WANTED TO ASK 15:54:48 BOTH OF YOU THIS QUESTION -- WE'VE BEEN READING IN THE MEDIA 15:54:53 IN THE LAST FEW DAYS THAT THERE ARE SCIENTISTS WHO BELIEVE -- 15:54:59 WHO HAVE ESSENTIALLY DISCOVERED AND ARE REPORTING GIANT DEEP SEA 15:55:03 PLUMES OF OIL IN THE GULF AS A RESULT OF THIS ACCIDENT. 15:55:06 ONE OF WHICH MEASURED 10 MILES LONG, 3 MILES WIDE, AND 300 FEET 15:55:11 THICK IN SPOTS. WHAT ARE WE CAPABLE OF DOING TO 15:55:21 TRY TO BREAK THAT UP? AND IF WE DON'T, WHAT'S GOING TO 15:55:26 HAPPEN TO IT? IN OTHER WORDS, THE CONSEQUENCES 15:55:30 HERE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, OBVIOUSLY, THE GULF'S 15:55:33 ENVIRONMENT ARE POTENTIALLY VERY SEVERE. 15:55:34 INDEED, MR. CHAIRMAN. I THINK FIRST OF ALL WE HAVE TO 15:55:43 BE CAREFUL RIGHT NOW ABOUT WHAT IS BEING ASSUMED ABOUT THE 15:55:46 UNDERSEA PLUME AND NOT. YEAH. 15:55:48 I THINK THE HEAD OF NOAA THIS AFTERNOON PUT OUT A STATEMENT 15:55:53 SAYING THAT SOME OF THOSE EARLY REPORTS THAT HAD BEEN MADE WERE 15:55:58 NOT BASED ON OBSERVATION. AND HAD NOT BEEN VERIFIED AND 15:56:01 CONFIRMED. CERTAINLY BY SOME OF THE OTHER 15:56:05 WORK THAT WAS BEING -- WELL, THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR US 15:56:06 TO HEAR. OBVIOUSLY, WE NEED TO 15:56:11 CONTINUE TO WATCH THE UNDERSEA PLUME TO THE EXTENT ONE DEVELOPS 15:56:19 VERSUS, YOU KNOW, IN ADDITION TO THE TOP OF THE SEA SPILL. 15:56:26 SO THAT PROCESS IS BEING LOOKED AT WITH A CONSORTIUM REALLY OF 15:56:31 GOVERNMENT SCIENTISTS WHO CONTINUE TO LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING 15:56:33 ON UNDERNEATH THE SURFACE OF THE OCEAN? 15:56:34 WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE? AND AGAIN, I THINK NOAA DIRECTOR 15:56:40 REALLY RESPONDED VERY STRONGLY TO SOME OF THESE EARLY 15:56:46 STATEMENTS THAT HAD NOT BEEN VERIFIED AND SEEM INACCURATE. 15:56:51 NOW SECONDLY, THE EPA HAS APPROVED THE UNDERSEA USE OF 15:56:54 DISBURSEMENTS. -- DISPERSEMENTS. 15:57:02 IT'S VERY NOVEL AND IT'S DONE IN A CONTROLLED WAY. 15:57:03 EVERY TIME WE DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU HAVE -- YOU KNOW, YOU 15:57:09 HAVE TO EXPLORE KIND OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL TRADEOFFS THAT ARE 15:57:10 BEING MADE. BUT EPA HAS A VERY RIGOROUS 15:57:17 PROTOCOL HOW THAT WILL BE DONE AND THE CONTINUOUS MONITORING 15:57:20 THAT WILL BE HAPPENING. AND SO THOSE UNDERSEA 15:57:27 DISPERSANTS ARE BEING INJECTED IN THE LAST FEW DAYS. 15:57:32 IT SEEMS WE'RE EXPERIMENTING BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING 15:57:36 UNPRECEDENTED AND UNANTICIPATED BY THE REGULATORY PROCESS. 15:57:41 ANY, THE ONE THAT THE MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE IMPOSED ON 15:57:43 THE COMPANIES PRIOR TO GRANTING PERMISSION ON THIS WELL. 15:57:48 ADMIRAL, LET ME ASK YOU INSOFAR AS THE COAST GUARD OBVIOUSLY HAS 15:57:54 SUPERVISION OVER MARINE OIL SPILLS, ISN'T THERE A DANGER 15:57:59 THAT THESE ENORMOUS PLUMES WILL BE TAKEN BY THE CURRENT AND 15:58:03 MOVED FAR AWAY FROM THE ACTUAL SOURCE OF THE SPILL NOW? 15:58:08 AND THAT COULD HAVE VERY, VERY WIDE-RANGING AND BAD 15:58:10 ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS? I THINK -- MR. CHAIRMAN, I 15:58:15 THINK YOU'RE REFERRING TO THE LOOP CURRENT THAT'S BEEN TALKED 15:58:17 ABOUT. YES, YES. 15:58:18 I KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN WATCHING THAT VERY CAREFULLY. 15:58:21 WE'RE USING -- NOAA IS HELPING US TO MODEL THE LOCATION. 15:58:24 CURRENTLY IT SHOWS TO BE SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 15:58:27 40 TO 50 MILES FROM THE SOUTHERN EDGE OF THE SPILL. 15:58:29 SO WE ARE WATCHING THAT CAREFULLY. 15:58:34 AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, WE'RE PREPARING FOR THE SOUTHERN 15:58:38 FLORIDA COAST. I WILL SAY THE OTHER THING, THE 15:58:45 MATERIAL THAT WILL BE PICKED UP IN THE LOOP CURRENT IS HEAVILY 15:58:48 WEATHERED OIL. TAR BALLS FORMING ON THE 15:58:51 BEACHES. THEY COME ASHORE IN WAYS IN 15:58:57 WHICH IT'S RELATIVELY EASY TO CLEAN UP. 15:58:58 IT'S NOT A GOOD THING. IT WILL BE A MORE MANAGEABLE 15:59:01 PIECE THAT WE'LL DEAL WITH THERE THAN WHAT WE'RE CURRENTLY 15:59:05 LOOKING OUT IN THE GULF, SIR. WE'LL GO TO THE FINAL WORD TO 15:59:07 THE SECRETARY. HAVE YOU ENCOUNTERED UNDERWATER 15:59:15 SEA PLUMES OF OIL OF THE DIMENSIONS BEING DISCUSSED IN 15:59:19 YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH THE COAST GUARD? 15:59:20 NO, SIR. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE SEEN 15:59:23 A LEAK OF THIS DEPTH THAT POSES THESE KINDS OF COMPLEXITIES. 15:59:25 SECRETARY? I WAS JUST GOING TO MENTION 15:59:28 THAT. IN RESPECT TO THE LOOP CURRENT, 15:59:34 THE NUMBERS ARE AS THE REAR ADMIRAL SAID IN TERMS OF 15:59:36 DISTANCE, WE'RE MONITORING IT VERY CLOSELY. 15:59:38 BUT WE'RE ACTUALLY TREATING IT AS IF IT WERE ITS OWN COASTLINE. 15:59:44 IN OTHER WORDS, THAT IF WE WERE TO SEE THAT THE OIL REALLY WAS 15:59:46 BEGINNING TO MOVE TOWARD THE LOOP CURRENT, WE WOULD BEGIN 15:59:52 DOING SOME THINGS BY WAY OF DISPERSANT AND BOOMING AS IF THE 15:59:56 LOOP CURRENT ITSELF WERE A PIECE OF THE COAST. 15:59:57 THANK YOU. MY TIME IS UP. 15:59:59 SENATOR COLLINS? THANK YOU. 16:01:51 COLLINS questions *relief well? A sure thing?* 16:03:18 NAP a question you want to address to BP 16:03:33 NEFF in talking to those who are. 16:03:45 NEFF the topkill - the tech they're using to shut the well is tested method 16:07:10 LANDRIEU questions 16:07:15 *trust fund* 16:08:25 NAP there is a claims process, there are rollover numbers PANEL #2 Lamar McKay Chairman and President BP America, Inc. 16:12:30 McKAY statement 16:15:10 why did blowout preventer fail?