Top U.S. official pledges to reform ties to Big Oil

Almost one month from the day the U.S. oil rig, Deepwater Horizon, exploded and sank in the Gulf of Mexico, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar says he’s ready to address the problem head on, finding who is to blame for the massive oil spill and reform the way the government does business with the oil industry. Salazar seems to feel that the oil company BP should be held accountable, but others argue it is the Department of Interior agency MMS who might have “dramatically underestimated the potential risks” of drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. In fact, in an article on CNNMoney.com, Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon stated that MMS (Minerals Management Service) who is responsible for managing natural resources in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico have been in denial about safety problems for years and are the ones who may be responsible.

The horrible truth is that this massive oil explosion on April 20, 2010 killed 11 workers and continues to leak oil undersea at a rate of 210,000 gallons per day. No matter who is at fault, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar is still proposing legislation that would give the Department of Interior an additional $29 million to what he says, “inspect offshore oil and gas platforms, create new safety regulations, and to study the spill’s impact”. The secretary has also stated that his department, along with the Department of Homeland Security, plan to offer “robust” recommendations in a 30-day safety review as mandated by the White House.

Until then, the good news is that the government has ceased issuing any permits for new drilling projects in the Gulf until a full explanation for what caused the spill in the first place can be brought to light.

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