Florida Sen. Bill Nelson On Storms: Get More Ships In Gulf

[1776Forever]

Nelson On Storms: Get More Ships In Gulf
Florida Senator Concerned About Big Storms Driving Oil Onto Beaches
Greg Fox, Staff Writer
UPDATED: 4:41 pm EDT June 25, 2010

http://www.wesh.com/news/24044056/detail.html

Sen. Bill Nelson sat in his Orlando office and showed reporters and photographers a collection of maps that outline the potential paths of a storm in the lower Gulf Of Mexico.

He's playing amateur meteorologist, but he is serious.

Nelson's concern is that big storms this hurricane season, beginning as soon as this weekend, could send waves of oil washing over Florida's Gulf coast beaches -- less than two weeks before the crucial July 4 holiday. What's more, a major storm would shut down operations at the Deepwater Horizon, allowing 60,000 barrels of B-P oil a day to spew into the sea for up to 10 days, before drilling and capping efforts could resume.

Nelson says he wants Navy and Coast Guard vessels moving into the Gulf now to be ready for a storm's aftermath.

[valerief]

1. Put him on one, too. Permanently. nt

[BeFree]

4. Are you suggesting?

That a Democratic Party Senator who is doing his best to to represent his state should be placed in grave danger?

Who the fuck are you?

[valerief]

9. Sorry. I got corrected. Thought it was BEN Nelson. I apologize.

I just saw the 'Nelson' and not the state. I'm sooooo sick of Ben Nelson, the Nelson name blinds me.

[nashville_brook]

6. that's BILL Nelson, not Ben Nelson.

[valerief]

8. Oops, my bad. Sorry!!!! nt

[babylonsister]

2. Ummm, what if it turns into a huge storm? Wouldn't that

jeopardize the crews on the ships? Is Nelson thinking this through? I thought most sane people got out of the way of hurricanes.

[1776Forever]

3. More from the article - Sen. Nelson furious Navy had 2 to 3 dozen skimmers not being used!...

Nelson On Storms: Get More Ships In Gulf
Florida Senator Concerned About Big Storms Driving Oil Onto Beaches
Greg Fox, Staff Writer
UPDATED: 4:41 pm EDT June 25, 2010

http://www.wesh.com/news/24044056/detail.html

....Nelson is furious to just learn that the Navy has two to three dozen skimmer vessels in ports around the country in addition to the half dozen that have already been sent to the Gulf.

"There's no excuse that all those ships are not in place now, there is no excuse that 27 of them are now here already," Nelson said.

The Senator, who lives in Orlando, blames the split authority between the Coast Guard and BP for slowing down communications, that could speed resources to the Gulf.

As for the fallout from the ongoing environmental disaster, Nelson said it will take more money than the $50 million in tourism ad money and $20 billion provided by BP to satisfy business claims, if huge amounts of oil are swept up onto beaches by major storms this year.

[Poboy]

10. Yeah, "We will do everything it takes"- Who said that last week? -nt

[nashville_brook]

5. everything about this disaster is being handled horribly. Nelson is right on this.

Get those Navy skimmers down here.

[Lorien]

11. +1. It isn't often that Nelson works for we the people

but he is here, and more power to him. I've been writing to Grayson to ask him to join Nelson in demanding more action. We may be 50 miles from the coast, but that doesn't mean that this isn't effecting us all. So far it has to be some of the worst disaster management in history. Stop using Corexit and PLUG THE DAMN HOLE!!!!

[Melissa G]

7. After 66 plus days I don't understand why every skimmer we have in the Navy is not there.

Maybe there is this confusion with foreign ships, but why are Our resources not all heading there?:shrug:

[Lorien]

12. I'd love to hear an answer on that. nt