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The Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) reported that since the April 20 Gulf incident, MMS approved 27 new regional offshore projects and exempted 26 others from environmental review, from April 21 - May 7 - 26 got "categorical exclusion(s)" under the National Environmental Policy Act. According to Salazar, Interior has no intention of stopping new oil and gas operations in the Gulf, despite Obama's announced moratorium.
CBD's executive director, Kieran Suckling said:
"Under pressure from the oil industry and an agency he seems incapable of controlling, Secretary Salazar has watered down the drilling moratorium to a point where it is virtually meaningless." Like Obama, he's more interested in political damage control than protecting the environment. His "so-called moratoriums and reforms are little more than rhetorical dispersants designed to break up the hide the political scandal threatening to wash up on his shore."
On May 25, New York University Professor Paul Light called the moratorium "so ridiculous that it defies understanding." Instead of one with teeth, it "appears to have been basically done through the most casual way possible under federal law," to deflect criticism, not institute reform or environmental protection.
Lewis and Clark Law School Professor Daniel J. Rohlf said "The moratorium does not even cover the dangerous drilling that caused the problem in the first place." He and others doubt that the Interior Department can institute reforms, given its longstanding coziness with the industry.
On May 25, the Center for Biological Diversity responded to the Inspector General's Report, citing an agency "riddled with illegal drug use, and worst of all, falsification of inspection reports crucial to ensuring the safe operation of drill rigs in our waters....The extent of the culture of corruption in the MMS is mind boggling. Steps (Salazar) proposed to fix this dysfunctional organization do not come close to what is needed to root out the systematic corruption of the agency."
Shades of Paddy Bauler, former Chicago alderman who once famously said: "Chicago ain't ready for reform," nor is it today under Mayor Richard M. Daley or his predecessors, in Illinois under successive governors, or in Washington where the criminal class is bipartisan, Obama no different from the rest, and in many respects much worse.
Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. Also visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network Thursdays at 10AM US Central time and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are archived for easy listening.
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