BILOXI — Members of President Barack Obama’s commission on the BP oil disaster met with a handful of local “stakeholders” Thursday and outlined the commission’s report on what went wrong and what should be done to prevent similar disasters.
The local officials and business leaders invited to hear the report, and a few environmental activists who weren’t invited but were allowed to sit in anyway, appeared to agree with the report overall. But the local leaders voiced concerns they hope commission members will share with the White House — about the Coast economy, long-term environmental and health effects and the seafood industry.
“I suggest to you the job is not done,” said Ken Montana, chairman of the Harrison County Tourism Commission. “You’ve got to take this report and make sure some action is provided to it. … The BP money is pretty much over with, but the men and women of our industry down here are still hurting and they’ll still be hurting next year and the year after that. I beseech you to help us with that. … All the funds were expended prior to your report, and now that we have an action plan, the money’s depleted. That doesn’t make sense.”
Sun Herald
1/14/10