Gulf Spill Update: Listen to Residents and End the Oil Ban

Allison Meese / August 04, 2010

On Monday, Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, who was appointed by President Barack Obama to lead the federal government’s oil spill recovery efforts, held a town hall meeting in Theodore, Alabama. Rather than dictating their plans to the citizens, he said the government wants to listen to the residents of the coast as it makes decisions on the best long-term recovery plan for the region.

Better late than never, right?

The Alabama Press-Register reports that during the meeting, Mabus told residents that the projects that have the best chance of being funded are those that create jobs, correct longstanding problems, and move the economy away from its dependence on oil and gas production and toward renewable energy production.

The cry that needs to be heard loud and clear by the government from coastal residents and local business leaders: end the moratorium, now. (more…)