Perino baselessly attacked Obama administration for not approving berm plan "right away"
On the June 9 edition of Fox & Friends, guest host Dana Perino responded to the statement that "[Obama's] officials responded immediately" to the Gulf oil spill by claiming, "I think Governor Jindal would disagree with the berms that weren't built right away." In fact, the Army Corps of Engineers was required by law to study the plan, portions of which it approved.Not once has Fox thus far brought on an actual expert on engineering berms/barrier islands and the pluses and minuses of building them. Sure Republican Gov. Jindal doesn't care if the oil starts hitting new areas in Mississippi, he doesn't live there. Like most conservatives he is not for doing what is best he is about trying to score cheap political points.
....AP: Army Corps previously said it was "working as quickly as possible" on permit request "but still has to follow" federal law. The Associated Press reported on May 24 that "the Corps said it is working as quickly as possible on the emergency permit request -- but still has to follow various steps required by federal law." From the article:
In a statement, the Corps said the state's application is being processed as an emergency permit. The agency said that under federal law, the Corps had to comment on the proposal, leading the state to file a revised plan on May 14. The agency said the information is now being evaluated for potential environmental impacts.
The Corps said it is working closely with the state -- and will make a decision as quickly as possible.
AP: Army Corps documents raised concerns that barriers "could instead funnel oil into more unprotected areas and into neighboring Mississippi." The AP reported on May 26 that the Army Corps released documents that day that "signaled support for parts of the state plan, including berms that would be built onto existing barrier islands," but stated that parts of the plan "could inadvertently alter tides and end up driving oil east -- into Mississippi Sound, the Biloxi Marshes and Lake Borgne." From the article:
A wall of sand that Louisiana officials have requested to block the Gulf of Mexico slick could instead funnel oil into more unprotected areas and into neighboring Mississippi, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said in documents released Wednesday.
Gov. Bobby Jindal and leaders from several coastal parishes want to ring the state's southeastern coastline with a $350 million, 86-mile network of sand berms. However, the corps says the barrier could inadvertently alter tides and end up driving oil east -- into Mississippi Sound, the Biloxi Marshes and Lake Borgne.
