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Red Tape Stalls Oil-Sucking Barges

Coast Guard needed to verify presence of... life jackets

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Jun 18, 2010 7:51 AM CDT

(Newser) – Bobby Jindal is furious. Last week, he commissioned a fleet of 16 barges to comb the Gulf with vacuum equipment and suck up crude oil, and they had been working surprisingly well—until the Coast Guard stopped them on Wednesday, forcing them to sit at port for 24 hours. Authorities, to Jindal’s frustration, wanted to check things like whether there were enough fire extinguishers and life vests on board, ABC News reports.

Now, the barges are sailing again, but questions persist over who’s actually in charge in the Gulf. Jindal called the White House, and even that didn’t get the mess sorted out right away. “Every time you talk to someone different at the Coast Guard, you get a different answer,” Jindal complained.

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal talks to reporters on a vacuum barge that had been sucking up oil, until it was stopped by the Coast Guard.
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal talks to reporters on a vacuum barge that had been sucking up oil, until it was stopped by the Coast Guard.   (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Barges with vacuum trucks are seen along the oil damaged shores in the Northern reaches of Barataria Bay, La., Thursday, June 17, 2010.
Barges with vacuum trucks are seen along the oil damaged shores in the Northern reaches of Barataria Bay, La., Thursday, June 17, 2010.   (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
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ABC talks to Bobby Jindal and Bob Riley about their cleanup frustrations   (ABC)

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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 13 comments
JohnEd
Jun 19, 2010 7:13 PM CDT
...and they damn well better be union! right BerryO.?
thudson
Jun 18, 2010 5:58 PM CDT
"Red Tape?" safety measures are "Red Tape?!" then the Gulf needs a whole helluva lot MORE red tape!!!!!
JonmarkP
Jun 18, 2010 5:06 PM CDT
"Bobby" (a made-up name for political purposes) Jindal didn't order the barges in time to be sure there was opportunity for a safety inspection. Now he wants to blame the Coast Guard for ensuring there is proper equipment on board so the workers don't burn to death? Yeah, he's a Teabagging Republican, all right. And a two-bit whining asshole.
 

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