Tonight, President Obama delivers his first address from the Oval Office, a speech that senior administration officials say will focus not only on the national response to BP's disaster in the Gulf, but also on the urgency of enacting an energy policy that will break our dependence on fossil fuels.
In a conference call earlier this afternoon, the officials said the bulk of the President's speech will focus on the immediate challenges posed by BP's spill and what the Federal government has done and will do to meet those challenges. In the wake of today's new official estimate that between 35,000 and 60,000 barrels per day are spewing into the Gulf, President Obama will say that by the end of the month, he expects that 90% of the total leak will be captured at the surface.
He'll discuss his administration's plans for cleanup of the oil itself as well as for recovery from the economic and ecological devastation inflicted on the Gulf Coast as a result of BP's recklessness. That last point is important: President Obama won't just talk about cleanup and recovery, he'll underscore the importance of holding BP accountable for its actions.
He will also discuss measures that the government will take to reduce the risk of another offshore drilling disaster, including reforms in the federal approach to regulating offshore drilling. Although he will maintain the federal moratorium on new deepwater drilling while regulations are being overhauled, he will also say that he wants that overhaul to be swift, allowing for a resumption of deepwater drilling.
Finally, President Obama will say that the disaster in the Gulf is ultimately a consequence of our failure to adopt energy policies that break our addiction to fossil fuels. He will say that in addition to helping Gulf Coast states recover form this disaster and holding BP accountable, we must as a nation confront the need to chart a new course on energy.
I'll be liveblogging the address as it is delivered and will post a video feed in this space and the full text below the fold when it becomes available. After the speech, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs will answer questions submitted by the public. You can watch Gibbs here.
Update 1 -- If you're not by a TV, here's a live video feed:
Update 2 -- Now that the address is underway, I've posted the prepared text below the fold.
Update 3 -- The first part of the speech is essentially a recitation of the state of play on the spill, and a defense of the administration's actions, culminating with the assertion that 90% of the leak will soon be captured, with a relief well on the way, and that BP will be held accountable.
Update 4 -- I thought that this was a noteworthy sentence:
I have authorized the deployment of over 17,000 National Guard members along the coast. These servicemen and women are ready to help stop the oil from coming ashore, clean beaches, train response workers, or even help with processing claims – and I urge the governors in the affected states to activate these troops as soon as possible.
It's amazing that despite Jindal's carping he still hasn't taken full advantage of the National Guard resources made available to him.
Update 5 -- The president tells BP that it isn't calling the shots:
Tomorrow, I will meet with the chairman of BP and inform him that he is to set aside whatever resources are required to compensate the workers and business owners who have been harmed as a result of his company’s recklessness. And this fund will not be controlled by BP. In order to ensure that all legitimate claims are paid out in a fair and timely manner, the account must and will be administered by an independent, third party.
Update 6 -- Turns out the President doesn't sound quite as eager to lift the moratorium as Drill, Bobby, Drill Jindal would like:
Already, I have issued a six-month moratorium on deepwater drilling. I know this creates difficulty for the people who work on these rigs, but for the sake of their safety, and for the sake of the entire region, we need to know the facts before we allow deepwater drilling to continue. And while I urge the Commission to complete its work as quickly as possible, I expect them to do that work thoroughly and impartially.
Update 7 -- Can you say peak oil?
But a larger lesson is that no matter how much we improve our regulation of the industry, drilling for oil these days entails greater risk. After all, oil is a finite resource. We consume more than 20% of the world’s oil, but have less than 2% of the world’s oil reserves. And that’s part of the reason oil companies are drilling a mile beneath the surface of the ocean – because we’re running out of places to drill on land and in shallow water.
For decades, we have known the days of cheap and easily accessible oil were numbered. For decades, we have talked and talked about the need to end America’s century-long addiction to fossil fuels. And for decades, we have failed to act with the sense of urgency that this challenge requires. Time and again, the path forward has been blocked – not only by oil industry lobbyists, but also by a lack of political courage and candor.
Update 8 -- Amen to this:
As we recover from this recession, the transition to clean energy has the potential to grow our economy and create millions of good, middle-class jobs – but only if we accelerate that transition. Only if we seize the moment.
Update 9 -- President Obama is wrapping up, and you can watch Robert Gibbs answer questions from the public at WH.gov, but one thing that struck me is that the President demonstrated the most passion -- in my view, at least -- when talking about the urgency of adopting new energy policies that take us away from a reliance on fossil fuels.
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