Obama administration needs to step up role in BP oil spill: By Letters to the Editor/The Star-Ledger May 28, 2010

Government must step in
It’s been more than a month since the oil rig Deepwater Horizon began leaking thousands of barrels of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico, threatening to destroy centuries-old fishing and oyster industries and to contaminate the food supply of fish and mammal populations. Despite its efforts to stem the leak, BP has only been moderately successful.
In reaction, all the Obama administration has managed to do is put Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar in front of the cameras and have him wag his finger at BP. While Salazar is busy assigning blame to a company that has clearly acknowledged it’s at fault, the oil keeps leaking into the environment.
When a responsible party cannot adequately address a release of oil, the federal government is authorized to take over the cleanup effort and seek to recover its costs from any responsible party, such as BP. This is routinely done in other, less significant oil spills, like the November 2009 CAPECO oil terminal explosion in Catano, Puerto Rico.
Salazar should stop playing the blame game and get off the sidelines. Federalize the cleanup while BP plugs the leak. Do what needs to be done to address the environmental catastrophe that is unfolding in the Gulf.
Paul L. Kahn, Milltown
Full investigation is warranted
Your May 25 editorial “Truth in the Gulf” quite properly is critical of British Petroleum for its lack of safeguards leading up to the disaster of a month ago and failure to insure against the blowout that took place, resulting thousands of barrels of oil pouring into the waters of the Gulf and untold damages to the environs of our southern states.
BP of course should be held responsible, both civilly and perhaps in a criminal court, after a full investigation of the entire matter because, as your editorial states, it has not been honest.
Speaking of honesty, however, can you imagine had this event occurred in the prior administration just how ferocious would be calls for President George Bush’s impeachment, if not some form of tar-and-feather punishment? Honesty should also be required from those in the Obama administration who had the obligation to oversee the offshore operations of BP to avoid what happened in our coastal waters.
Hugh J. O’Gorman, Mendham