WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama on Wednesday vowed to do “whatever is necessary” to restore the Gulf Coast on the anniversary of the BP rig explosion, which caused the worst maritime oil spill in US history. “The events that unfolded on April 20, 2010 and the oil spill that followed underscores the critical link between the environment and economic health of the Gulf,” Obama said in a statement.
“My administration is committed to doing whatever is necessary to protect and restore the Gulf Coast.”One year ago an explosion and fire on the BP-leased Deepwater Horizon oil rig killed 11 workers and destroyed the platform, eventually causing some 4.9 million barrels of oil to gush into the Gulf of Mexico.
The oil spewed into the ocean for three months before the well was capped and had a devastating impact on Gulf Coast residents, the local ecosystem and the region’s vital tourism and fishing industries. Obama vowed to “hold BP and other responsible parties fully accountable for the damage they’ve done and the painful losses that they’ve caused.” But his remarks emphasized the continuing recovery efforts, saying that some 2,000 “responders” are still taking part in the clean-up. “From the beginning, my administration brought every available resource to bear, amassing the largest oil spill response in our nation’s history.
