Coast Guard Halts Oil Barges Over Life Vests
While I appreciate the Coast Guard looking out for their safety, WTF?
Eight days ago, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal ordered barges to begin vacuuming crude oil out of his state’s oil-soaked waters. Today, against the governor’s wishes, those barges sat idle, even as more oil flowed toward the Louisiana shore.
[...]
But the Coast Guard ordered the stoppage because of reasons that Jindal found frustrating. The Coast Guard needed to confirm that there were fire extinguishers and life vests on board, and then it had trouble contacting the people who built the barges.
Wouldn’t it make more sense for the Coast Guard to just provide some vests and fire extinguishers if they couldn’t find them on board? Why halt the barges for any time at all for something like this? What are their priorities?
I always find it amusing when goverment gets frustrated with goverment rules. It is ok to frustrate the public as long as goverment does not have to follow its own rules.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on June 18, 2010 at 0811 hrs
The laws the law.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on June 18, 2010 at 0831 hrs
Come on Owen, this is just an example of one part of government wanting to look like it’s in control. Then they can write it on brochures and in television commercials how they “protected the citizens”. Yet more childish moronic behavior from government people, but that’s no surprise.
Posted by Jay4Liberty on June 18, 2010 at 0846 hrs
Under Barack Obama the magnitude of environmental disasters will necessarily skyrocket.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on June 18, 2010 at 0846 hrs
Can hardly wait until this environmental disaster is over, and this governmental mindset can work it’s magic on revamping our health care system. We are so screwed!
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on June 18, 2010 at 0854 hrs
It’s not quite bad enough yet, give it a few more weeks and maybe, just maybe, this administration might finally get it. Don’t count on it, but every now and then even idiots guess correctly.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on June 18, 2010 at 0940 hrs
I have yet to see a story on this that says that the barges actually lacked fire extinguishers or life jackets…apparently some governmental genius just decided to block them till they got around to inspecting them.
This is really different, and more damaging, than if the barges actually lacked the safety devices.
I wonder, in the end, if this thing would have not been done more quickly without the layers of supervision by persons with no actual experience in deep water oil operations putting their two cents in.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on June 18, 2010 at 1216 hrs
My cynical side says that the federal government is trying to impede the success of certain Republican governors. It would be the same reason that Governor Jindal has been unable to obtain EPA permission to dredge sand bars to keep the oil from coming ashore… and maybe the same reason that we are allowing arcane laws to stop expert help coming in from overseas. Prhaps they simply want to see more ecological damage so that the crisis can be used to push an anti-oil energy control agenda.
My cynical side thinks that… and it’s winning over the side that says no one would be callous and petty enough to do that.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on June 18, 2010 at 1219 hrs
I wonder, in the end, if this thing would have not been done more quickly without the layers of supervision by persons with no actual experience in deep water oil operations putting their two cents in.
Heretic! Only government can fix this. You’d best go to confession and ask Obama for forgiveness for your insolence.
Posted by Jay4Liberty on June 18, 2010 at 1220 hrs
Why would they want to contact the people who built the boat?
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on June 18, 2010 at 1241 hrs
The Coast on Lake Michigan only enforces the law and saves lives; they never hand out free equipment during or after inspection. They are not funded to do this. Boaters get inspected, citations, maybe advice, and lots of black boot marks on white decks. Spend a day with some boaters @ a marina.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on June 18, 2010 at 1439 hrs
... and it was important to do that rather than allow the boats to do their work? The oil skimming barges operating during a national disaster are the same as pleasure boaters out for a Sunday cruise?
I suppose you’d also support taking evacuation buses out of service for 24 hours before a hurricane in order to inspect seat belts and tire pressure? Grounding rescue planes for annual maintenance inspections after a quake?
The timing of these ridiculous checks was galacticly stupid at best, and deviously nefarious at worst.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on June 18, 2010 at 1753 hrs
My question is why they had to contact the manufacturers of the barges. I mean, wouldn’t a simple walk down and looking for the fire extinguishers and life jackets suffice? And take a lot less time?
And to reiterate from #5 above… This crew is designing our “new and improved” healthcare system?
We are so screwed.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on June 18, 2010 at 1854 hrs
Another reason why there should be LESS government…
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on June 18, 2010 at 2056 hrs
i like ur post..
Posted by Reverse Phone lookup on June 19, 2010 at 0345 hrs
Soooooooooooooooo typical!
Bureaucrats have no incentive to ever say yes. Nobody ever gets fired for following the checklist, so the safest course of action is to always say no - no matter what the consequences.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on June 19, 2010 at 0731 hrs
From:
www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/go/doc/2931/677231/HOUMA, La.—Coast Guard marine inspectors provided safety recommendations to the operators of 11 Shallow Water Barge Recovery System vacuum barges in Empire, La., Friday.
The owner/operator of the barges asked the Coast Guard to inspect the vessels, some under construction, to ensure they were safe. This requested inspection was scheduled for Friday.
The Coast Guard inspectors made recommendations to the owner/operator regarding lifesaving and firefighting equipment, vessel stability and egress issues, leaving the decision to continue construction and operations with the owner/operator.
Five of the 11 barges have been engaged in operations today, operating in in Plaquemines Parish in: Bay Jimmy, Red Fish Bay, Pass A Loutre, Four Bayou Pass and Bay Baptiste. Two are enroute to Grand Isle, one is dockside for repairs and three are assigned, but have not yet started cleanup operations.
Friday, there were a total of 94 skimmers operating in Plaquemines and Jefferson Parishes, in the vicinity of Barataria Bay, including 20 Shallow Water Barge Recovery System barges, which have a similar capability to the 11 barges in question.
The Coast Guard will continue to maximize cleanup efforts - particularly through using local resources - while simultaneously prioritizing worker safety.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on June 19, 2010 at 2118 hrs
On the other hand, dailycaller.com has this version.
========================================On Thursday night, the Incident Commander in Houma, Roger Laferriere, decided with the captain of the port in New Orleans to inspect the barges when they realized the ships did not have a certificate of inspection to demonstrate safety equipment on board. Thursday morning, the ships were inspected and grounded because they did not have the proper fire-fighting and life-saving equipment. There were also concerns about the stability of the barges. During the day Thursday, the problems were fixed, and the barges are back out on the water today.
Brassel’s defense of the decision, he said, was based on the “general Coast Guard perspective” on safety matters. Brassel repeatedly declined to say whether the Coast Guard balances safety considerations in an urgent, disaster response scenario like what is happening in the Gulf versus ordinary circumstances when time is not of the essence.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on June 19, 2010 at 2250 hrs
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Posted by fish oil on June 24, 2010 at 0222 hrs
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