Vitter Calls on Coast Guard to Increase Boom Quantities for Louisiana Coastal Parishes

Current figures show other coastal states receiving higher concentrations of boom

 (Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Sen. David Vitter today sent a letter to Coast Guard Commandant Thad Allen calling for an immediate increase in oil containment barriers, known as boom, along Louisiana’s coast.

The text of Vitter’s letter is below. 

May 7, 2010

IMMEDIATE ATTENTION REQUESTED

Admiral Thad W. Allen

Commandant of the United States Coast Guard

Coast Guard Headquarters

2100 Second Street, SW Stop 7101

Washington, DC 20593-7101

Dear Admiral Allen: 

I write to express my very strong concern regarding the positioning and deployment of boom along the Gulf Coast and the apparent huge disparity that presently exists and disadvantages Louisiana.  

According to the latest Coast Guard figures available, and based on rough estimates, one mile of boom has been deployed to Louisiana for every 13.4 miles of coastline within 200 miles of the ongoing oil discharge.  This 1/13.4 ratio compares to 1/1.32 for Mississippi and 1/1.76 for Alabama.  Like Louisiana, Florida has a similarly low ratio.

Because this calculation only accounts for coastline within 200 miles of the spill site, it does not include Louisiana’s entire coast.  It does, however, include the entire coastlines of Mississippi and Alabama, so the calculation is plainly very fair and conservative.  

Please look into this apparent disparity.   I look forward to hearing from you regarding any updated figures and how this situation will be corrected quickly.  

Of course, a big part of the solution is procuring much more boom overall.  Already, lack of available boom is slowing efforts in St Bernard Parish, which I visited this morning.  I have had a telephone conference about this with Admiral Watson, but he did not identify an adequate plan for ramping up procurement in those meetings.  I am aware that 876,936 feet of boom has been deployed.  With significantly more available and with Louisiana’s coast being the closest to the spill site, I urge you to direct as much boom as possible as soon as you can. 

Thank you for your leadership and your immediate attention to this crucial challenge. 

                                                            Sincerely,  

                                                                                    David Vitter

                                                                                    United States Senate