New Oil Spill Access Rules: Join the Live Chat
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New rules in the Gulf will make it more difficult to see the disturbing reality of this disaster. Despite promises of transparency and full access - photographers, reporters and the general public now could face fines and felony charges if they get to close to response vessel or booms. We're keeping them honest. Plus, Anderson's exclusive interview with Jimmy Buffett. What the superstar thinks of the spill and how the area will recover.
Want more details on what we're covering? Read EVENING BUZZ
Scroll down to join the live chat during the program. It's your chance to share your thoughts on tonight's headlines. Keep in mind, you have a better chance of having your comment get past our moderators if you follow our rules.
Here are some of them:
1) Keep it short (we don't have time to read a "book")
2) Don't write in ALL CAPS (there's no need to yell)
3) Use your real name (first name only is fine)
4) No links
5) Watch your language (keep it G-rated; PG at worst - and that includes $#&*)
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Filed under: Live Blog |
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re Charles comment
" I can see them not wanting the general public to get hurt, or interfere with the BP vessels in anyway that would slow BP's containment attempt of the oil",
It is almoost impossible to slow BP's containmant attempt it couldn't go any slower than what they are currently doing . They are not containing any of the oil currently leaking to the surface above the wellhead they are allowing it to spread all over the Gulf and onto the shores of several states. Containment is not in their vocabulary.
I have been in Gulf Shores for 2 weeks now. The beach in front of our condo has been covered with tar balls and oil sludge for 7 days now. Not once have any BP workers cleaned up a thing. There were about 40 workers yesterday who stood around, one or tow picked up few things, but mostly nothing was done. There have been tractors & equipment up and down the beach all week, just riding, not working! What a waste of the rumored $200 a day they are getting.
Dear Anderson,
I watch you every evening–thank you for caring enough about this story to be BP's gadfly. I think that President Obama does want this handled properly and efficiently, but it seems as misdirected a recovery effort as Katrina was. What is happening and the loss of wildlife that we are not even allowed to see is heart breaking. Thank you for all of your hard work (along with so many others at CNN); I'll be here tomorrow and the next day, and the next...
The EPA and other environmental agencies need a proceedural overhaul.
Anderson you are a true american! You show the face of what true americans should be keep up the good work
I am appalled and just plain sick of our government tying reporters hands. They need to remember "The people" put them into office ....and "The people" can take them out again as well.
I hope Americans flood the White House with letters concerning this absurd ruling. Good Luck Anderson !
This whole thiing is a nightmare. The media doesn't give it anywhere near the coverage it needs, and deserves. I wait every night to hear what you have to say Anderson. There is no sense of urgency. I just don't understand why not. We're in troouble.....big trouble.
Hey I tried to be good no ones perfect good night Louisiana and good night Anderson lets hope there's no more disasters to cover for awhile .
@Pete,
Interesting...I wonder if that would work, asking the owners.
Lost my internet connection.
Good night and I will talk to you tomorrow.
Thank God for Anderson Cooper.
Emily,
@Megan,
I don't like the fact that Thad Allen is restricting the media...he has not been transparent...no one knows what is going on...he's the one that's to be in charge and he's not saying anything...people deserve answers.
Yup! That's good point there also!!!! 🙂
The Press can get felony charges??
But it is ok for BP to be killing endangered species? What kind of Bizarro World is this? the world is upside down. Good is punished and Evil continues on....
@Lisa in Louisiana, "I do know this what I really was trying to say is why aren't we pressuring EPA, Clean Air & Water, etc... A little harder to explain why they aren't stepping up to the plate."
By "we" I take it you mean the government. They can, but they haven't.
Jimmy – time to update Margaritaville – "all of those tourists covered in oil"........
Some people say that there's a BP to blame, but I know: it's now the government's fault.
AC~ did Jimmy say how his part with the "rescue boats" and getting them in to "operations"? Again Really wish more coverage of the wildlife and oceanlife was getting a bit more coverage. The thought of only being able to view animals in a zoo is most unnerving.
Anderson you are our salvation if we don't hear whats really happening from you and billie nungesser we will truly be in trouble by not being informed. Are they freaking kidding me we are now in a war over barges. That is equipment all our coastal parishes should have been given from day one.along with everything else needed to fight this oil. It is truly sad that it has come to this. I live in Lafourche parish and we have tons of oil off our coast and we too need barges just send in the navy or whatever it takes. I have a question why can't our local and or state goverment just take over , no one on the federal level cares enough to save us. they keep proving that to us on a daily basis.When do we say enough is enough at what point do we just take matters into our own hands. Anderson thank you for doing what you do.
In the long run, I think the dispersant are going to be the real killers. It's like pouring pesticides on your lawn instead of pulling up the dandelions. All so BP can cover their tracks.
Here's wishing everyone a blessed and joyous holiday...remembering great people we have lost who did not live to see another day, and everyone struggling through the many hardships of life. Let's instill hope in each other for a brighter tomorrow.
Goodnight Mr. Cooper, get some rest this weekend. You and your team deserve it. Goodnight bloggers Sue R., Nicole and everyone!
"The life of a nation is secure only while the nation is honest, truthful and virtuous" – Frederick Douglass.
Anderson, that was a great interview with Jimmy Buffett. I'm suddenly craving a Margarita
What about freedom of information? Do they think we are all so stupid that we are not going to get angry about this new law to hide the truth?
This is outrageous. And I think the Press as a whole should take BP on and say this is not what we do in the US. BP is so corrupt, they think they can do anything and the trouble is, our pathetic government goes right along with it.... but we, the People have to stand up and say no more! Whatever is going on out there we have the right to see it.
Much of the wetlands and marshes are privately owned , all CNN needs to do is ask the property owner for acess.
I am extremely disapointed with our goverment in the way they have ingnored the Gulf Oil Gusher!!!!! What happened to the 20 Billon for finacial relief??? What happen to the open pockets of BP??BP is not furnishing proper houseing for clean up workers???WHO and how can you sell condemed FEMA trailers ??? BP cant put the clean up workers in a motel aid the workers help the economy?? When are the MMS inspectors going on trial for their criminal actions?? When is the Goverment going to finally climb out of bed with the oil companys AND CLEAN UP THE GULF!!!!!!!!!!
I wish there was an attorney who would file a class action lawsuit against BP, The Whitehouse and EPA. Then every single person could get involved (not for monetary gain but for responsibility to ensure the efforts don't stop till everything is/has been cleaned up)
Thank you so much for the constant coverage of the spill. Our local news here in Alberta barely covers this story, so we (my family and I) watch this program regularly for updates. Please continue exposing the truths in this heartbreaking disaster.
"photographers,reporters and the general public, could face felony charges if they get to close to the response vessel or booms". felony charges, they've got to be kidding. Ok, I can see them not wanting the general public to get hurt, or interfere with the BP vessels in anyway ,that would slow BP's containment attempt of the oil, or cause this disaster to become worse. But, why am I getting the feeling that their intentions, are to limit the media from gaining access to the reality on the ground of this disaster. I'm not certain about others, but I know that I, want to be kept informed. The ocean waters do not belong to BP, BP has no right to keep me in the dark about what they're doing with "our" ocean.
Good to see Jimmy Buffet on your show.
we are not just "addicted" to oil...our entire world is run with it...
I was thrilled to hear that Jimmy Buffett was coming on AC360 tonight. He's a great entertainer and yet very passionate environmentalist (especially for his beloved Gulf Coast home). He tells it like it is. Thanks for sharing. Love ya Jimmy!
Anderson , remember when you were in Haiti, and it was incredulous to americans that relief supplies couldn't get to populace and we all thought"well, thats because the Haitian govt has been so ineffective even before the earthquake – well sadly, we are seeing the same thing here! I understand that capping the well itself is a new and incredibly thechnical problem, but the containment and cleanup should not be made this difficult!
Freedom is not 65 feet away. I am so disappointed in the man I voted for change/ Where is our government! Where is freedom of the press??? Thanks Anderson Without you who knows how far the cover up would go
Does BP or the Gov even have a plan to plug that hole yet?
Have we ever heard?
funnelling the oil to the surface is a good idea. If dispersent injection is stopped at the LMRP nearlly all the oil leaking will go straight up to the surface where it could be contained in a series of concentric booms . Then picked up by skimmers inside the containment area & transferred via floating hoses into tankers.I am sounding like a broken record
President Obama said that "HE" has been in control of operations from DAY 1....Now, I think that it's time to stop saying BP this; BP that. It's time to say The Obama Administration is failing; The Obama Admin. is stopping reporters from telling and seeing the truth...IT IS OBAMA now. I expected more from Democrats.
Thank you so much Anderson...Keep up the Great Reporting. We wouldn't know what the heck is going on, if not for you!
The more I think about this, the harder it seems to process. I'm in Destin, FL on vacation. I've come here since I was 11 (now 19). Every year I remember restaurants being packed, streets crowded, and the beaches full of vacationers.
The occasional tarball aside, there has been no oil in Destin, and yet the population seems cut by more then half. Anderson, please let people know if a community says "we have no oil" they aren't deceiving you. The people need your business here, and you can see the desperation in their eyes.
Jimmy Buffett is such an icon. Is there a chance that he might be able to talk sense into someone and get them to focus on the oil spill and keep them focused?
Thank you Anderson for digging into and following this story. Night after night you reveal unbelievable and shocking stories of things being done by BP and things not being done by our government. This morning for the
first time, I wrote a message to the White House, using the official site.
I plan to keep writing and calling, urging more and direct attention be paid to the OIl Spill, for greater care and attention to our coast and stop letting BP run the show.
.
Has Anderson ever gone out with the Coast Guard.
I think due to 9/11 they are very wary of having so
many ships in one place their are huge tankers on
the why including one called The Whale. It was just
built and altered to help skim oil.
"Husbands learn to appreciate your wives. Isn't that the reason why you get married because if it isn't; it should be!"
I spent the summers of my youth down here in Gulf Shores. I'm in Orange Beach now with my elderly parents. Going on three days now and no clean up crews in site. No skimmers in site.
I asked a golf cart full of young clean up workers if they were cleaning the beach today. They said "no clean up was canceled because of the storm". There was no storm here today. Overcast, a few light showers, not even white caps on the ocean. But clean up was canceled and long bands of thick, orange crude are continually washing up on these beaches.
I'm furious... more at our ridiculous government BS than at BP!
Time for Obama to step up to the plate.
I think the BP report was amazing. Keep up the excellent work.
Government is partly to blame, BP is mostly to blame. Most definitely however, we as a society must accept our fair share of the blame, for our unending hunger and dependance on oil that has caused us to go to these lengths to sustain our way of life.
P.S. give viewers constant updates and methods in which they can help.
Excellent report by Ed on dispersants, sharp and data-focused. BP is now pouring two different poisons into the Gulf. Clearly we can't rely on the EPA or the Coast Guard. At least Rep. Markey is on the case, but as a Democrat, he's not going to point out the obvious negligence of the administration. I'm now wondering if this is a deliberate punishment of Red State America because they "cling to their guns and religion"? I ask this as a Democrat who is ashamed of the abandonment of my fellow Americans in the Gulf.
@Megan,
I don't like the fact that Thad Allen is restricting the media...he has not been transparent...no one knows what is going on...he's the one that's to be in charge and he's not saying anything...people deserve answers.
Anderson, I said it after Katrina and it's aftermath that we lived through that NOLA should adopt you as ours-that has never been more apparent to me then now. I want to Thank You for Keeping them Honest! Our own government is not worried about it and I think NOLA and all the other costal towns are blessed to have you reporting on this for us. Someone has to show the nation and the world what happens when profits take priority over people, nature and wildlife! Thank You again!!
Why are dispersants necessary?
To keep the oil away from the shoreline?
Or are dispersants being used to keep the oil at sea... so their devastating effects are hidden from view?
Thank you so much Anderson for continuing to report from the Gulf.
Of course a couple nights ago BP reported how the local hotels were experiencing a boon of business from all the oil disaster workers in the Gulf....that is transparent as the oil pouring up from the well! It's not an oil spill, its an oil eruption, or oil catastrophy, or oil explosion, or oil flood...it's anything BUT a spill!
i like jimmy buffet's music – it eases the mind and the soul even when it seems there is nothing to laugh or smile about
As Deborah Benton above mentioned, if her family, and so many others are so sick (nose bleed, headache, etc) and they don't realize how sick they are until they go away for vacation...do we need to ask how serious the health threats are to residents, and track ER and redimed visits to determine when it will be time to evacuate?
"Forget transparity", if Thad Allen is preventing journalist from complete access to ground zero than there is something terribly wrong. Are we in further danger?
@ steven alabama
I agree! "We the people" need to take care of "we the people" and stop relying on government to solve our problems. I see a grass-roots effort developing.