Carol Browner, special adviser to President Barack Obama, traveled the Gulf Coast this week to listen first hand to leaders in the counties impacted by the BP oil disaster. She was in Pensacola this afternoon.
Browner, the former EPA director under Clinton and Florida DEP secretary when Hurricane Andrew hit Homestead, wanted to keep the discussion centered around facts. She stood behind the NOAA and EPA reports. “I hope we’ve turned a very important corner.”
Dan Thomas, WEAR TV, and other reporters pressed Browner during a brief press conference held prior to the roundtable meeting at New World Landing. He asked her repeatedly about where has the oil gone. Browner told him to go back to the NOAA report. “I have made my conclusions based on the data in the report. You may have another one, but I encourage everyone to go to the website and read it for themselves.”
“We want to share with people what information we have,” Browner said. “The good news is no more oil is leaking. Work continues to be done, but the problem is diminishing over time.”
She added, “We’re not done. We’re here. We will continue to work with Gulf Coast communities. We will continue to hold BP responsible and the Gulf Coast will be restored.”
The Obama Administration will focus on the economic impact and the long-term environmental impact of the disaster.
I asked Browner about the purpose of her visit. What was she going to take back to Washington? And is there a disconnect between what the White House is hearing about this disaster and what she is learning?
She said that the purpose of her visit was to hear first-hand what’s happening—what worked, what didn’t, and what needs to happen going forward.
“We have made a commitment to work with the people of the Gulf Coast. If something needs to be done, we will adjust accordingly.”
Note: I will add more on the roundtable later tonight.