Oil spill response inadequate, some legislators say
by Robert Travis Scott - Times-Picayune (excerpt)

The House of Representatives on Monday again became a release valve for local officials' simmering frustrations over the Gulf of Mexico oil spill response, reflecting concerns of coastal parishes west of the Mississippi River ever since a portion of the slick began moving in that direction. The fundamental problem in their eyes is similar to one expressed by St. Bernard and Plaquemines parish officials previously: Local authorities want more containment booms and permission for plans to pursue alternatives -- such as sand barriers -- that would be reimbursed by oil giant BP and approved by the Coast Guard. Rep. Jerry "Truck" Gisclair, D-Larose, said he had warned state officials that the oil slick would soon accelerate toward the west, but that the response to protect his area has been inadequate. "We need a team effort, and our team is broke," Gisclair said. Other House members disagreed, pointing out that all the coastal parishes want more boom and equipment than is available and that state officials have been working earnestly for weeks to deal with the crisis. The state released a plan May 2 that outlines the amount of boom and other measures that would be used in each parish likely to feel an impact over a 30-day period, and the plan was vetted with the Coast Guard and BP. St. Mary was slated for 15,386 feet of boom in that plan.