Obama Administration Accused of Blocking Report on Potential Seriousness of BP Spill

We have previously discussed how the Obama Administration played down the environmental damage caused by the BP oil spill, including public statements by people like Carol Browner that the oil (which was later found) had miraculously disappeared. Now, documents have been disclosed suggesting that the Obama Administration blocked efforts by federal scientists to tell the public of how bad the oil spill was. Once again, there is relatively little attention to this story. The Bush Administration was accused of the same type of manipulation of scientific reports and was generally (and rightfully) savaged in the press.

The documents released Wednesday show that the White House budget office denied a request from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to make public the worst-case discharge from the blown-out well.

The documents indicate that the decision to withhold the information may have been made at a “high level.” One staff report stated that withholding the information played into the view that the spill could easily be controlled.

What is most disturbing is how this withheld information dovetails with the later efforts to downplay the significance of the spill and public indications from officials that President Obama would likely resume his controversial plan to open up pristine areas of the East Coast to drilling.

Source: Miami Herald