Coast Guard shuts down oil-skimming barges due to … lack of life vests onboard
posted at 8:35 pm on June 17, 2010 by Allahpundit
Bureaucracy fever — catch it!
Eight days ago, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal ordered barges to begin vacuuming crude oil out of his state’s oil-soaked waters. Today, against the governor’s wishes, those barges sat idle, even as more oil flowed toward the Louisiana shore.
“It’s the most frustrating thing,” the Republican governor said today in Buras, La. “Literally, yesterday morning we found out that they were halting all of these barges.”…
[T]he Coast Guard ordered the stoppage because of reasons that Jindal found frustrating. The Coast Guard needed to confirm that there were fire extinguishers and life vests on board, and then it had trouble contacting the people who built the barges…
“They promised us they were going to get it done as quickly as possible,” [Jindal] said. But “every time you talk to someone different at the Coast Guard, you get a different answer.”
The barges are now back to work thanks to Jindal pounding the table, but follow the link and read the whole piece. This is by no means an isolated incident: Alabama’s governor is running into the same problems thanks to the alphabet soup of federal agencies attempting to govern the clean-up by committee. If you wanted to know why an oil-spill czar was needed, this is why — because the red tape is so thick, the only way to possibly cut through it is to, er, add a little bit more red tape and bind up all the loose ends under the authority of a single officer. How lucky do you feel?
Very much worth three minutes of your time: Jindal and the locals do what little they can to turn back the thick black tide.
Blowback
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Second look at Packgen end fittings?
Weight of Glory on June 17, 2010 at 8:37 PM
God help us all. 1984 really should have been titled 2010. I thank liberals every day for that travesty in the White House.
ultracon on June 17, 2010 at 8:38 PM
We learned that from the Titanic.
Electrongod on June 17, 2010 at 8:38 PM
Some places in FL aren’t waiting:
Weight of Glory on June 17, 2010 at 8:39 PM
Something tells me a Tsar ain’t gonna simplify the regulations, nor issue any waivers.
Skandia Recluse on June 17, 2010 at 8:39 PM
Just wait until they’re in charge of your body!
SouthernGent on June 17, 2010 at 8:39 PM
Maybe Jinal should arm his people and just start shooting at the Coast Guard.
GarandFan on June 17, 2010 at 8:40 PM
If PBHO had an ounce of leadership he would tell everyone to do what they need to do and refer all problems to his authority.
What a clown we have in the White House.
Bishop on June 17, 2010 at 8:40 PM
typical federal clusterfark
devadevadasa on June 17, 2010 at 8:40 PM
Sometime in 2014….
Patient: I need a doctor fast, I’m bleeding to death.
Nurse: Not so fast. According to paragraph 478, subjection 28.a of ObamaCare, we need to first make sure you have had enough vitamin C and vitamin D this morning with your breakfast.
angryed on June 17, 2010 at 8:40 PM
RELEASE THE
KRAKENCAJUNS!Christien on June 17, 2010 at 8:40 PM
Why aren’t the CG supplying PFD’s to the oil cleanup crews instead if stopping their progress?
thomasaur on June 17, 2010 at 8:41 PM
No. It’s worse than that. A barge should be held up if there aren’t any life vests. But I read the article to say that the barges were held up in order for the Coast Guard to find out if there were life vests on board, not because they inspected it and didn’t find any. How long does it take to check a ship and count the vests?
Mark1971 on June 17, 2010 at 8:41 PM
Whales, dolphins, fish and birds were not allowed to comment.
Electrongod on June 17, 2010 at 8:41 PM
Against stupidity the gods themselves struggle in vain.
NaCly dog on June 17, 2010 at 8:41 PM
It’s frustrating as hell just reading this crap, can’t imagine living through this cluster fark.
Vigilante on June 17, 2010 at 8:41 PM
We learned that from the Titanic.
Electrongod on June 17, 2010 at 8:38 PM
No icebergs down here in the gulf. Just an insane clown in our White House. What happened to my country?
lukespapa on June 17, 2010 at 8:42 PM
The way BO is acting, it looks like he doesn’t care about 2012 which seems very suspicious…as if he/they have an agenda to take entire control before then.
Otherwise, he’s an idiot.
You decide.
JayJay123 on June 17, 2010 at 8:43 PM
There is only one Commander-in-Chief.
He commands the Coast Guard.
And he has declared war on this spill.
And he has declared that the buck stops with him.
Stephen M on June 17, 2010 at 8:43 PM
Can’t wait for ObowmaCare to kick-in…
Seven Percent Solution on June 17, 2010 at 8:43 PM
Impeach Obama.
gh on June 17, 2010 at 8:43 PM
“It’s not about big government or smaller goverment… it’s about a government that works for the people…”
-Barack Obama January 2009
myrenovations on June 17, 2010 at 8:44 PM
COVERUP!
Oh crap, now I’m a bigot.
Ian on June 17, 2010 at 8:44 PM
Attention, anyone dumb enough to think they care about us…
THEY. DON’T.
Not only do they not care, they will actively work AGAINST you caring for yourself:
Exhibit 1: All Gulf States.
Exhibit 2: Arizona.
Exhibit 3: Tennessee
The “government” no longer represents us… How much more proof do you need?
UnderstandingisPower on June 17, 2010 at 8:46 PM
Just like Packgen’s boom was inferior…wasn’t it? Depends on who you ask, right?
gryphon202 on June 17, 2010 at 8:46 PM
Electrongod on June 17, 2010 at 8:47 PM
See? All these lovely regulations makes everything so much better!
Say, have they filled out the Environmental Impact Statement and gotten the clean-up process approved so that it doesn’t negatively impact the environment?
ajacksonian on June 17, 2010 at 8:47 PM
BIG GOVERNMENT.
Jon Stewart loves this crap.
tetriskid on June 17, 2010 at 8:48 PM
Bobby Jindal – the thinking person’s Obama.
Jealous much Barry?
RobCon on June 17, 2010 at 8:48 PM
Good. Every effort by BPObama to thwart local efforts such as these needs to be exposed and hung around the neck of BPObama like a millstone.
Godspeed to the good folks down on our Gulf Coast!
Christien on June 17, 2010 at 8:49 PM
How hard would it have been for the Coast Guard to loan some life vests and fire extinguishers to the vessels to get them in compliance so the clean-up efforts wouldn’t be impeded.
Some desk jockey was probably afraid he’d forget to fill out the right forms or something equally stupid. I thought this was an “all-hand-on-deck” emergency.
Good grief.
hillbillyjim on June 17, 2010 at 8:49 PM
I can’t believe that the coastguard is doing this without guidance from the top. It’s too stupid …
gh on June 17, 2010 at 8:49 PM
Gotta love Okaloosa county! They aren’t messing around. I heard today on the raido that they have found “tar balls” the size of dinner plated and all the beaches on Okaloosa Island are closed. I also heard that Destin pass is closed. I love this area and do not want to see it spoiled. I go to those beaches all the time.
milwife88 on June 17, 2010 at 8:49 PM
hands
hillbillyjim on June 17, 2010 at 8:50 PM
No f’n way! Is it possible to make Carter look like a sensible and pragmatic leader? I’m starting to think so…
abobo on June 17, 2010 at 8:50 PM
Well,thats Par for the Course!!
canopfor on June 17, 2010 at 8:50 PM
At this point* comparing Jindal to Obama is rather insulting.
[*] Where Obama has proven his complete incompetence.
gh on June 17, 2010 at 8:51 PM
My reaction when I read this: “Oh, my, F-in Gawd!” Except I said the entire f-word. This is beyond ridiculous.
HawaiiLwyr on June 17, 2010 at 8:51 PM
Next up: Ecoterrorists inform the demorats that a tiny river-mite might have its yearly migration interrupted by the oil booms.
PBHO orders all booms removed from the gulf until an environmental impact statement can be issued, it should be done in about six months.
Bishop on June 17, 2010 at 8:51 PM
Just think: These same bureaucrats are about to be running your medical care!
mojojojo on June 17, 2010 at 8:51 PM
We won’t help you, but we’ll appoint a czar and a commission and we’ll sure as heck pray for you!
Seriously. Hate doesn’t come naturally to me, but I’m starting to hate Obama and all his little federalies.
UnderstandingisPower on June 17, 2010 at 8:52 PM
This +1000. Anyone who’s managed people in a big organization knows that the only thing senior executives are good for in a crisis is cutting red tape. But of course Captain Kick-Ass won’t do that, because red tape is his lifeblood.
Fabozz on June 17, 2010 at 8:52 PM
Sure looks like “Kenneth the Page” is kicking Captain Kickass’s ass, doesn’t it, Democrats?
Christien on June 17, 2010 at 8:53 PM
That sounds about right.
hillbillyjim on June 17, 2010 at 8:53 PM
That’s horrible. Destin has some of the prettiest beaches in FL and one of the only places that you’ll find large sand dunes. For Gulf water, it’s surprisingly clear, at least compared to Ft. Myers beach which is where I grew up. And Destin is much better than Pensacola, in my humble opinion.
Weight of Glory on June 17, 2010 at 8:54 PM
Rush mentioned rumors of this on his show this afternoon. He said it was too bizarre to talk about it before further proof. So here’s the proof?
petefrt on June 17, 2010 at 8:54 PM
I believe the Coast Guard is doing this precisely because of a lack of guidance from the top.
JohnGalt23 on June 17, 2010 at 8:54 PM
They must follow direct order.
katy the mean old lady on June 17, 2010 at 8:55 PM
I can never seen to get a straight answer to a very simple question – did I somehow miss the official designation of this as an ‘emergency’ or ‘disaster’? You know, one of those red-tape cutting directives from a competent chief executive?
Maybe Skippy can’t ‘plug the damn hole’, ‘find some a$$ to kick’, ‘suck it up with a straw’, or seem to get his handicap down, but that is ONE thing he SHOULD have already done!
And by not doing so, he’s basically indicating he’s fine with the apparatchiks squabbling and dragging this agony out just as long as politically and impractically possible.
Wind Rider on June 17, 2010 at 8:56 PM
It is an emergency for pete’s sake- if the CG investigator goes on the first barge and finds they are missing x number of extinguishers then assume that the other 15 are missing the same amount, round up the needed fire extinguishers and BRING THEM TO THE BARGES! But don’t stop the cleanup. Sheesh.
We are not preparing for war and running down a checklist, we are fully engaged remember?
journeyintothewhirlwind on June 17, 2010 at 8:56 PM
Perhaps. But with this WH, you never know.
gh on June 17, 2010 at 8:57 PM
This is getting absurd.
Does anybody in this administration know what they are doing?
gophergirl on June 17, 2010 at 8:58 PM
Obviously not.
gh on June 17, 2010 at 8:59 PM
Obama is doing more to undermine the Fed then any right wing extremist that exists in the fevered imagination of the left.
rob verdi on June 17, 2010 at 9:00 PM
I agree with you. They don’t call it “The Emerald Coast” for nothing. The sand is so white and clean it squeaks when you walk on it. It’ll break my heart if it is ruined.
milwife88 on June 17, 2010 at 9:01 PM
….seriously?
KinleyArdal on June 17, 2010 at 9:01 PM
The word ‘incompetence’ will soon gain a reference to the Obama Administration.
ajacksonian on June 17, 2010 at 9:01 PM
That’s got to be sarc right? <_<
KinleyArdal on June 17, 2010 at 9:01 PM
For the last week here on the MS coast, the heat index has been in the 110 degree range. They are requiring all the cleanup people to wear full Tyvex suits, which allows no air flow. This is why they work 20 minutes then cool off for 40 minutes. I also noticed that they are wearing hard hats, for what ridiculous reason I cannot imagine. I guess oil blobs are going to fall out of the sky and brain them.
You just gotta love government in charge.
GnuBreed on June 17, 2010 at 9:02 PM
Of course they do
They are making sure this crisis does not go to waste,
not until another one comes along ( wink wink)
macncheez on June 17, 2010 at 9:02 PM
I’m so thankful that GWB was in office when the 35W bridge went down. He gave us money, divers, etc and then got out of the way.
If Obama was in office we would still be monitoring the situation with debris in the water.
gophergirl on June 17, 2010 at 9:02 PM
National Guard vs Coast Guard!
Consider it a minor league Army/Navy skirmish.
ajacksonian on June 17, 2010 at 9:03 PM
I think we need to set up another commission to review the findings of a blue ribbon panel that is reviewing the current discussions and findings of the sixteen individual bureaucracies charged to review each federal, state, and local level of response that keeps the blame away from Obowma…
Seven Percent Solution on June 17, 2010 at 9:03 PM
captain Kickass was asleep at the switch and failed to declare this a national disaster and he’ll be damned if he does now, so people will wonder why he didn’t do so alsmost two months ago.
AcidReflux on June 17, 2010 at 9:03 PM
They are going to put themselves in the minority and we won’t have to do a dang thing.
This is just beyond words – I’ve never seen anything so inept in my entire life.
I swear Jindal’s head is going to explode any second.
gophergirl on June 17, 2010 at 9:05 PM
Since Obama brings them up for votes, I’m hoping some Republican will name a couple of oil-soaked birds after his daughters. The nation can watch them heal and be reminded of the man whose incompetence let the oil spread.
Canadian Infidel on June 17, 2010 at 9:06 PM
How’s that “Hopey Changey” thing work’in for ya……
OBAMA:
When I am President, I will start by restoring that most basic trust – that your government will do what it takes to keep you safe.
Obama, New Orleans Feb. 7th, 2008
….Yes We Can!!!!!
Baxter Greene on June 17, 2010 at 9:07 PM
Very bad idea… they do mount 50 cals on those runabouts you know … and I’ll tell you from personal experiece that those young kids manning them on full lock and load are very nervous when pointing one of those babies in your direction…
Friendly21 on June 17, 2010 at 9:08 PM
You’d think Comrade Urkel would delegate a little power and let Jindal have a free hand if he really wanted to solve the problem.
Jindal’s on the scene and it’s impacting the LA coast the most.
But noooooooo, he’s gotta keep playing “Who’s the Boss?”
This is the worst clusterf*ck to date and Obama’s to blame.
His inaction and posturing have helped to make the spill and its cleanup WORSE.
If I can’t get fresh crab, shrimp and oysters for my dinner tomorrow night, I know who I’m blaming and it ain’t BP or Bobby Jindal!
Jenfidel on June 17, 2010 at 9:08 PM
Obama porn.
gh on June 17, 2010 at 9:08 PM
Admiral Allen says he needs all the skimmers he can get:
He said that today. Day 59.
SlaveDog on June 17, 2010 at 9:08 PM
I’m sure there have been worse events of epic proportions… I have – Someone Had Blundered and The Natural History of Stupidity pretty close at hand, but for real time idiocy nothing beats this Administration.
ajacksonian on June 17, 2010 at 9:08 PM
And no one has filled out an Environmental Impact Statement on the clean-up yet, so we can expect there to be a sudden halting to get that done… or prosecutions afterwards for all involved for not following the regulations…
ajacksonian on June 17, 2010 at 9:09 PM
Just gotta love ‘a-firm-a-tive action’!
Seven Percent Solution on June 17, 2010 at 9:11 PM
Weight of Glory on June 17, 2010 at 8:39 PM
That is my home town. We are very proud of our county commissioners.
Grunt on June 17, 2010 at 9:11 PM
They should have life jackets. And anyone insulting the Coast Guard has to some real first class idiot. Those men and women truly do risk their lives all the time to save people, to assist in disasters, and enforce the law. There are many Coasties right now, still in Iraq.
For people, while being mad at Barry, to attack them, shows you don’t have a clue.
TiminPhx on June 17, 2010 at 9:12 PM
You should be – that is true leadership.
gophergirl on June 17, 2010 at 9:13 PM
Obuma is doing to the Gulf Coast states what he is doing to Arizona.He refuses to help them protect their homes. He thinks he is is more important than the country. The attacks, whether by immigration, nature or man-made castrophes, he uses to reinforce his narcissism.
volsense on June 17, 2010 at 9:13 PM
[thomasaur on June 17, 2010 at 8:41 PM]
My thoughts exactly. The same with fire extinguishers. If the CG is taked to help, you’d think they’d be calling all these craft asking if they need anything and read off a list, before they go out there.
Dusty on June 17, 2010 at 9:14 PM
Why not bring them some instead of shutting down the barges?
Pull up to the side of the barge, ask them how many they need and then give them to them. That way they are safe and can continue doing with the federal government refuses to.
It’s not the men and women of the Coast Guard’s fault they are following orders but come on some common sense here would be helpful.
gophergirl on June 17, 2010 at 9:14 PM
Leave the CG alone. They’re just worried that a barge will run aground on one of those sand berms that was built to protect the LA coastline and the friction of the metal scraping against the sand will spark a fire that will burn off the floating oil…
Now, everyone knows we can’t be having none of that…
Gohawgs on June 17, 2010 at 9:15 PM
What is that signature look on Diane’s face? Constipation mixed with empathy?
Jaibones on June 17, 2010 at 9:16 PM
I wouldn’t attack the Coast Guard–they’re taking orders from their Pretender-in-Chief Obama.
He will shut down any solution to the problem that works.
Isn’t it obvious?
Jenfidel on June 17, 2010 at 9:16 PM
Obama said our shores are under assault.
He is leading the charge.
ThePrez on June 17, 2010 at 9:16 PM
I’m not at all mad at the USCG.
I do, however, question the timing of the enforcement of safety regulations during a disaster…
ajacksonian on June 17, 2010 at 9:16 PM
No problem. Our fearless GOP House leadership will get right on this.
Bugler on June 17, 2010 at 9:17 PM
Insane clown it is.
Mason on June 17, 2010 at 9:17 PM
Not if he can figure out a way to take credit.
gh on June 17, 2010 at 9:17 PM
As soon as they come out from under their desks, that is… and put their teddy bears away and get their milk and cookies…
ajacksonian on June 17, 2010 at 9:18 PM
Can’t have the small people upstaging the big people of BPObama.
Christien on June 17, 2010 at 9:22 PM
As much as I hate cold weather, November cannot arrive soon enough. The November elections will be our last chance to peacefully save the USA. If the Democratskis remain in control, we are screwed.
Pelayo on June 17, 2010 at 9:27 PM
Who says Big Government doesn’t work?
bbh on June 17, 2010 at 9:27 PM
I like the report on Jindal and Louisianans doing the job Obama refuses to do
ToddonCapeCod on June 17, 2010 at 9:33 PM
I don’t know how Jindal has kept his sanity. Just watching this beaurocratic nightmare makes me think I’ll go mad, and I don’t even live in the Gulf. Just look at how hard he’s tried to save his waters, his land, his beaches, his citizens livelihood…his desperation…it’s truly heartbraking. And how many times has Obama played golf?
scalleywag on June 17, 2010 at 9:39 PM
I like the report on Jindal and Louisianans doing the job Obama refuses to do
ToddonCapeCod on June 17, 2010 at 9:33 PM
Jindal, Barbour, Christie, and Brewer – they all have to do the job that the current administration refuses to do …
bbh on June 17, 2010 at 9:40 PM
You actually think the Coasties are in charge of anything? I’d be the first to say they would normally have told them to get the safety equipment and get back to work. A “Cease and Desist Order” has the administrations finger prints all over it. As I said in another thread, the Coasties can’t unzip their fly to take a leak without WH permission.
CC
CapedConservative on June 17, 2010 at 9:45 PM
That it.
I am going to bed and dream, When I am there I hope to find a John McCain in the White House and Vice President Sarah Palin having setting up shop in the golf solving the problem.
Oh and having the press finally complain that the president and his minions are acting to controlling and not letting the people on the ground have more control to solve the problem.
But this is what one gets when they think a Marxist radical is better than a progressive RINO
947 day
tjexcite on June 17, 2010 at 9:45 PM
Busting on life vest and extinguisher counts is a symptom of a government or any person or organization with no capability to address the real problem told to “Do something!”. I hate to bust on the Coast Guard – I really do – but they are doing what the end of the spear of an inept bureaucracy with illusions of control over problems way to complex for them always do – reverting to what is easy — easy to do, easy to measure.
They have no clue how to stop the leak or even how to stop the oil from spreading. But they can count life vest and fire extinguishers and they can certainly look busy moving around measuring and studying the problem.
If only we had a leader who could make clear the time for “looking” busy or concerned or like you are working hard has passed.
Unquiet on June 17, 2010 at 9:45 PM
And Mr. President deserved just as much of a bashing from Congress as they doled out to BP today. Why does he get a pass?
scalleywag on June 17, 2010 at 9:46 PM
The REAL irony here is that where the barges are operating if they sank the crew wouldn’t even get their feet wet. The video shows the the barges in very shallow water.
JackS on June 17, 2010 at 9:46 PM
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