The Obama administration is dialing up the pressure on BP as the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico continues to spread, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar held a news conference outside the oil company's Houston offices Sunday, calling himself "angry and frustrated that BP has been unable to stop this oil from leaking and stop the pollution from spreading."
"We are 33 days into this effort and deadline after deadline has been missed," he said.
But even as the administration hits BP rhetorically, it continues to issue drilling permits in the Gulf despite President Obama's announcement of a moratorium on new drilling projects, according to the New York Times.
The Times reports that seven new drilling permits have been granted, along with five waivers allowing companies to bypass certain environmental concerns. From the paper: "Asked about the permits and waivers, officials at the Department of the Interior and the Minerals Management Service, which regulates drilling, pointed to public statements by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, reiterating that the agency had no intention of stopping all new oil and gas production in the gulf." - Politico Story
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