The BP oil leak on the Deepwater Horizon has passed the six-week mark and continues to gush oil into the Gulf of Mexico. Many are now asking how the company continually received permission to drill with 760 safety violations.
The Minerals Management Service’s (MMS) system of granting oil companies permits to drill involves auctions in which the companies submit bids. After the oil companies submit their bids, which include plans regarding how they will go about drilling, the MMS then has 30 days to either approve or disapprove the bid. But did the MMS overlook BP’s egregious number of safety violations by continually granting them permission to drill? We talk with the director of Public Citizen’s Energy Program, Tyson Slocum, about the questionable decisions made by the MMS.
At The World, we believe strongly that human-centered journalism is at the heart of an informed public and a strong democracy. We see democracy and journalism as two sides of the same coin. If you care about one, it is imperative to care about the other.
Every day, our nonprofit newsroom seeks to inform and empower listeners and hold the powerful accountable. Neither would be possible without the support of listeners like you. If you believe in our work, will you give today? We need your help now more than ever!