On Tuesday, it was reported that the amount of barrels leaked per day is between 35,000 and 60,000, a figure ten times higher than the initial estimates and that increases the outrage of the US population.

“Its getting worse and worse”, said Nick Berning, from Friends of the Earth US, when asked about the situation at the Gulf in an interview with Real World Radio.

“Wildlife is being harmed as the oil spreads more and more and impacts on the economy and people are devastating. There are a lot of people who depend on fishing for their livelihoods. The Gulf economy is in trouble.”

Yesterday, in his first televised Oval Office speech, US President, Barack Obama, made reference to the oil spill and the measures his administration will take to face it.

“Already, this oil spill is the worst environmental disaster America has ever faced. And unlike an earthquake or a hurricane, it’s not a single event that does its damage in a matter of minutes or days. The millions of gallons of oil that have spilled into the Gulf of Mexico are more like an epidemic, one that we will be fighting for months and even years”, said Obama.

And he added: “But make no mistake: We will fight this spill with everything we’ve got for as long as it takes. We will make BP pay for the damage their company has caused. And we will do whatever’s necessary to help the Gulf Coast and its people recover from this tragedy.”

Obama announced different measures, such as to continue with the cleanup, investigating what happened on the rig, and make sure that the Minerals Management Service supervises the oil industry. In addition, President Obama said that while stronger regulation and control measures are needed, a change towards clean energy to reduce dependence on fossil fuels had to be taken into account.

“We appreciate the President’s call tonight for policies that will generate more clean energy, but it is important to note that much of the energy legislation now being considered in Congress has been unduly influenced by polluting industries and will not get us to this goal”, said Erich Pica, President at Friends of the Earth US in a statement published by the organization.

“The President can and should go further in fighting the polluter lobbyists whose influence is at the root of our energy problems. Reforming the Minerals Management Service is a necessary, but not sufficient, step. Lobbyists from all dirty energy industries, not just oil, must be shown the door, and regulatory agencies that oversee coal mining, nuclear reactors and corporate agribusiness must also be reformed”, added Pica.

Photo: www.whitehouse.gov