Hill Heat

• U.S. Coast Guard Rear Adm. Mary Landry
• BP Chief Operating Officer Doug Suttles
• MMS Regional Director of the Gulf of Mexico Region Lars Herbst

The entrance location for press conferences at the Shell Robert Training and Conference Center has changed. Members of the media will enter the facility from the back gate. The address is 23260 Shell Lane in Robert, La., 70455-1928. A Unified Area Command joint information center representative will be at the gate at 12:30 p.m., to escort media.

The call-in number for press unable to attend: (877) 918-5750. International callers use (312) 470-7364 Password – RESPONSE (73776673). Live broadcast may be available on the Digital Video Information Distribution System (DVIDS) hub, which can be accessed at www.dvidshub.net. To see the live broadcast or download video of the conference, media must register with DVIDS no later than 1:45 p.m. This can be done on the DVIDS Web site or by calling (678) 421-6612.

There will be a question and answer conference call with subject matter experts to discuss details regarding dispersants.

• Administrator Lisa P. Jackson, EPA
• Paul Anastas, Assistant Administrator for the Office of Research and Development, EPA
• Dana Tulis, Acting Office Director, Office of Emergency Management, EPA
• Dr. Jane Lubchenco, Undersecretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, NOAA
• Dave Westerholm, Director, NOAA Office of Response and Restoration.

The call-in number for this event: (888) 324-7105. International callers use (312) 470-0116 Password – RESPONSE (73776673).

U.S. Coast Guard Rear Adm. Mary Landry, Federal On-Scene Coordinator, BP Chief Operating Officer Doug Suttles.

Unified Command to update media on ongoing operations regarding Deepwater Horizon oil spill response efforts and progress.

Shell Robert Training and Conference Center, 23260 Shell Lane in Robert, La., 70455-1928. A Unified Area Command joint information center representative will be at the gate at 1:30 p.m., to escort media.

The call-in number for press unable to attend: (877) 918-5750. International callers use (312) 470-7364 Password – RESPONSE (73776673). Live broadcast may be available on the Digital Video Information Distribution System (DVIDS) hub, which can be accessed at www.dvidshub.net. To see the live broadcast or download video of the conference, media must register with DVIDS no later than 1:45 p.m. This can be done on the DVIDS Web site or by calling (678) 421-6612.

A public hearing for the joint investigation will be held May 11-12, 2010 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (CDT) at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 2829 Williams Blvd., Kenner, La.

The purpose of this joint investigation is to develop conclusions and recommendations as they relate to the Deepwater Horizon MODU explosion and loss of life on April 20, 2010. The facts collected at this hearing, along with the lead investigators’ conclusions and recommendations will be forwarded to Coast Guard Headquarters and MMS for approval. Once approved, the final investigative report will be made available to the public and the media. No analysis or conclusions will be presented during the hearing.

• Michael Saucier – MMS Regulatory and Inspection Programs
• Capt. Verne Gifford – 8th Coast Guard District Chief of Prevention
• Lt. Cmdr. Michael Odom – Liquefied Gas Carrier National Center of Expertise, National Technical Advisor
• Lt. Barbara Wilk – Investigating Officer, Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Morgan City
• Brian Bubar – Deputy Commissioner Maritime Affairs, Republic of Marshall Islands
• Capt. Thomas Heinan – Deputy Commissioner Maritime Affairs, Republic of Marshall Islands

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano will travel to Mobile, Ala., on Tuesday, May 11, to inspect ongoing operations to minimize the Deepwater BP Oil Spill’s impact on public health, the environment and the economy—part of the federal government’s continued oversight and emphasis on interagency coordination in response to the spill.

During her visit, Secretary Napolitano will join Alabama Governor Bob Riley to tour the Mobile Incident Command Center, meet with federal, state and local officials to discuss the response effort and participate in a media availability.

Mobile Incident Command Center
1 Water Street
Mobile, Ala.

Review current issues related to offshore oil and gas development including the Department of the Interior’s recent five year planning announcements and the accident in the Gulf of Mexico involving the offshore oil rig Deepwater Horizon.

Rescheduled from May 6.

Witnesses

• Dr. F.E. Beck, Associate Professor, Texas A&M University
• Bud Danenberger, Former Chief, Offshore Regulatory Program, Minerals Management Service

• Lamar McKay, President and Chairman, BP America, Inc.
• Steven Newman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Transocean Limited
• Tim Probert, President, Global Business Lines; Chief Health, Safety and Environmental Officer, Halliburton

A public hearing for the joint investigation will be held May 11-12, 2010 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (CDT) at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 2829 Williams Blvd., Kenner, La.

The purpose of this joint investigation is to develop conclusions and recommendations as they relate to the Deepwater Horizon MODU explosion and loss of life on April 20, 2010. The facts collected at this hearing, along with the lead investigators’ conclusions and recommendations will be forwarded to Coast Guard Headquarters and MMS for approval. Once approved, the final investigative report will be made available to the public and the media. No analysis or conclusions will be presented during the hearing.

• Kevin Robb – Coast Guard Eighth District Search and Rescue Specialist
• Alwin Landry – Master M/V DAMON B. BANKSTON
• Anthony Gervaso – Engineer M/V DAMON B. BANKSTON
• Paul Erickson – Chief Mate M/V DAMON B. BANKSTON
• Frank Patton – MMS Permitting
• Eric Neal – MMS Inspector
• Bob Neal – MMS Inspector

Streaming on http://live.cnn.com

With Congressman Ed Markey.

Advanced Electron Beams | Alcatel-Lucent | AT&T | BetterWorld Telcom | CEA – Consumer Electronics Association | Clean Economy Network | Control4 | CTIA – The Wireless Association | DAK Renewable Energy | Ericsson | General Compression | Motorola | OPOWER | Panasonic | Solazyme | Southwest Wind Power | Sprint | Standard Solar, Inc. | T-Mobile

RSVP Lexie Briggs | [email protected] | (202) 380-1941

Featured Author: Joseph Romm, author, Straight Up; Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress Action Fund

Moderated by: John Podesta, President and Chief Executive Officer, Center for American Progress Action Fund

There could not be a better time for Joseph Romm, acclaimed climate blogger and former acting assistant secretary of energy during the Clinton administration, to release his new book, Straight Up: America’s Fiercest Climate Blogger Takes on the Status Quo Media, Politicians, and Clean Energy Solutions.

As we approach the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, the scientific realities about the warming of our world are becoming increasingly dire, an epic legislative battle looms in the Senate over whether the United States will be part of the solution or perpetuate the problem, and the mainstream media—hemorrhaging qualified science and environmental reporters—is paralyzed and unable to effectively inform a public that increasing seeks out information from online sources and the ever-expanding blogosphere.

Amid this backdrop, please join Dr. Joseph Romm in conversation with Center for American Progress Action Fund President and CEO John Podesta as they take on the science, the politics, the solutions, and the media. Copies of Straight Up will be available for purchase at the event.

Admission is free.

However, space is extremely limited. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis and not guaranteed.

RSVP required. RSVP to attend this event: 202-682-1611

Center for American Progress Action Fund
1333 H St. NW, 10th Floor
Washington, DC 20005

In a corporate statement released today, coal company Massey Energy criticized President Barack Obama for saying that “owners responsible for conditions in the Upper Big Branch mine should be held accountable for decisions they made and preventive measures they failed to take.” Massey called the President’s remarks “regrettable,” and say that Mr. Obama “has been misinformed.”

Today’s statements by the White House about the Upper Big Branch tragedy are regrettable. We fear that the President has been misinformed about our record and the mining industry in general.

As to our record, we note that in 2009, under this administration, MSHA presented Massey Energy with three “Sentinels of Safety” Awards – the highest number of such awards ever received by one company in a single year.

There has been criticism regarding the backlog of violations that have been appealed. There have been violations at Upper Big Branch that the Company does not agree with and a number of those violations have been appealed. The percentage of violations appealed at UBB and Massey is similar to that for the industry as a whole.

The enormous backlog of appeals waiting to be heard has been frustrating to all involved. We urge Congress to appropriate the funds necessary to enable this system to work better by helping government regulators to resolve the enormous backlog at MSHA. Regardless of the backlog, however, it’s important to understand that all violations must be fixed and are fixed to the satisfaction of state and federal agencies before mines are allowed to continue operating. Most violations are fixed the same day they are discovered.

Massey believes in safety, accountability and responsibility. We seek the truth in the ongoing investigations and are cooperating with federal and state agencies to determine the cause of the tragic accident at Upper Big Branch Mine. Unfortunately, some are rushing to judgment for political gain or to avoid blame. Our goal is to communicate transparently as the facts unfold.