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Lawmakers lay blame squarely on BP
By: cnn.comPosted On: 06/17/2010 2 P
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Lawmakers raked BP's corporate culture Thursday, calling the firm's top leadership "oblivious" to what was happening with its doomed oil well, in the first congressional appearance by chief executive Tony Hayward since the Gulf of Mexico oil spill began nearly two months ago.
Lawmakers raked BP's corporate culture Thursday, calling the firm's top leadership "oblivious" to what was happening with its doomed oil well, in the first congressional appearance by chief executive Tony Hayward since the Gulf of Mexico oil spill began nearly two months ago.
"BP cut corner after corner...and they were apparently oblivious as to what was happening," Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., said during a hearing before a subcommittee of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. "Now the whole Gulf Coast is paying the price."
I
n opening statements short on bluster and long on details, lawmakers outlined a series of steps BP took in the lead-up to he explosion that appeared to put cost above safety.
"Why would a team be sent home before performing a test" on the well, asked Rep. Mike Doyle, D-Pa., referring to one of the decisions in question. "BP had several warnings, but instead of treating the well with caution, it seems BP was only interested was completing the well quickly and cheaply."
The well exploded 59 days ago, killing 11 workers. Millions of gallons of oil are still spewing into the Gulf, resulting in what some are calling the worst environmental disaster in American history.
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