[StBernard] Residents, Fishermen Get Answers At Town Hall Meeting

Westley Annis westley at da-parish.com
Sat May 8 12:18:07 EDT 2010


Residents, Fishermen Get Answers At Town Hall Meeting
Melancon, Officials With BP, Coast Guard Address Concerns

POSTED: 11:11 pm CDT May 7, 2010
UPDATED: 11:26 pm CDT May 7, 2010

CHALMETTE, La. -- Rep. Charlie Melancon headlined a packed Town Hall meeting
in Chalmette to discuss the oil spill crisis Friday night.

Landowners and fishermen said they're concerned about their futures, and
they wanted answers.

Melancon and representatives from BP and the Coast Guard assembled under one
roof to listen to the concerns of people in St. Bernard Parish.

"With the way they're doing the boat system, it's wrong," said fisherman
George Jackson. "They need to let everybody get a turn. I figure if you do a
hitch, you shouldn't do another hitch until it's your turn again."

George Barisich, of the United Commercial Fisherman's Association, said he
was concerned for the safety of the workers.

"If we do go to work out there, which we trying to do because we need the
work, is it dangerous for us? How dangerous is it?" he asked.

Others expressed concern for the well-being of Louisiana's ecosystem.

"What I'm afraid of is not immediately we find damage, but a year or two or
three years down the road," said property owner Jim Delery.

Melancon said his position allows him to have direct contact with BP
officials, and not everyone has that ability.

"I've gotten answers that a lot of people still have questions to, and
that's why I felt like (we should) bring the people here, and let's see if
we can share that information," Melancon said.

David Rainey is one of those people. He's a vice president for BP, and he
has been on the ground on the Louisiana coast to monitor the cleanup effort.
He said BP will do the right thing.

"We are the responsible party," Rainey said. "We will honor our commitments.
We will honor every legitimate claim. We are going to clean this up."

The use of dispersants is one method being employed in the cleanup.
Dispersants break up the oil at the surface, but many question its long-term
safety.

"Years ago in Black Bay, when we used to fish oysters, we had these little
bitty spills. All of a sudden, the oil would go away. They'd throw something
on it, and it would sink. Problem is, it either killed my oysters or made
them sterile." Barisich said. "That's my concern. If you don't kill it, you
made them sterile. What happens when it goes down? Out of sight, out of
mind."

Melancon said 75 or 80 percent of Louisiana fisheries are still open, and
now is the time for the nation to support the state's fisherman.




More information about the StBernard mailing list