[StBernard] Oil Spill Command Center Booted From Hopedale

Westley Annis westley at da-parish.com
Tue Aug 31 20:57:02 EDT 2010


Oil Spill Command Center Booted From Hopedale
Taffaro: BP Failed To Pay The Rent In Timely Manner

POSTED: 5:55 pm CDT August 31, 2010
UPDATED: 7:01 pm CDT August 31, 2010

CHALMETTE, La. -- The St. Bernard Parish Oil Spill Command Center is
shutting down because of a dispute over the rent, officials announced late
Tuesday.

Parish President Craig Taffaro said the owner of the property that has been
home to the operation since May is ordering workers to vacate the premises
because BP has failed to make payments to its landlord.

Taffaro claimed the energy company owes, in total, millions of dollars to
several property owners and that its policy of thoroughly reviewing invoices
before cutting checks has made some payments weeks overdue.

The announcement was made at a hastily arranged news conference in
Chalmette. WDSU contacted BP, but the company had no immediate comment.

Hopedale was one of three St. Bernard Parish sites where command centers
were established shortly after the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded and sank,
causing the worst oil spill in U.S. history. The Hopedale operation used
Breton Sound Marina as its base.

Boats belonging to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries,
Louisiana National Guard, St. Bernard Parish and private individuals have
deployed from the location.




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