UK Today News: BP Oil Spill Update : Elizabeth Birnbaum – MMS Chief Resigns Under Stiff Pressure
Elizabeth Birnbaum: As the oil spill crisis is getting worse day after day, the Obama government showed intense pressure on the department which is the chief regulatory authority, depicting that they are taking necessary action against the crisis.
The US Mineral Management Services is the head of the oil regulation in the country, and Elizabeth Birnbaum, director of the department, resigned today under unknown circumstances.
The Interior Secretary, Ken Salazar, praised in his own words that, she was a strong and effective person and also a leader. The conflict between Obama and the MMS began in the first news conference after the spill, where he clearly stated that the Minerals Management Services were to be blamed for their lax approach towards curbing the disaster.
Republican Darrell Issa, said that the problems related with the MMS was just not limited with the gulf incident, but was also having tough times to maintain their relations with the Department of Interior. It seemed that there was a dire need of reform in the department, and Birnbaum’s resignation was just an icing on the cake. But some believe that Birnbaum was not able to execute full authority of her management control over a department that had a history of corruption and cronyism for many years. It sums up that she was not the only person to be blamed.
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