Feds send economic development teams to Florida to help oil spill recovery
by Dara Kam | August 16th, 2010President Barack Obama’s administration has dispatched two teams to Florida to help the state recovery from the economic downturn caused by BP’s Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Gary Locke today announced he is spending $600,000 on 21 economic development teams to the Gulf Coast states, including Florida, impacted by the spill.
The teams, made up of business leaders, government officials and economists, will “conduct in-depth analyses of critical issues” faced by communities like those in the Pensacola region that have seen tourism drop by up to 40 percent in the aftermath of the spill.
The teams will offer recommendations for how to help revive the economy, according to a press release issued by the White House.
Information about where the Florida teams will be located was not available.
One University of Central Florida economist estimated that the oil spill may cost Florida up to $22 billion in lost tourism revenues.
At an economic roundtable in Metairie, La., Locke announced $31.3 million total in coastal restoration and economic development grants for Louisiana and the Gulf Coast.
“These grants are another sign of this administration’s commitment to help the Gulf Coast’s economy and environment recover in the wake of the BP oil spill,” Locke said.
Locke also announced a $30.7 million restoration grant to the Louisiana Office of Coastal Protection and Restoration by the Department of Commerce’s NOAA to fund the restoration of a critical barrier headland near Port Fourchon, La.
Tags: Barack Obama, BP, Deepwater Horizon, Economy, offshore drilling, oil, oil disaster, oil spill, state economy, tourism
August 16th, 2010 at 9:49 pm
$600,000! to dispatched teams to figure out the critical issues, that’s: their flights, food, beverages, hotel rooms, golf games, etc.
That’s OUR TAX MONEY going for this analysis?!?!!?
THAT’S WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THIS ENTIRE COUNTRY>>>WASTE OF TAXPAYER MONEY.
Let me save taxpayers their money with this analysis:
JOBS, TAX CUTS, NO MORE SPENDING!
August 17th, 2010 at 10:26 am
It does not matter how much Pensacola and Escambia County spend to lure lost tourists back to their sugar shores as long as the Feds and main media continue to badmouth oil, seafood and water safety, all for the sake of crucifying an industry that creates energy, innovation and jobs. The oil crisis was, is and will be rough on LA, MS, AL and panhandle FL. The Feds got in the way of solutions and remain there. $600,000 for a study? Boondoggle is all.
September 21st, 2010 at 2:59 am
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