Skimming Task Forces News Today

Coast guard, just over 500 vessels prepared to do the job, once the seas settle after hurricane alex. st. bernards parish president says the process is too slow and bureaucratic and hes putting local fishermen to work cleaning up oil. >> were converting our own shrimp boats into skimming task forces that are winding up being a very efficient way to skim oil using the ability and the skills of our local fishermen. >> reporter: a shortage of skimmers is the problem, claims bp. the issue is not abo...

Debunked literally hundreds of times. there were already 24 foreign vessels operating in the gulf before the state department announced two days ago additional international assistance. >> reporter: political battles aside, what is clear is there are not as many oil cleanup vessels as could be used. the unified command which includes bp and federal agencies has been deploying oil skimmers, which skim oil off the water. there are, according to the coast guard, just over 500 vessels prepared to do...

Russians. >> makes for good headlines here in new york city. great to have you with us. thanks for that. >> thank you, thomas. as weve been telling you this morning admiral thad allen was expected to be talking. he is now at the u.s. coast guard giving an update on the oil disaster in the gulf. >> coastal flooding is expected in some of the coastal areas of louisiana. what is the cleanup plans once the storm subsides? >> we expect if theres a storm surge we could see oil moving further inland ...

We have just learned that hurricane alex is gaining strength with winds up now to 90 miles an hour. it could slam into southern texas and northeast mexico just in a matter of hours. it is a category one storm right now. just shy of being upgraded to a category two. alex is unleashing heavy rains and winds along much of the gulf coast. now, that is creating delays in the oil cleanup operation in the hard hit region that it simply cannot afford. oil skimming ships have been forced back to shore by...