Senators defend berms

Two Louisiana state senators who represent parishes most damaged by the Gulf oil spill defended Friday the construction of $200 million in sand barriers, despite criticism from a presidential commission that the berms were nearly worthless.

Sen. A.G. Crowe, R-Slidell, who represents heavily oiled Plaquemines Parish, said the criticism was unwarranted. He said Gov. Bobby Jindal’s administration was forced into the berm project because of response problems from the federal government.

“For us to be criticized to try to save our coast by people who weren’t here … is an insult to the people of Louisiana and to all the people who are trying to get this cleaned up,” Crowe said in a joint Senate committee hearing about the oil spill.

Meanwhile, Sen. Norby Chabert, D-Houma, said the berms n about 14 miles constructed since June n will boost the state’s coastal restoration efforts, slowing erosion and helping lessen storm surge.

A day earlier, a presidential commission appointed by President Barack Obama said little oil ever washed up on the berms, which were paid for by BP PLC. The commission called the project “underwhelmingly effective, overwhelmingly expensive.”

Jindal disputes the findings. But Garret Graves, the governor’s coastal adviser, said he didn’t have any data to show how much oil has been collected or stopped by the sand barriers.

Jindal ordered the berms built, despite objections from scientists and federal agencies who questioned the worth of the sand barriers to the oil-fighting efforts. The governor claimed the berms stopped oil from hitting Louisiana’s shore, and he continues to defend them.

The presidential commission acknowledged the sand project could help with Louisiana’s attempts to fight coastal erosion n but provided blistering criticism of its ability to stop or trap oil.

BP originally committed $360 million to the project. Graves said more than $200 million has been spent so far. An estimated 19 million cubic yards of sand has been moved to make the barriers, which rise six feet above sea level.

Graves told the Senate committees Friday that the state will continue with the berms project, seeking ways to shore up the existing sand barriers to help in state coastal restoration efforts.