Obama dismissed charges that the government had acted too slowly in the crisis. “The United States government has always been in charge of making sure that the response is appropriate,” Obama said.<\/p>\n
“This notion that somehow the federal government is sitting on the sidelines and for the last three or four or five weeks we’ve just been letting BP make a whole bunch of decisions is simply not true,” he said.<\/p>\n
“This entire White House and this entire federal government has been singularly focused on how do we stop the leak and how do we prevent and mitigate the damage to our coastlines.”<\/p>\n
But the president said that “more than anything else, this economic and environmental tragedy—and it’s a tragedy—underscores the urgent need for this nation to develop clean renewable sources of energy.”<\/p>\n
He said it was time to move forward on legislation to promote renewable energy sources.<\/p>\n
“It’s time to accelerate the competition with countries like China who have already realized the future lies in renewable energy and it’s time to seize that future ourselves.”<\/p>\n
Related Links:<\/strong><\/p>\n The Climate Post: BP oil spill washes up on Potomac shores<\/a><\/p>\n Michigan: Where U.S. clean energy, emissions, efficiency policy really counts<\/a><\/p>\n Obama preaches green tech gospel to California choir<\/a><\/p>\n
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