Abbott denies campaign rival's charge that he went easy on BP

Kim reports:
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott said Monday that he feels "frustration and aggravation" over BP's response to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill and that the company's actions could lead to criminal charges.


He dismissed accusations by his campaign opponent that he has shied away from criticizing BP or downplayed the spill's magnitude.
http://tinyurl.com/2eh6mbs

Huge oil plumes found under Gulf as BP struggles

Jeffrey Collins, AP:
ROBERT, La. (AP) -- Oil from a blown-out well is forming huge underwater plumes as much as 10 miles long below the visible slick in the Gulf of Mexico, scientists said as BP wrestled for a third day Sunday with its latest contraption for slowing the nearly month-old gusher.
http://tinyurl.com/3669d9q

Offshore drilling not losing favor among Texas leaders

Hoppe reports:

AUSTIN – State leaders continued to voice their support Tuesday for offshore drilling while eyeing the anticipated economic and environmental damage from the BP oil spill.

While others, such as California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, have reversed their push for more offshore drilling in light of the oil-laced Gulf of Mexico, Texas' elected officials indicated that the disaster has not softened their support.
http://tinyurl.com/3azaao5

Offshore well blowout preventer was supposed to be fail-safe

The DMN's Jim Landers explains:

At the heart of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill is a 40-foot-high stack of steel holding multiple hydraulic valves designed to cap a well before it turns into a gusher.

It's supposed to be fail-safe.
http://tinyurl.com/29ru633

Perry defends BP, alludes to 'act of God' as possible cause of oil spill

Dave Michaels wrote in Trail Blazers:

At an appearance in Washington Monday, Gov. Rick Perry alluded to an "act of God" as he addressed a question about the Obama administration's response to the April 20 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.


"From time to time, there are going to be things that occur that are acts of God that cannot be prevented," Perry said. "So until we know that, to make a judgment on this administration or any further activity may be a bit premature."
http://tinyurl.com/2bcr8pr

For Texas beaches, tar balls from oil spill could be on the way

From The Associated Press:


AUSTIN – Texans could see some tar balls roll up on their beaches in a few weeks as a result of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, but the state is in little danger of a larger threat, officials said Thursday.

While tar balls are unsightly, currents in the gulf would make it hard for a large oil slick from the 5,000 barrel-a-day spill to make its way to Texas beaches, said state Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson.
http://tinyurl.com/2br5j6q