Bush considers tapping fuel reserve
Administration officials said Bush was expected to authorize a loan of at least some oil from the nation’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly, said Monday that final details were being worked out.
The storm shut down oil and natural gas operations in the Gulf of Mexico, representing about 8 percent of U.S. refining capacity or about 1 million barrels, further driving up gasoline prices.
Energy Secretary Samuel W. Bodman said, “Over the next few days, we will continue to gain more information on the specific needs and then be able to make a better determination on how we can help.”
The reserves would be used to provide refineries a temporary supply of crude oil to replace interrupted shipments from tankers or offshore oil platforms affected by the storm.
Bush, on a visit Monday to Arizona and California, pledged extensive federal help for victims of Katrina to “get your lives back in order.” The government put into effect a massive emergency assistance program that included rushing baby formula, communications equipment, generators, water and ice into hard-hit areas.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency sent medical teams, rescue squads and groups prepared to supply food and water into the disaster areas.
The president made emergency disaster declarations for Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. White House spokesman Scott McClellan said Bush had spoken with the governors of those states “to make sure they were getting what they needed from the federal government.”
In other storm-related developments:
—The American Red Cross said it had thousands of volunteers mobilized for the hurricane. It was the “largest single mobilization that we’ve done for any single natural disaster,” spokesman Bradley Hague said. The organization set up operational headquarters in Baton Rouge, La.
—The Environmental Protection Agency dispatched emergency crews to Louisiana and Texas because of concern about oil and chemical spills.
—The Coast Guard closed ports and waterways along the Gulf Coast and positioned craft around the area to conduct post-hurricane search and rescue operations.
—The Agriculture Department said its Food and Nutrition Service would provide meals and other commodities, such as infant formula, distilled water for babies and emergency food stamps.
—The Federal Aviation Administration said airports were closed in New Orleans and Baton Rouge; Biloxi, Miss.; Mobile, Ala.; Pensacola, Fla., and Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.
—The Defense Department dispatched emergency coordinators to Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi to provide communications equipment, search and rescue operations, medical teams and other emergency assistance.
—The Health and Human Services Department sent 38 doctors and nurses to Jackson, Miss., to be used where needed, and 30 pallets of medical supplies to the region, including first aid materials, sterile gloves and oxygen tanks.
Some 6,000 National Guard personnel from Louisiana and Mississippi who would otherwise be available to help deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina are in Iraq.
Even so, Pentagon spokesman Lawrence Di Rita said the states have adequate National Guard units to handle the hurricane needs. He said about 6,500 National Guard troops were available in Louisiana, about 7,000 in Mississippi, nearly 10,000 in Alabama and about 8,200 in Florida.
The 1st U.S. Army, based at Fort Gillem near Atlanta, has 1,600 National Guard troops who were training to go to Iraq. They will be available to assist the states, if necessary.