CNN "Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees" - Transcript

Interview

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COOPER: Congressman Markey, the 100,000 barrel a day, worst case estimate that you revealed was apparently made before the spill. Senator Grassley released a document last week which seems to be -- it seems to be another internal BP document that indicated they also had a worst case estimate of 60,000. This was made sometime after the spill, although it was undated.

But what both these documents seem to show, is that regardless of the actual number this company, BP, did have internal estimates of the spill potential, which they never publicly admitted.

REP. ED MARKEY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: We now know in retrospect that when BP in the first week was saying that the spill was only 1,000 per day that they had an internal document in the first week that said it was 1,000 to 14,000 barrels per day. They did not any -- let anyone know that.

When it went up to 5,000 barrels per day, they still didn't let anyone know that. And now it's gone up to 19,000, 35,000, 60,000 barrels per day. And this document which I released yesterday is one that basically says the worst, worst case scenario is 100,000 barrels a day.

But I think it's important for the American people to know that BP has such a document because that will help us to ensure that we keep the pressure on BP and that we're also properly prepared.

COOPER: And all along early on the first week -- weeks one and two they were saying, well look, it doesn't -- we're not measuring the flow, we're not focused on that, we're focused on fixing the leak, it doesn't matter how much it's flowing, because we're -- we're planning for a worst case scenario.

But I mean that seems not to be the case, based on a number of these documents which have now been released.

MARKEY: Yes, they were not preparing for a worst case scenario. They didn't have the boom. They didn't have the skimmers. They didn't put in place the protective equipment for the health of the workers who would be out there cleaning up this mess. They were not prepared. And in the hearing that I conducted last week, it was very clear that none of the companies would be prepared who were drilling out in the Gulf of Mexico.

They thought a rig couldn't sink, and as a result they never had to put in place the response. And from day one after this spill started, they were more concerned about their liability because they pay a fine per barrel of oil, than they were about sending out the proper warning about how catastrophic this could become.

COOPER: Now, even though BP won't come on this program, we do try to present their side of the story here. They say that this 100,000 barrel of oil per day estimate that you revealed applied only if the well's blowout preventer was removed, and since there are no plans to remove the blowout preventer, the number is basically irrelevant.

MARKEY: Well, last week, at the end of the week, BP announced that by the middle of July, they will have the capacity out on the ocean to collect 80,000 barrels of oil a day. And Admiral Thad Allen at the end of the week, last week said that there is no knowledge right now of the condition of the fragility of the well bore going down into the ocean.

So if that's the case, I think that while they might not think that this is a high probability that is BP, I think the American people should know that there is a worst case scenario of 100,000 barrels a day, which is four million gallons of oil a day going into the Gulf of Mexico.

COOPER: Tony Hayward, as we've talked about on this program before, had publicly promised not to leave the Gulf until this was fixed. I mean, he didn't have to make that promise; that's something he offered up early on in his sort of his PR offensive.

And then to hear that not only did he leave, but he went to Europe this weekend but to show up at a yachting event of all places. When you heard that, did -- I mean, could you believe he would chose to do that of all things?

MARKEY: I guess he must have felt that it was time for him to go and to go for a nice sail on an ocean that BP has yet to despoil. I can understand that from his perspective.

But I think from the perspective of the people in the Gulf of Mexico, it only confirms what they have been thinking about him and BP from the beginning, which is, if you kick them in the heart, you're going to break your toe. They showed no concern in the beginning. They were dragged to the table to put up the $20 billion to compensate the families who are going to be harmed. And that's why we have to stay on them every single day until the well is plugged and everyone, including the people in the Gulf and the ocean, are made whole. COOPER: Congressman Markey, I appreciate your time, thanks.

MARKEY: I'm glad to be here, thank you.

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