Bob Dudley at June 7 Barrier Island Press Conference | Speeches

Remarks by BP Managing Director Bob Dudley at June 7 Barrier Island Press Conference with Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal

Good afternoon everyone, and thank you Governor Jindal and Billy Nungesser [President of Plaquemines Parish] for inviting me to join you today.

We just returned from a tour of the marsh. What I saw was painful and emotional, and shocking. The images are disturbing on television, but when you see it first-hand it becomes personal. I am frustrated and saddened at the impact of the spill both on the fragile wildlife here in the delta and on the lives of so many who rely on the water for their livelihoods. It is tough and so tragic, and it is painful, but it is the right thing to do to view it firsthand and hear directly from the Governor and your Parish Presidents how this spill is impacting Louisiana’s economy, environment and communities.

I know BP can feel like a big, faceless logo at times, but it’s like any other business – it’s made up of people, and thousands of them. I believe they get up in the morning each day believing they make a difference in the world. Some may be your friends, family and neighbors here in the Gulf. They probably seem quiet now. We have many employees in Louisiana, and other states around the coast. Our employees simply can’t believe this has happened. But it has. They want to make this right, they want to restore life back to the way it was around the Gulf. Because this is their home, and because they, and we, believe BP is a company that lives up to its responsibilities.

My own roots are here along the Gulf Coast. It has been a while, but I grew up in Mississippi. I grew up swimming and fishing off of the coast. Some of my best childhood memories are when my father took the family out to Ship Island and a big treat was to go all the way out to the Chandeleurs. I know how important the fishing industry is here, and as someone who has worked in the oil and gas industry my whole career, I know very well how important this business is to the economic prosperity of the region. This spill compromises both for a long time. So on many levels, this response effort is very personal to me, as it is to others.

We will make this right for the Gulf. That is my commitment and BP’s commitment to you. We’ve been working with the Coast Guard and bringing all BP’s resources to bear to stop this spill, protect the shore, and help people who've been hurt by this unimaginable event.

It has been a massive effort, and taking on something this large in scale is unprecedented; there will be things that don't go just right. We laid miles of boom to keep the oil offshore, yet it got through. We have set up a claims system designed to help people quickly and efficiently, yet some have not seen the checks they’re expecting. We will keep at this every day, working with the Unified Command and the federal and state government to make this effort work better. I know there is frustration - I do share it. I know people are heartbroken - I am too, as are thousands from the BP family around the world.

I know people want this fixed - please know that nobody wants that more than the people at BP. I recognize and empathize that the spill has disrupted people’s lives, and we are determined to make people whole on their losses. We will meet our responsibilities. Let me be very clear: we are here for the long-term. We will not cut and run.

One step in that commitment is to announce now that BP will fund the full $360 million to construct the six berms seaward of the Louisiana barrier islands. We understand the importance of this project to Louisiana and to the Parishes, and our responsibility is to ensure that funding is available immediately. So we are transferring $60 million today to keep on dredging and moving the sand. We will fund the project through to completion. Our hope and intention is that this provides the additional protection that Governor Jindal and Billy Nungesser have so admiringly advocated for.

I also just wanted to take a moment to address a couple of issues of importance to folks here. I know there are people out there saying they’ve not gotten a response on the claims they’ve filed for - I want to encourage them to call to check the status of their claims. With the Governor’s permission, I will give you the number to call: 1-800-573-8249.

No claims have been rejected so far, and we’ve worked to make this process as simple as we can. But we need to improve it, particularly for businesses. Checks are being mailed for the second month for individuals now. If something has happened to your paperwork, please call so we can help you fix it.

And we also know some people are working in difficult conditions. It’s pretty hot out here today. We are providing training and protective gear, and want people to report any illnesses so they get whatever care they need.

I want the people of Louisiana to know that we know we'll be judged by our response, not our words, and we're committed to making good on our responsibilities for the years ahead. That doesn’t mean everything will go perfectly, but as I told the Governor and your Parish Presidents and the Mayors, we are here as partners for the long haul, and we will work with you everyday to get this right.

And while it won’t bring things back, we are deeply sorry.

Thank you.