Thursday, June 24, 2010
During the oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, Americans have heard from or about the U.S. Coast Guard, the Minerals Management Service, and even President Barack Obama. But the one agency that has not made an appearance—the one whose mission is all about responding to disasters—is the Federal Emergency Management Agency, writes conservative Rich Galen.
FEMA is still operating, in case anyone was wondering. Galen points out that FEMA’s website says it has responded to 47 declared disasters, so far, in 2010. But the environmental mess threatening states from Texas to Florida is not on FEMA’s list.
Galen notes that “the only element of FEMA’s webpage dealing with the oil spill in the Gulf is a button labeled ‘Oil Spill Guidance.’ The link merely redirects visitors to another site, www.disasterassistance.gov.
“However … we are spending $5.5 billion on FEMA and, if the agency is not authorized, not qualified, and/or not equipped to be in charge of a disaster then perhaps a good re-think is in order before the FY 2011 appropriation is adopted,” he concludes.
-Noel Brinkerhoff
Where's FEMA? (by Rich Galen, Mullings)
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