Putting people to work in the Gulf

Representative Raul Grijalva has a great idea for putting idled oil rig workers and other Gulf area residents to work and protect the Gulf environment at the same time: force oil companies to hire people to dismantle abandoned oil rigs and other drilling structures in the Gulf of Mexico.

Oil companies are required by law to reuse or permanently seal their old rigs, but the law is rarely enforced. Rep. Grijalva is calling on the Department of the Interior to enforce the law and put people to work taking these risky rigs down. Bloggers at the Nation and elsewhere are now taking up the call as well.