Alabama governor, Coast Guard Adm. Allen agree on oil protection plan for the state

Ala.’s Riley, Coast Guard agree on protection plan

MOBILE, Ala. — Alabama Gov. Bob Riley and President Obama’s commander of the Gulf oil spill response have agreed on a new plan to significantly increase protection along the state’s coast.

But Riley says getting the blueprint off paper and into the water quickly is vital to ending complaints over what he calls a string of broken promises by the Coast Guard. The new plan includes miles of additional protective boom; larger barriers; beachfront snares to catch oil and oil-skimming boats.

Riley met for more than an hour Saturday with Adm. Thad Allen, the head of the nation’s response to the Gulf spill. Riley says the new plan includes substantial new protection to Alabama’s coast, where big slicks of orange, weathered oil are fouling beaching.

Riley was angered earlier when the Coast Guard decided to move boom from Alabama’s coast to Louisiana marshes.