Presidential panel begins with focus on spill impacts rather than causes of oil rig explosion

Oil spill panel hearing more about cost than why

NEW ORLEANS — The presidential panel that is supposed to find out the cause of the Gulf oil spill is starting by focusing more on the response and impact.

Monday was the start of a two-day New Orleans hearing by the National Oil Spill Commission.

Amid interruptions by protesters, the talk from oil executives, experts and regular people was more about the aftermath of the spill than why it happened.

Commissioners say that’s by design. They want to know the disaster’s impact.

BP Senior Vice President Kent Wells testified about what BP was doing to stop the leak. But none of the seven commissioners asked him about the potential causes of the Apr. 20 oil rig explosion that triggered the spill. Most of the day’s testimony is about the economic cost.