Oil companies face an immediate tax rise of 1 cent per barrel to help to pay for the clean-up in the Gulf of Mexico under proposed legislation rushed out by the White House.<\/p>\n
The measure, unveiled as BP began a new attempt to contain the ruptured well that has leaked millions of gallons of crude oil into America\u2019s southern coastal waters, would put an extra $500 million (\u00c2\u00a3340 million) over ten years into the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, which covers damage caused by such disasters.<\/p>\n
Under a $118 million spending plan outlined in the package, people affected by the spill \u201d\u201d such as fishermen who have lost their livelihoods because of the contamination \u201d\u201d will be granted financial assistance, and federal agencies will get additional funds to monitor the slick and assess its impact.<\/p>\n
President Obama, said by a spokesman to be \u201cdeeply frustrated\u201d\u009d that the leak has still not been plugged three weeks after it erupted, intends that BP will pick up most of the cost of his new plan.<\/p>\n