Special-interest cash greased Gulf oil spill

The explosion at a British Petroleum exploratory drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico, that killed 11 workers, initiated what could turn out to be the worst industrial and environmental disaster in U.S. history. The entire Gulf of Mexico ecosystem could be damaged beyond repair.

The Department of Interior rubber-stamped BP's drilling proposal without even conducting an environmental review, using a legal loophole.

Secretary of Interior [and former U.S. Sen.] Ken Salazar accepted thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from BP. Salazar's 2006 legislation opened up new areas in the Gulf of Mexico to new offshore oil drilling. The Department of Interior exempted BP's Deepwater Horizon oil drilling plan in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. The consequences of such industry-government collusion are once again before us.

Here are actions elected officials should take quickly:

Ban all new offshore oil drilling.

Rescind President Barack Obama's plan to expand oil drilling in Alaska, the Gulf of Mexico and along the Atlantic Coast.

Enact Fair Elections Now legislation that allows candidates to avoid the special-interest money that led to this catastrophe and that so thoroughly dominates and compromises our political and regulatory processes.

- Patrick Bosold, conservation chair, Leopold Group, Iowa Sierra Club, Fairfield