By Eileen Fleming
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wwno/local-wwno-899628.mp3
New Orleans, La. – Landrieu was only a few minutes into his first inaugural address when he brought up the oil slick threatening the coastline from Louisiana to Florida.
"The spill threatens the wildlife and the wetlands and the fisheries that feed our nation. In fact, it threatens the economy and the very way of life of a people on the mend."
Landrieu says he's keeping in daily contact with officials battling the oil spill and he promises to hold the responsible parties accountable.
"Come hell or high water - and we have had plenty of both - New Orleans will survive."
BP officials are working on putting a cover over the leaking well and drilling a relief well to stem the flow of what's roughly estimated at 200,000 gallons of oil spilling every day.
For NPR News, I'm Eileen Fleming in New Orleans.