Originally posted by the Voice of America. Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America, a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in the public domain. Obama: Fighting Effects of Oil Spill Will Take Years VOA News 15 June 2010 President Barack Obama speaks during a televised address from the Oval Office in the White House in Washington on Tuesday, June 15, 2010 Photo: AP President Barack Obama speaks during a televised address from the Oval Office in the White House in Washington on Tuesday, June 15, 2010 President Barack Obama says the United States will be fighting the effects of the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico for years to come, and he called on the country to move toward clean energy as a way to avoid such a disaster in the future. In his first Oval Office [1]address to the nation, Mr. Obama on Tuesday described the oil spill as the worst environmental disaster the nation has ever faced. The crisis began April 20, when an oil rig off the coast of Louisiana exploded, killing 11 workers. Since then, thousands of barrels of oil have been spewing each day from a well that ruptured in the explosion. A new estimate puts the amount of oil gushing from the well each day at between 35,000 to 60,000 barrels. Oil has reached the fragile coastlines of Gulf states from Louisiana to Florida, killing wildlife and affecting the livelihoods of the region. The president said the disaster is a painful reminder on why the country needs to transition to clean energy. He said that although such a transition is costly now, the long-term costs to the nation's economy, national security and the environment will be "far greater" if it does not move away from fossil fuels. Mr. Obama said he will tell the chairman of BP, Carl-Henric Svanberg, that he must set aside whatever resources are required to compensate those who have been harmed by what the president called the company's "recklessness." The president and BP officials will meet at the White House on Wednesday. Executives from five of the world's largest oil companies, including BP, on Tuesday faced angry lawmakers on Capitol Hill who accused them of having inadequate and almost identical contingency plans for dealing with potential disasters. The panel questioned the president of BP America, Lamar McKay, about the company's operation of the damaged oil well, including whether it took risks to cut costs leading up to the disaster. The chair of the hearing, Representative Edward Markey of Massachusetts, also pointed out inaccuracies in the nearly identical contingency plans among the five companies. Markey said three of the plans list a phone number for a wildlife expert who has been dead since 2005. Markey also criticized BP for underestimating how much oil would spill into the Gulf from the leaking well. The president's speech came just hours after he returned from the Gulf state of Florida, where he toured beaches and discussed clean-up and response efforts. He meets Wednesday with BP executives and is expected to press them to create a special fund to pay compensation claims. Some lawmakers are calling for an amount as high as $20 billion. Critics have accused the administration of being slow to respond to the disaster, which began April 20 when an oil rig exploded and killed 11 workers.  A new poll by the Associated Press shows a majority of Americans (52 percent) say they do not approve of President Obama's handling of the Gulf oil spill, although far more blame BP for its sluggish response to the catastrophe. [2]Text of President Obama's speech: References Visible links 1. http://www.voanews.com/wm/live/special-events/President_Obama_Speech_061510-vb.asx 2. http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-nation-bp-oil-spill Hidden links: 3. http://www.voanews.com/wm/live/special-events/President_Obama_Speech_061510-vb.asx .