In the process of covering the array of protests, town hall meetings, and study announcements surrounding the oil spill, I have had the opportunity to interview a diverse group of individuals. The primary point of concern has been the ongoing moratorium on deepwater drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, and I have sought to clarify why people support or oppose the moratorium and how they respond to the concerns of those with opposing views.

Here is an audio montage of those interviewed, to give you a feel for the personalities and opinions at play. The file includes leaders of industry lobbies, a prominent politician, grassroots activists, and a range of environmental advocacy groups. To avoid preferential treatment, I have alternated the audio clips between moratorium opponents and proponents. (For the most part, these interviews were recorded outside and in public settings, so the audio quality is not perfect.)

Click here to listen to the moratorium montage (approximately 10 minutes)

Those recorded, in the order they appear:

Paul Besse (Volunteer, Louisiana Grassroots Network)

Dan Favre (Campaign organizer, Gulf Restoration Network)

Kindra Arnesen (Fishing company owner and oil spill victim)

Tim Dodt (Member of the Committee to Stop the Gulf Oil Disaster)

Billy Nungesser (President of Plaquemines Parish)

Dan Thelen (Member of the Committee to Stop the Gulf Oil Disaster)

Don Briggs (President of the Louisiana Oil and Gas Association)

Jordan Macha (Associate Field Organizer, Sierra Club)

Jim Funk (President and CEO, Louisiana Restaurant Association)

Rachel Guillory (Gulf States Organizer, Oceana)

For more background on the moratorium, read the related articles below from the Pelican Institute.

Fergus Hodgson is the capitol bureau reporter with the Pelican Institute for Public Policy. He can be contacted at fhodgson@pelicaninstitute.org, and one can follow him on twitter.