White House fears new BP bid could backfire

NEW ORLEANS – BP’s work to cap its Gulf of Mexico gusher was in limbo yesterday after the federal government raised concerns the operation could put damaging pressure on the busted well and make the leak worse. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said the government didn’t want potentially dangerous pressure tests on a new, tighter cap that had been placed on the well to go ahead until BP answerd questions about possible risks. Gibbs said he did not consider the delay to be “some giant setback,” describing it as “a series of steps … that are being taken in order to ensure that what we’re doing is being done out of an abundance of caution to do no harm.”BP’s chief operating officer Doug Suttles said  BP was trying to resolve the government’s concerns. “I don’t know whether we will get that approval or not,” Suttles said. “I hope we do.” (AP)