Cuba, U.S. sign GoM oil-spill deal

Cuba and the U.S. rushed to an agreement Jan 9, ahead of the Trump presidency, to jointly prevent, contain and clean up oil and other toxic spills in the Gulf of Mexico. The deal was one of several designed to protect a shared marine environment of the two countries. American firms and the Obama Administration have announced as many as a dozen deals in recent weeks aimed at making it harder for Trump to ditch the détente established by the president and Cuba in 2014. The oil spill pact calls for both parties to prepare joint disaster plans, testing them, and training personnel. Cuba and foreign partners drilled four dry offshore wells in the GoM in 2012, but Cuba plans to drill again. The pacts range from postal services, law enforcement, fighting drug trafficking and to protecting marine life. (Source: Source: Marine Link 01/09/17)