VENICE, La., May 31 (UPI) -- U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder plans to visit areas affected by the gulf oil spill Tuesday and meet with state attorneys generals, officials said.
The White House has said the Justice Department was looking at the circumstances leading up to the April explosion and spill, but has shied away from saying the department is conducting an investigation.
However, the department said Holder plans to meet with U.S. prosecutors as well as state attorneys general from Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi.
Meanwhile, BP officials said the oil company could try to cap the monster Gulf of Mexico oil spill this week.
All other attempts, including a "top kill" method of blocking the leak, have failed to contain the spilling of millions of gallons of oil into the gulf from a Deepwater Horizon rig that exploded April 20 and sank, killing 11 rig workers.
BP Chief Executive Officer Tony Hayward said Sunday the company would increase its efforts to stop the flow and protect the coastline, CNN reported.
"As far as I'm concerned, a cup of oil on the beach is a failure," Hayward said.
Hayward apologized for the spill and the "massive disruption" it has caused the Gulf Coast.
"There's no one who wants this over more than I do. I would like my life back," Hayward said.
Meanwhile, shrimper John Wutsell Jr. sought a temporary restraining order in federal court against BP, asking it be kept from "altering, testing or destroying clothing or any other evidence or potential evidence" when workers become ill after working on cleanup efforts, CNN reported Monday.
BP did not comment on the restraining order or on allegations that BP was confiscating clothing.
In an affidavit, Wutsell said he began suffering severe headaches and nasal irritation May 24. Over the next few days, he also developed nosebleeds, an upset stomach and aches, and was hospitalized.
BP Managing Director Robert Dudley said on CNN's "State of the Union" the next effort involves fitting a custom-built cap over a piece of equipment called the "lower marine riser package." The process will involve cutting the package to achieve a clean surface to cap, he said. Warm water then would be circulated around the cap to prevent the freezing that hindered a previous dome-cap effort.
