Should Obama have protected the American coastline from the oil leak?

The US Southern coastline is now drenched with oil which will be there for decades and decimate aquatic species forever. It will likely destroy whole industries and life on the Gulf as we know it. No more swimming or fishing. No more resorts. Hundreds of thousands more people on the unemployment rolls and no longer able to feed themselves. It's too late now but wouldn't the protection of the coastline have been the proper Federal response? As in put up the sand barriers and send out all available equipment to skim the oil? Or would Obama have been overstepping his authority?