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A House Divided

Louisianans, One Year After the Spill

Following the news about the Gulf of Mexico one year after the Deepwater Horizon disaster can be like reading “A Tale of Two Places.” The ocean, the wetlands, the fish, and the birds are recovering, according to some people. Others say the mess left at the bottom of the sea by the BP blowout threatens to wreak havoc on the ocean food web for years to come. Most people, we hear, are all right. Or, we are told, some are getting sick.

Which tale is true? For many Gulf residents, especially those from Louisiana, the state hardest hit by the spill, the answer might be Both.

The choice of what to say about the BP spill reveals a tension between the private narratives Louisianans tell themselves and their families and the public narratives they share with the rest of the world. Many Louisianans express frustration at the national media’s habit of showing images of oiled birds and dead dolphins; it only depresses tourist bookings and seafood sales, they complain. Other Louisianans say the pictures of destruction are necessary, a way to hold BP accountable for its actions; there’s no use jumping on what one local wit dubbed “The Streetcar Named Denial.”

The tough decisions about how to describe the spill reflect Louisianans’ split loyalties, which are divided between the fishing culture – the heart of the state’s identity – and the oil industry, the backbone of its economy. Since the 1930s, the two have been intimately connected: Many fishermen work the rigs in the off-season, and some of the best fishing spots are found near abandoned platforms, where sea life flourishes. In Louisiana, there’s nothing odd about celebrating the annual Shrimp and Petroleum Festival.

The tension is exacerbated by the widespread resentment over BP’s settlement process. Out of the $20 billion set aside for damage claims, only $3.4 billion has been disbursed by settlement czar Kenneth Feinberg. Some fishermen have been made whole. Others have received nothing. In New Orleans, dishwashers at restaurants unaffected by the spill have received $10,000 checks. Louisianans say the system is opaque, arbitrary, and just plain unfair. There are complaints about the sudden appearance of “Spillionaires.”

Then there’s the issue of the spill’s impact on the health of shoreline communities. Residents whisper darkly about a “Gulf Plague” – odd ailments and illnesses, especially among those involved in the cleanup effort. On YouTube, there are legions of videos featuring fishermen and cleanup workers describing their health problems. Yet not until this March did federal officials decide to launch a long-range study of Gulf residents’ health. While some Louisianans warn of a coverup, others snicker at the conspiracy theories of those they’ve branded “Gulf Truthers.” The pendulum of public opinion swings between paranoia and the glib assurances of the Pollyannas. One local calls it “analysis paralysis.”

The swirl of rumors, the logjam of lawsuits, the annoyance with national reporters who parachuted into the area on April 20 and left the very next day – all of it has cooked into a gumbo of cynicism. If the feelings of Louisianans a year after BP’s disaster seem contradictory, that’s because they are. They are contradictory just like the pain of life, the pain of a place and a people that are wounded. The stories of those wounds can be hard to convey to outsiders. Which is why it’s best to let Louisianans speak for themselves.

photo of a man speaking on a dock near fishing gear

The Sportsman

As the editor of a hunting and fishing magazine called Louisiana Sportsman, Todd Masson hears often from friends, relatives, and readers who are concerned about eating Gulf seafood in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon disaster. There’s no need to worry, he tells them. “Our fish, crabs, and oysters are no less safe to eat today than they were two years ago,” he wrote recently. As for those who might have made a killing in the BP settlement process? “If you actually came out ahead, then my hat’s off to you.”

Sport fishing is an essential thread in the fabric of Louisiana’s culture. We have 40 percent of the nation’s coastal wetlands, built over millennia by the Mississippi River, and as such we are the nursery grounds for the Gulf. Our fishing is spectacular, and most weekend family gatherings involve something from our local marshes – fried, boiled, baked, or broiled. When commercial and recreational fishing was outlawed last summer in the wake of the spill, it isn’t overstating things to say that people grieved. It was like a pillar of our society had been severed.

Business is certainly down. The media presented so many misleading stories during the days of the spill that everyone in the country now has the perception that the lower fringes of Louisiana’s marsh are just dripping with crude oil. That’s obviously not the case. I had some national writers down in October, and for three days we fished the marshes all around the mouth of the Mississippi River – ground zero for spill impact – and they were absolutely astounded that we didn’t see one drop of oil.

The BP oil spill had absolutely no impact on the health of current-day seafood or the prospects for its progeny. Unrefined crude oil is a natural substance that is broken down, weathered and absorbed by nature remarkably quickly in a warm, dynamic system like that of the northern Gulf. To wit, there have been literally thousands of studies of Gulf seafood, and not one single sample has come back contaminated. After conducting these studies, the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals determined a diner would have to consume nine pounds of fish, five pounds of oysters, or 63 pounds of shrimp every day for five years to reach any level of concern.

The Activist

Linda Leavitt’s Cajun roots go back to the 1700s, and though her family’s tradition of news reporting may not be as long, to Leavitt, whose parents both worked for NBC News, it feels equally strong. “My mother would say, ‘You go on down there, Linda, you get the story.’” Which she has, working as a citizen-journalist to gather photographs and video of the spill’s consequence, coordinating campaigns on Facebook, and watchdogging BP on Twitter. “You got to get the word out,” she says.

It was so sad, when you saw the oil coming over the boom, that we were so helpless engineering-wise to keep this out. That sediment can wash up with the tide, and the sad part is they know there are submerged tar mats. Hurricane season is 45 days away. That tar mat is going to wash ashore.

photo of a woman in a cypress woodland, holding an umbrella with 'save the gulf' written on it
Linda Leavitt

You can rage against the machine all you want, but the reality is you have a corporation that is incredibly negligent from a safety perspective. I’m a great believer in the truth. I’m a great believer in giving people the information so they can make the honest judgments. The more you cover it up, hide it, and whitewash it, then you get crazy-assed conspiracy theorists, everybody out there thinking the worst. That’s what happens in a closed society with closed information. That’s not the America I grew up in. I grew up in an America where information should be made public for public safety.

The dynamic with a lot of people who may be afraid to come forward and talk is fear that other people’s livelihoods are based on the oil companies and they don’t want to rock that boat, or shrimping is their livelihood, so they don’t want to rock the boat. There is a lot of that in small communities, fear of being the first one to come out and say something on the record.

Here’s the crux: There’s always been this unspoken acknowledgement between the oil industry and the fishermen, the Cajuns and other people who made their livelihoods on the water, that if something goes down, if something happens, we’ll take care of you. And that’s not happening. It’s a big disappointment.

The Philanthropist

When BP began spraying Corexit, Joannie Hughes, a single mom from Plaquemines Parish, started worrying about the rain. Could the chemical oil dispersant evaporate and return via precipitation? She had tests run, garnered some local news, then someone posted a sign on her front yard that read, “It’s not the rain water that’s going to kill you.” Frightened for her family, she decided the best she could do was to start a nonprofit, Coastal Heritage Society of Louisiana, to assist out-of-work families. “I backed off, right or wrong, and continued the humanitarian part of the work, because that’s where I felt I could at least make some difference.”

Murky Waters

“A deathtrap of mucus gashing through the water like flypaper.” That’s how Samantha Joye, a professor of marine sciences at the University of Georgia, describes the effect of the oil and gas from last summer’s disaster on the delicate marine organisms that inhabit the depths of the Gulf of Mexico.

When BP’s Deepwater Horizon offshore drilling rig exploded on April 20, 2010, Joye’s research team was among the earliest on the scene and the first to report huge underwater plumes …more…

It’s been an interesting road. We knew we couldn’t clean up the oil. We knew we couldn’t stop people from drilling. What we could do is feed some families that were suffering who had not been paid. Because legitimate claims have been denied.

We’re a bunch of moms, not a million-dollar organization. We delivered to one family and she asked if another family got a box of food. She immediately called the other family to come over and split the food, so instead of one family eating for five days, two families ate for two and a half days. That’s the kind of community it is. No one can ever say people here don’t help themselves, because they do. So far CHSL has given food box deliveries to over 300 families. We’re very good shoppers.

With saltwater intrusion, we’re losing the cypress at a phenomenal rate, and that’s pre-spill. So if we don’t start restoring by planting new ones, it’s going to be gone before my grandchildren are ever out there in a pirogue.

We are planting seedlings of cypress trees complete with nutria-resistant wire. You can plant a tree in someone’s honor, we send you a picture, GPS coordinates, and long term it helps fight erosion in our wetlands. We’re doing it all the way down in the marsh. We’re literally down there with our waders planting the trees and we love for volunteers to come down and help us plant them too.

I try to explain that we are part of that ecosystem. We haven’t been the best stewards, but we do count at least as much as the grass shrimp.

The Fisherman

Jason Adams has known only shrimping or working for the oil industry. He started fishing with his parents, he says, when “I was in diapers.” When the Macondo well blew out, Adams, a native of the bayou town of Galliano, worked briefly for BP doing cleanup work, but soon became resentful of how many jobs were going to guys from Houston. Today, he’s working as a tugboat captain. But, he says, “I’d rather fish.”

I worked it with my boat and let me tell you, I got into some of that oil with the Corexit. I thought I was going to die. Sick, can’t breathe. And the other side effect, I’m mentally sick because there’s such uncertainty. The postlarva of the white shrimp and the brown shrimp [are in danger] – once that contamination reaches the estuaries and all that, it’s a done deal. You know my little boy, sometimes he cries. He said, ‘Dad, what if I won’t be able to go shrimping anymore?’

photo of a man, thoughtful

It’s fine right now way up in the estuaries. But what’s it going to be like five years from now? The bottom line is that they sunk the oil. I don’t know how many millions of gallons of the Corexit they put in there.

I’m going to tell you what’s going to make that catastrophe – that first tropical depression. The first real southeast wind we had the other day, that’s when the oil came up on the beach.

A lot of the fishermen, it messed up their livelihoods. They can’t work, they’re sick. Their backs are against the wall right now. They tell me, ‘I won’t be able to work, but yet they want to come offer me $300,000, not for my livelihood, they’re offering me that for my life.’ The people that were in it, that got sprayed, that worked in that oil – they’re just buying their life.

Ninety percent of the people would rather be doing what they love to do. Fishermen are resilient people. You think a fisherman wants to collect money from BP and sit in his house? He’d go stir crazy. When it’s in your blood, it’s in your blood. You’re doing what you want to do.

Karen Dalton Beninato is a freelance writer from New Orleans who has covered the BP oil spill for The Huffington Post. Her website is KarenDaltonBeninato.com. A resident of New Orleans and a Bayou Lacombe Choctaw Indian, Stacy Revere’s photography can be viewed at slrevere.photoshelter.com.

This story was partially funded through micro-donations via Spot.Us


NAD metabolism in Vibrio cholerae.

NAD metabolism in Vibrio cholerae. J W Foster and C Brestel Abstract Extracts of Vibrio cholerae were assayed for various enzymatic activities associated with pyridine nucleotide cycle metabolism. The activities measured include NAD glycohydrolase, nicotinamide deamidase, nicotinamide mononucleotide deamidase, and nicotinic acid phosphoribosyltransferase. The results obtained demonstrate the existence in V. cholerae of the five-membered pyridine nucleotide cycle and the potential for a four-membered pyridine nucleotide cycle. The data presented also suggest that most of the NAD glycohydrolase in V. cholerae extracts is not directly related to cholera toxin. Full text Full text is available as a scanned copy of the original print version. Get a printable copy (PDF file) of the complete article (619K), or click on a page image below to browse page by page. Links to PubMed are also available for Selected References.

The Mississippi Coast as photographed by me on Oct. 7, 2010

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Wednesday, December 29, 2010

NOAA - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - Deepwater Horizon Library

NOAA - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - Deepwater Horizon Library
Governor-Elect Bentley Wants To Take On BP
Posted: Dec 29, 2010 5:18 PM CST Updated: Dec 29, 2010 5:19 PM CST
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MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) - Among Governor-elect Robert Bentley's priorities when he takes office in January is to reach a settlement or deal with oil giant BP.

BP was the company responsible for the oil spill that last more than two months that led to more than five million gallons of crude entering the Gulf of Mexico.

"BP needs to pay that" Gov-elect Bentley said. "Now I have not decided and I have not tipped my hand yet on how we're going to recoup that money on whether we're going to do it through a lawsuit or whether we're going to do it through a negotiation."

Bentley said he would rather negotiate with the British oil giant instead of bring a lawsuit against it. A lawsuit he said, "Could take 10 years to finish and of course the lawyers will get their 14 percent."

By negotiating some sort of deal out of court, Bentley said "We can get that money very quickly. We can get the money this year, next year and maybe the next year. That way we get it now."

The former state representative from Tuscaloosa said the money the state would recoup from BP would go directly toward the state's Education Trust Fund since it would be considered lost sales tax revenue.

"That's when we need it, (now), during the crisis that we're having over the next two or three years."

Bentley will be take the oath of office January 17.

Rig owner refuses to honor oil spill subpoenas - Yahoo! News

Rig owner refuses to honor oil spill subpoenas - Yahoo! News

On Our Radar: Fishing Nets Killed More Turtles Than BP Oil, Official Says - NYTimes.com

On Our Radar: Fishing Nets Killed More Turtles Than BP Oil, Official Says - NYTimes.com

Oil spill clarifies road map for sea turtle recovery - Environment - MiamiHerald.com

Oil spill clarifies road map for sea turtle recovery - Environment - MiamiHerald.com

2 Proposals For Permanent Oil Spill Wildlife Rescue Center
Wednesday, December 29, 2010   
One proposal would cost about $2 million, another more elaborate proposal has a $124 million pricetag

Before the last birds plucked from the Gulf of Mexico oil spill had left a rescue center in Hammond, La., some of the station's former staffers were looking for $2 million to
open a permanent center to take charge after the next oil spill.

A group including the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine, which runs a wildlife hospital, and the Audubon Nature Institute, which is still caring for about 30 once-oiled sea turtles, has a more elaborate $124 million proposal.

Both agree the Gulf Coast needs a permanent center that works with injured and sick wildlife year-in and year-out, but also has staffers with expertise in oiled wildlife and the ability to handle huge numbers of animals at a time.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Operations and Ongoing Response December 23, 2010 | RestoreTheGulf.gov

Operations and Ongoing Response December 23, 2010 | RestoreTheGulf.gov

8 months later, BP's Gulf oil spill cleanup costs appear manageable | al.com

8 months later, BP's Gulf oil spill cleanup costs appear manageable | al.com

Thursday, December 16, 2010

10 Amazing Facts About Oil

10 Amazing Facts About Oil

Federal government sues BP, other companies in Gulf oil spill | NOLA.com

Federal government sues BP, other companies in Gulf oil spill | NOLA.com

Satellite Tracking of Sea Turtles, COOL

seaturtle.org - Satellite Tracking

Fraudulent claims in Gulf oil spill investigated by feds | NOLA.com

Fraudulent claims in Gulf oil spill investigated by feds | NOLA.com

Federal lawsuit over oil spill could force BP to pay billions - US Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill News

Federal lawsuit over oil spill could force BP to pay billions - US Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill News

Louisiana berms ineffective in capturing oil from BP spill, national report says | NOLA.com

Louisiana berms ineffective in capturing oil from BP spill, national report says | NOLA.com

BP investors spooked by oil spill lawsuit | Reuters

BP investors spooked by oil spill lawsuit | Reuters

How Does the BP Oil Spill Impact Wildlife and Habitat? - National Wildlife Federation

How Does the BP Oil Spill Impact Wildlife and Habitat? - National Wildlife Federation

Washington Slams Oil Companies with Civil Lawsuit - Politics - GOOD - StumbleUpon

Washington Slams Oil Companies with Civil Lawsuit - Politics - GOOD - StumbleUpon

Friday, December 3, 2010

Report: BP seeks to lower U.S. fine for Gulf oil spill - Green House - USATODAY.com

Report: BP seeks to lower U.S. fine for Gulf oil spill - Green House - USATODAY.com

Editorial: BP's down payment to the Gulf Coast | al.com

Editorial: BP's down payment to the Gulf Coast | al.com

GOP leaders won't revisit oil drilling issue in state waters

GOP leaders won't revisit oil drilling issue in state waters

Markey to BP: Show Your Work on Smaller Spill Claims


Chairman Sends Letter to BP CEO Bob Dudley

December 3, 2010 - Responding to new claims from BP that the government estimates of the size of the Gulf of Mexico spill are too large, Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today sent a letter to the CEO of the company asking for all materials related to his company's new position.
"BP's new claim that the spill is much smaller than previously thought flies in the face of multiple lines of evidence, and raises questions whether this is a scientific finding, or a litigious position," writes Rep. Markey to Bob Dudley. Rep. Markey asks in the letter for emails, correspondence, meeting minutes or other materials related to their new position.
Rep. Markey had previously called on BP to accept the government's Flow Rate Technical Group's estimates, so the federal government could engage in the task of determining BP's final fines for the accident. The federal government engaged independent scientists and used multiple, unrelated techniques to arrive at its flow-rate estimate. Additional independent peer-reviewed studies have corroborated the conclusions.
Today's letter can be found HERE.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

New Louisiana state flag with bleeding pelican is unfurled | NOLA.com

New Louisiana state flag with bleeding pelican is unfurled | NOLA.com

BP oil spill incident commander dies in small plane crash | NOLA.com

BP oil spill incident commander dies in small plane crash | NOLA.com

NOAA - NOAA Closes 4,200 Square Miles of Gulf Waters to Royal Red Shrimping

NOAA - NOAA Closes 4,200 Square Miles of Gulf Waters to Royal Red Shrimping

Illness Plagues Gulf Residents in BP's Aftermath - IPS ipsnews.net

Illness Plagues Gulf Residents in BP's Aftermath - IPS ipsnews.net

U.S. Surrenders E-Mails On Gulf Oil Leak Estimates : NPR

U.S. Surrenders E-Mails On Gulf Oil Leak Estimates : NPR

Researchers sample sea life at a spot of oil spill

November 24, 2010
Scientists in the Gulf of Mexico are taking daily dives in a submarine to get a close look at exotic ecosystems that could be at risk because of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. They will be the first researchers to see the seafloor in person near the blown-out oil well.
The research boat, Atlantis, is currently about 95 miles off the coast of Louisiana in an area called Green Canyon, says NPR's Richard Harris. It's still a good distance from the site of the spill, so scientists haven't seen any damage yet, but the expedition has already catalogued a vast array of undersea life, he says.
"Scientists onboard have found weird and fascinating things like lakes of brine and little mud volcanoes and all sorts of wild and interesting animals," he says.
The expedition was planned in 2007, long before the oil spill, to study the deep-sea ecosystems. But the chief scientist on the mission, Samantha Joye from the University of Georgia, is now focused on studying effects of the spill. She found oil residue on the seafloor in a large area around BP's well on previous expeditions.

Related NPR Stories

"We're diving in an area where [Joye] took core samples before, so there are these big deposits of fluffy, oily material a few inches deep on the seafloor, and the life below that in the mud had been killed," Harris says.
Joye says she expects to see more mud on the seafloor on this expedition. She will collect samples from the seafloor using a research submarine called Alvin.
Her observations about oil on the seafloor have been fairly controversial, Harris says. The new samples may help put some of that controversy to rest.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

BP oil slams Florida

Washington's Blog

New Orleans News, Local News, Breaking News, Weather | wwltv.com | Video

New Orleans News, Local News, Breaking News, Weather | wwltv.com | Video

NOAA Official Asks EINNEWS to Withdraw Story Questioning Safety of Gulf Seafood

NOAA Official Asks EINNEWS to Withdraw Story Questioning Safety of Gulf Seafood

Macondo well plugged with 11-point star

Macondo well plugged with 11-point star


Paula Dittrick

OGJ Senior Staff Writer

HOUSTON, Nov. 10 -- An 11-point star now tops a corrosion cap used in the plugging-and-abandonment process on BP PLC’s Macondo well in the Gulf of Mexico where an Apr. 20 blowout trigged an explosion and fire on Transocean Ltd.’s Deepwater Horizon semisubmersible that killed 11 workers.

US Coast Guard Rear Adm. Paul D. Zukunft, federal onscene coordinator, said, “Each point represents each of the 11 lives lost in the explosion.”

The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement installed the cap on Nov. 8 and has finished testing and certifying nine plugs that sealed Macondo. Zukunft said the plugging-and-abandonment process was completed.

The Development Driller II and Development Driller III semis remain in the vicinity of Mississippi Canyon Block 252 where they are going through decontamination along with the Discoverer Enterprise drillship, he said. Transocean owns all three vessels. The semis were used to drilled a relief well and a backup relief well.

During the spill, the Discoverer Enterprise received Macondo oil and gas diverted by collection systems from leaking into the gulf. The drillship then flared that oil and gas.

Speaking during a weekly conference call on Nov. 10, Zukunft said the drillship and semis are being cleaned before they are moved back to shore. He emphasized offshore decontamination efforts involve skimming any oil that comes off the equipment. Meanwhile, workers continue retrieving spill response equipment from the seabed. About 12 vessels remain in the area, he said.

Zukunft said 587 miles of gulf beaches and marsh shows some degree of oiling with the majority of those miles showing only traces to lightly oiling. Some Mississippi and Louisiana wetlands and barrier islands show heavy oiling and are receiving the most concentrated response efforts, he said.

Some of the heaviest oiling of Louisiana marsh involves Bay Jimmy in Barataria Bay. Crews also continue working on recreational beaches in Florida and Alabama in efforts to get them completely clean before the 2011 spring break holiday for students, he said.

Contact Paula Dittrick at paulad@ogjonline.com.

Macondo well plugged with 11-point star - Oil & Gas Journal

Macondo well plugged with 11-point star - Oil & Gas Journal

AFP: Ceremonial cap honors 11 workers lost in BP oil disaster

AFP: Ceremonial cap honors 11 workers lost in BP oil disaster

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

APNewsBreak: Rig owner complains of BOP delays - Yahoo! News

APNewsBreak: Rig owner complains of BOP delays - Yahoo! News

White House altered drilling safety report, inspector general says | al.com

White House altered drilling safety report, inspector general says | al.com

Jindal Calls Obama Lackadaisical

Jindal Calls Obama 'Lackadaisical' in Response to Gulf Oil in New Book

Published November 10, 2010
Associated Press

BATON ROUGE, La. -- Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal calls the Obama administration "lackadaisical" in its Gulf oil spill response in his new book "Leadership and Crisis," laying out his views on everything from health care to energy policy while keeping silent on whether he harbors presidential ambitions.
Criticism of Democratic President Barack Obama for the federal disaster opens Jindal's 311-page book set for nationwide release next week as speculation turns to those Republicans who might challenge Obama in 2012.
Part autobiography, part conservative manifesto, the book charts the rise of the 39-year-old son of Indian immigrants to the Louisiana governorship but makes no hints whether he'll run for the White House. But throughout the pages, Jindal -- a Republican in the governor's office since 2008 -- describes his vision for the GOP on positions from federal spending to education and crisis management.
Long seen as a conservative star, Jindal has tough words on immigration, saying all immigrants should learn English, the United States should continue construction of a border fence with Mexico and employers who hire illegal workers should be punished.
"I have no problem imposing American values on people who want to become Americans. Freedom, hard work, self-reliance and rugged individualism are values all Americans should embrace," Jindal writes.
A Brown University graduate and former Rhodes Scholar, Jindal describes himself as an evangelical Catholic and criticizes the "intellectual elite" who he says snub people with religious beliefs.
But it's the Obama administration's response to the oil disaster that prompts Jindal's harshest words.
He writes that Obama was too trusting of oil company BP PLC, bureaucrats and so-called "experts" in dealing with the April 20 Deepwater Horizon disaster and didn't react quickly to combat the spill's damage.
"You would think following the withering criticism of President Bush during Hurricane Katrina that the federal response this time would have been swift and sure. You would have thought that a White House so concerned about its image would have been all over this," Jindal writes.
He recounts a May 2 visit from Obama, the president's first after the disaster, saying Obama pulled him aside to complain about a letter the Louisiana governor's administration had sent the agriculture secretary requesting disaster food stamp aid. Jindal says Obama was annoyed because he took it as criticism for his administration's response.
"I was truly stunned," Jindal writes. "It would be one thing if they had been angry about the failed response to the oil spill or concerned about the pending ecological disaster or frustrated with BP. There were plenty of real things to be upset about."
Also targeted by Jindal is former BP chief Tony Hayward, whom Jindal calls arrogant.
"He was tone-deaf and clueless. I thought to myself, I can't believe this guy runs a multibillion dollar company. This guy would not succeed as a used car salesman," Jindal writes.
Initially planned for a July rollout, the book was delayed because of the spill. It officially goes on sale Monday, although The Associated Press obtained copies at a local bookstore before the release date. The publisher is Regnery Publishing Inc., which has released books by several conservative politicians and commentators.
Jindal doesn't discuss any possible run on the national stage but does cover an array of topics that would better acquaint the wider American electorate to his views. He has said repeatedly his only plans are to run for re-election as governor next year.
Among points covered:
--Jindal describes his first unsuccessful bid for governor in 2003, including a paltry fundraiser in which one person showed up. "To put it mildly, there were a few skeptics of my campaign. The son of Indian immigrants running for governor in the Deep South?"
--Chiding what he calls federal intrusion into health care, Jindal describes the heart defect of his son Shaan, who had heart surgery in 2004. Jindal suggested that in a government-run health system, a bureaucrat would have been able to stop the Jindals from getting the surgeon they wanted. Jindal says he believes health care is a right, but that expansion of health coverage should be private sector-driven.
--Jindal writes that Republicans in Congress have often become "Democrats Lite," supporting large spending proposals because of fear they'll be seen as uncaring for the needy.
--Even as he says conservatives need to embrace green energy options, Jindal says fossil fuels will dominate the nation's energy supply for the foreseeable future.

1200 boats still to be cleaned of oil - Business AP - MiamiHerald.com

1200 boats still to be cleaned of oil - Business AP - MiamiHerald.com

Oil spill's toxic trade-off : Nature News

Oil spill's toxic trade-off : Nature News

US panel faults oil spill firms - Americas - Al Jazeera English

US panel faults oil spill firms - Americas - Al Jazeera English

Monday, November 1, 2010

Number of Residents denied BP money up sharply

News from The Associated Press

BP may pay for saltwater hatchery to breed, restock fish | DailyComet.com

BP may pay for saltwater hatchery to breed, restock fish DailyComet.com

Louisiana oyster industry struggles to cope with oil spill, coastal restoration efforts | NOLA.com

Louisiana oyster industry struggles to cope with oil spill, coastal restoration efforts NOLA.com

Halliburton admits critical test not done on cement before blowout | NOLA.com#incart_mce

Halliburton admits critical test not done on cement before blowout NOLA.com#incart_mce

Oil Spill Commission finds Halliburton's cement was unstable, failed several tests before Deepwater Horizon disaster | NOLA.com#incart_mce

Oil Spill Commission finds Halliburton's cement was unstable, failed several tests before Deepwater Horizon disaster NOLA.com#incart_mce

BP to give state $218 million for coastal restoration, seafood testing, tourism | NOLA.com

BP to give state $218 million for coastal restoration, seafood testing, tourism NOLA.com

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

t r u t h o u t | Evidence Mounts of BP Spraying Toxic Dispersants

t r u t h o u t | Evidence Mounts of BP Spraying Toxic Dispersants

DESPITE HEAVY OIL, LOUISIANA KEEPS FISHERIES OPEN

Despite Heavy Oil, Louisiana Keeps Fisheries Open
By Dahr Jamail

NEW ORLEANS, Oct 26, 2010 (IPS) - Massive slicks of weathered oil were clearly visible near Louisiana's fragile marshlands in both the East and West Bays of the Mississippi River Delta during an overflight that included an IPS reporter on Oct. 23. The problem is that, despite this, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has left much of the area open for fishing.

Four days prior, on Oct. 19, federal on-scene cleanup coordinator for the BP oil disaster, Coast Guard Rear Adm. Paul Zukunft, declared there was little recoverable surface oil in the Gulf of Mexico.

Both bays cover an area of roughly 112 square kilometres of open water that surround the Southwest Pass, the main shipping channel of the Mississippi River. While East Bay remains closed for fishing, West Bay was open for fishing when IPS spotted the oil on Oct. 23, despite the fact that the day before a BP oil cleanup crew had reported oil in West Bay to a local newspaper.

"They are literally shrimping in oil," Jonathan Henderson, the Coastal Resiliency Organiser for the environmental group Gulf Restoration Network, who was also on the flight, exclaimed as our plane flew over shrimpers trawling in the oil-covered area.

Others remain concerned about the use of toxic dispersants that BP has used to sink the oil.

"Potential ecosystem collapse caused by toxic dispersant use during this disaster will have immediate and long-term effects on the Gulf's traditional fishing communities' ability to sustain our culture and heritage," Clint Guidry of the Louisiana Shrimp Association told IPS.

"This has been an exercise in lessening BP's liability from day one. I think we're moving into a situation where the PR is saying the area is safe to fish and it's safe to eat, but that's not the reality," he said.

The waters in the East and West Bays are under the jurisdiction of Louisiana's Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF), while waters further from the coast are under federal jurisdiction. LDWF does receive input, however, from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Earlier on the same day IPS spotted the oil, a spotter pilot for LDWF had flown over the same area and told Southern Seaplanes there was no oil.

"He is the spotter for LWDF and saw that bay, and it is still open," Henderson told IPS. "He should have closed the bay for fishing. So now you can see how sophisticated they are in tracking this. Either this guy is completely incompetent, or has an agenda to keep as much of Louisiana's waters open for fishing as he can, whether there is oil or not. I don't see how he could have flown down there today and not seen it. It's criminal."

When IPS called the LWDF requesting to talk with the LDWF oil spotter, department officials said "that person is not available to comment".

The LWDF website has a number to call in order to report oil sightings. When IPS called that number, the call was answered by a BP response call centre.

On Oct. 23, the Coast Guard claimed that the substance floating in the miles-wide areas of West Bay appeared to be "an algal bloom".

Lt. Cmdr. Chris O'Neil said a pollution investigator for the Coast Guard collected samples from the area, and while they had yet to be tested, "based on his observation and what he sees in the sample jars, he believes that to be an algal bloom."

Fishermen who have traveled through and fished in the area over the weekend, however, refuted these Coast Guard claims.

"I scooped some up, and it feels like oil, looks like oil, is brownish red like all the dispersed oil we've been seeing since this whole thing started," fisherman David Arenesen, from Venice, Louisiana, told IPS.

"It doesn't look like algae to me. Algae doesn't stick on your fingers, and algae isn't oily," he said. "The area of this stuff spans an area of 30 miles, from Southwest Pass almost all the way over to Grand Isle, and runs very far off-shore too. We rode through it for over 20 miles while we were going out to fish, I dipped some up, and it's oil."

Arenesen saw the substance on Friday, the same day it was reported by the Times Picayune newspaper in New Orleans.

"It was at least an inch thick, and it went on for miles," Arenesen said, adding, "It would be easy to clean since it's all floating on the surface."

IPS spoke with Gary Robinson, a hook and line mackerel commercial fisherman working out of Venice who was also in the substance in question recently.

"I was out in West Bay on Oct. 22, and I was in this thick brown foam, about five inches thick, with red swirls of oil throughout it, and there was a lot of it, at least a 10-mile patch of it," Robinson said while speaking to IPS on his boat. "I've never seen anything like that foam before, the red stuff in it was weathered oil, and there was sheen coming off my boat when I came back into harbor. I'm concerned about the safety of the fish I'm catching."

Dean Blanchard, of Dean Blanchard Seafood Inc. in Grand Isle, Louisiana, spoke with IPS about the Coast Guard claim that the substance was likely algae.

"Hell, we got oil coming in here every day, it's all around us, we know what oil is," Blanchard said. "The Coast Guard should change the colour of their uniform, since they are working for BP. We've known they are working for BP from the beginning of this thing. None of us believe anything they say about this oil disaster anymore."

"Everyone, including the feds, are talking about the fact that less of the oil actually reached the surface than was below," Captain Dicky Tupes of Southern Seaplanes told IPS, "And now we're seeing some of that submerged oil surface here. How long will this go on?"

The East Bay area appeared to be completely covered in kilometres-long strands of weathered oil of various colors. While flying approximately 16 linear kilometres across the bay, IPS saw nothing but streaks of the substance across the surface.

"That oil is covering just about the entire length of Southwest Pass," Tupes said.

A recent month-long cruise by Georgia researchers reported oil on the sea floor that they suspect is BP's. While government officials question whether there is oil on the sea floor, the Georgia scientists say the samples "smelled like an auto repair shop".

The research team took 78 cores of sediment and only five had live worms in them. Usually they would all have life, said University of Georgia scientist Samantha Joye, who went on to call the affected area a "graveyard for the macrofauna".

"The horrible thing is they've been inundated with this oily material... There's dead animals on the bottom and it stinks to high heaven of oil," Joye added.

University of South Florida's Ernst Peebles said the oil on the floor if the Gulf "is undermining the ecosystem from the bottom up".

(END)

BP to pay $20M to ensure seafood safety | Jacksonville Business Journal

BP to pay $20M to ensure seafood safety | Jacksonville Business Journal

http://birding.typepad.com/gulf/2010/10/new-gulf-oil-found-in-barataria-bay-and-clean-up-non-existent-in-the-water-and-on-wildlife-refuges.html

http://birding.typepad.com/gulf/2010/10/new-gulf-oil-found-in-barataria-bay-and-clean-up-non-existent-in-the-water-and-on-wildlife-refuges.html

OpEdNews - Article: Undefeated: The Gulf Coast 6 Months After the Blowout

OpEdNews - Article: Undefeated: The Gulf Coast 6 Months After the Blowout

Mental-health care still a need locally | HoumaToday.com

Mental-health care still a need locally | HoumaToday.com

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

America Moves On From Spill, Gulf Coast Feels Abandoned

America Moves On From Spill, Gulf Coast Feels Abandoned

Jerry Cope: Corexit Use Still Appears to Be Prevalent in the Gulf, Despite Official Statements

Jerry Cope: Corexit Use Still Appears to Be Prevalent in the Gulf, Despite Official Statements

Another BP whistleblower speaks - sh*t is getting DEEP // Current

Another BP whistleblower speaks - sh*t is getting DEEP // Current

OilSpill Roundup: Monday, Oct. 11

Oil spill roudup: Mon., Oct. 11

+ Mental health problems are brewing along the Gulf Coast, according to The Washington Post, where surveys show some 40 percent of people seeking help attribute their troubles to the spill. Catholic Charities’ New Orleans branch recently tweeted that its counselors alone have conducted more than 10,000 visits to spill victims.
+ The legal team charged with leading oil spill litigation has been selected by a Louisiana judge. It includes Brian Barr of Pensacola’s Levin Papantonio, a law firm that’s also helping members of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association navigate the claims process.
+ Local officials say the spill had a devastating effect on tourism tax revenues in the Western Panhandle, but local business owners say the worst is probably over.
+ Funeral arrangements have been made for Roger Grooters of Gulf Breeze, who was killed while bicycling across the country to raise awareness about the spill.
More after the jump.
+ A federal study will examine whether the oil spill stressed the gulf’s bluefin tuna populations enough to warrant placement on the Endangered Species list. Environmental groups had been calling for such a study long before the spill.
+ Sales of a BP spill-inspired Halloween costume have already hit more than 10,000, according to the U.K.’s Daily Telegraph (via).
+ Amid lawsuits and permitting delays, BP rival Shell is pledging to spend “tens and tends of millions of dollars” to build a containment device it says will ease local worries of oil spills in Alaska.
+ BP will be disbanding its safety ombudsman in yet another overhaul of its internal controls.
+ The oil spill is shaping up to be a minor factor in the November elections, according to the Houston Chronicle.

US Lifts Ban on Deepwater Oil Drilling | USA | English

US Lifts Ban on Deepwater Oil Drilling | USA | English

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Report: BP pays Feinberg and firm $850,000 a month « Florida Independent: News. Politics. Media

Report: BP pays Feinberg and firm $850,000 a month « Florida Independent: News. Politics. Media

Sampling in Pointe aux Chene and Terrebone Bay

Sampling in Pointe aux Chene and Terrebonne Bay

Blog post by Peter Brabeck, LABB Environmental Monitor
During the course of this week I had the pleasure to join Marine Toxicologist Dr. Dana Wetzel aboard some fishing vessels to conduct environmental sampling of areas affected by BP’s finest crude. On Tuesday the beautiful Bayou town of Pointe Aux Chene was our point of departure in which to travel along the bayou and estuary in search of areas impacted by the BP disaster. The beauty of the oaks lining the bayou and the flocks of birds inhabiting the wetlands were soon overshadowed by the striking reality of just how much the BP spill (or slow leaky accident as BP would tell you) has destroyed such critical habitat. Our first encounter with the devastation caused by this event was a wide stretch of marshland. The grasses lining the shore appeared to have been burned, and upon closer examination were, in fact, burned by the long stretches of weathered oil that blanketed the shoreline choking and burning anything that once lived in this habitat. This was the first of many similar scenes in which we encountered over the course of the week’s sampling.
The areas sampled were predominantly Marshlands and Barrier Islands. These two areas are of particular interest as they are extremely important habitat for migratory and resident bird populations, dolphins, crabs, oysters, shrimp and thousands of other organisms. When the BP oil hit these areas it wreaked havoc on the eco-system, possibly eradicating a generation of oysters. As the oil was dispersed in the water column the contaminants associated with the oil are consumed by marine organisms. First consumed by the plankton, mollusks and crustations and then with slowly makes its way up the food chain accumulating in ever greater proportions as it travels until it reaches the apex predators such as dolphins, tuna, you and me. This process is called bio-accumulation and can cause devastating effects to the health of an eco-system for years.
As an increasing number of affected areas are being re-opened for fishing I feel it is crucial to have a large catalog of independent sampling in which to draw upon to arrive at conclusions regarding the safety of Gulf seafood. As of September 2, NOAA reopened 5,130 miles of Gulf waters to fishing based of testing that included only 12 samples, totaling only 73 shrimp sampled altogether! Call me crazy but I don’t find 12 samples over 5,130 miles especially reassuring.
I conducted several samples to obtain as broad a profile as possible. Water, seafood and sediment samples were performed in two manners. The first was a simple collection of the water and sediment form the seabed. This can be used to test exactly what was in the testing matrix at the time of the test. The second type of testing I find far more useful. We used SPMD or Semi Permeable Membrane Devices that are able to passively record the contaminants in the water column as well as the sediment over a long period of time. This can give us a greater understanding of how these contaminants can bio-accumulate in the eco-system over time.
Perhaps the most disturbing sight I have seen whilst out sampling was the following day in Terrebone bay. The bay, a critical habitat for migratory birds, dolphins and hundreds of marine species, was recently opened for fishing. We were curious as to how safe the seafood in the area was. While aboard the small skiff we were using to gain access to the marshlands we noticed that as the motor from the skiff turned up the seabed sediment an oil slick blanketed the surface of the water. Clearly this was evidence that the seabed, home to shrimp, crabs and oysters could be widely contaminated.
Later that same day I managed to sneak myself into a BP cleanup camp on Last Island that had left for the day. Here I got an inside look at how BP was conducting the clean-up efforts. Im not sure how effective their clean-up methods are as the beach directly in front of the camp was littered with tarballs and visible weathered oil.
During the course of the week we were able to conduct testing in the bayou and estuaries nearby Pointe Aux Chene, Terrebone bay and even an air quality test form Grand Isle. It was a truly exciting experience. Im looking forward to seeing the results of these tests and will be posting them as soon as I receive them!

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Louisiana Health and Hospitals Release Oil Spill Health Data

Last Updated: Oct/02/2010

Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals Releases Oil-Spill Health Data

Two hundred and ninety oil spill exposure-related cases have been reported to the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals to date, according to its seventh surveillance report released recently. Two hundred and sixteen of those cases involved workers on oil rigs or workers involved in the oil spill clean-up efforts, while seventy-four were reported by the general public. The Department is gathering data reported through its surveillance network of doctors, clinics, emergency care locations and medical facilities, which are reporting illnesses and injuries related to the oil spill for the ongoing database. Each exposure-related complaint is followed up on by DHH Office of Public Health staff.

Problems Seen in Process for BP Oil Spill Fund - NYTimes.com

Problems Seen in Process for BP Oil Spill Fund - NYTimes.com

Oil Spill Crisis Map

Oil Spill Crisis Map

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Hurricane on the Bayou - A MacGillivray Freeman Film

Hurricane on the Bayou - A MacGillivray Freeman Film

Deepwater Horizon Response Consolidated Fish and Wildlife Collection Report Date: September 28, 2010

Consolidated Wildlife Table 092810.pdf (application/pdf Object)

After the Spill: The Last Catch | National Geographic Channel

After the Spill: The Last Catch | National Geographic Channel

Large part of oil in Gulf resists breakup: expert - International Business Times

Large part of oil in Gulf resists breakup: expert - International Business Times

Mabus on recovery plan: Let Coast states make use of BP penalty money - Oil Spill - SunHerald.com

Mabus on recovery plan: Let Coast states make use of BP penalty money - Oil Spill - SunHerald.com

Gulf spill paymaster says claims backlog erased - Business - Oil & energy - msnbc.com

Gulf spill paymaster says claims backlog erased - Business - Oil & energy - msnbc.com

Mental Health Services Locator

SAMHSA Publications

Monday, September 27, 2010

Justice Department joins call for BP claims czar Kenneth Feinberg to speed up payments | NOLA.com

Justice Department joins call for BP claims czar Kenneth Feinberg to speed up payments | NOLA.com

Oil firms should prove ability to clean up spills -comm | Reuters

Oil firms should prove ability to clean up spills -comm | Reuters

Gulf Oil Spill Well Is Dead, But Not Residents' Anguish

Gulf Oil Spill Well Is Dead, But Not Residents' Anguish

Thad Allen says government officials should have been better prepared for oil spill disaster | NOLA.com

Thad Allen says government officials should have been better prepared for oil spill disaster | NOLA.com

Robert L. Cavnar: BP's Internal Report Doesn't Hold Up Under Academy Scrutiny

Robert L. Cavnar: BP's Internal Report Doesn't Hold Up Under Academy Scrutiny

Louisiana official on spill: Nobody in charge - The Hill's E2-Wire

Louisiana official on spill: Nobody in charge - The Hill's E2-Wire

Thad Allen: Low-balled oil spill estimates didn’t hamper response - The Hill's E2-Wire

Thad Allen: Low-balled oil spill estimates didn’t hamper response - The Hill's E2-Wire

Thursday, September 23, 2010

SDSU | Gulf Crisis Experience

News | SDSU | Gulf Crisis Experience

Oil spill roundup: Thurs., Sept. 23


+Scientists are huddling in Tampa as they prepare to begin an ambitious study of the oil spill’s health effects on some 27,000 cleanup workers.
+Spill victims frustrated with the Gulf Coast Claims facility are turning to a seperate federal fund (more after the jump).
+Endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtles, whose nesting season began at the hieght of the spill, have begun to hatch and started their swim from the shores of Mexico across the Gulf, toward the site of the Deepwater Horizon, as documented by Vanity Fair.
+In a move some hope will boost tourism, federal fisheries managers have opted to re-opped the recreational red snapper season starting October 1.
+At a meeting with oil industry representatives and other stakeholders, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar called for improved spill-response technology.
+Participants in BP’s Vessels of Opportunity Program should expect payment within a month, a company official says.
+The site of the Deepwater Horizon blowout has become an underwater laboratory teaming with scientists.
+The summer’s oil spills have contributed to a public relations crunch for the fossil fuel industry, but that has failed to translate into tangible political gains for environmentalists.

Frustrated spill victims turn to federal fund
ProPublica reports that some oil spill claimants who haven’t found relief under Kenneth Feinberg’s protocol with the Gulf Coast Claims Facility are turning instead to the U.S. Coast Guard’s National Pollution Funds Center.
Claimants who have applied to the Coast Guard’s fund have reported swift intake of their claims and direct contact with their adjusters. But the fund is available only to applicants whose claims have been rejected or who have waited at least 90 days after applying without a decision, and has narrower eligibility guidelines and less money available than Feinberg’s operation.
“If someone’s not happy, they can submit a claim to us,” said Tom Morrison, the chief of the Claims Adjudication Division at the Coast Guard’s fund. But he cautioned that his decisions would not necessarily be any more generous than those reached by Feinberg, and that certain types of claims considered by Feinberg, such as physical injuries and health problems, will not be accepted by his office.
The Coast Guard’s fund was created by a 1990 federal law passed in the wake of Exxon Valdez disaster, which established new regulations and liabilities for oil companies that cause spills. The law says that a spill victim with a damage claim first must approach the responsible party — in this case, BP, which since Aug. 23 has been represented by Feinberg’s operation. A claimant can file with the Coast Guard’s fund only if the claim is denied or if no decision is made for at least 90 days. Here’s more about how the process works (PDF).

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

AP ENTERPRISE: A look at who got government Gulf work

Tri-Parish Times

BP intends to join forces with 4 major players

Tri-Parish Times

Energy secretary tells oil industry to look skyward and play copycat - Texas on the Potomac

Energy secretary tells oil industry to look skyward and play copycat - Texas on the Potomac

Exxon Mobil CEO says risk — not chances of success — dictated spill response - Texas on the Potomac

Exxon Mobil CEO says risk — not chances of success — dictated spill response - Texas on the Potomac

Heading off disaster, one tweet at a time - CNN.com

Heading off disaster, one tweet at a time - CNN.com

Experts craft study of BP oil spill health effects | AP Texas News | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle

Experts craft study of BP oil spill health effects | AP Texas News | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle

Spill damage assessment to take years | DailyComet.com

Spill damage assessment to take years | DailyComet.com

Saturday, September 4, 2010

Corexit’s 2-butoxyethanol detected in Florida swimming pool - The Independent Weekly

Corexit’s 2-butoxyethanol detected in Florida swimming pool - The Independent Weekly

For Cajuns, What Now? - Slide Show - NYTimes.com

For Cajuns, What Now? - Slide Show - NYTimes.com

Mariner Energy Accident Puts Spotlight on Shallow Wells - NYTimes.com

Mariner Energy Accident Puts Spotlight on Shallow Wells - NYTimes.com

Explosion complicates bid to lift drilling ban | DailyComet.com

Explosion complicates bid to lift drilling ban DailyComet.com

Grand Isle hoping for tourism boost | DailyComet.com

Grand Isle hoping for tourism boost DailyComet.com

Tourists Return to Gulf Coast Beaches | NOLA.com

Tourists Return to Gulf Coast Beaches NOLA.com

Fire damage to Gulf production rig called minimal | NOLA.com

Fire damage to Gulf production rig called minimal NOLA.com

Oil Platform Explodes, 13 Workers Rescued - WSJ.com

Oil Platform Explodes, 13 Workers Rescued - WSJ.com

BP Provides Lessons Learned From Gulf Spill - WSJ.com

BP Provides Lessons Learned From Gulf Spill - WSJ.com

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Reporter tours Florida’s inland waters, sees BP workers in chest-deep water scooping up submerged oil BY HAND – | Florida Oil Spill Law

Reporter tours Florida’s inland waters, sees BP workers in chest-deep water scooping up submerged oil BY HAND – | Florida Oil Spill Law

“Dispersant foam” impacting MS beaches, wetlands — “Huge thick BLANKET” of “dispersant floating in the channel” (PHOTOS) | Florida Oil Spill Law

“Dispersant foam” impacting MS beaches, wetlands — “Huge thick BLANKET” of “dispersant floating in the channel” (PHOTOS) | Florida Oil Spill Law

Long, SAND-colored ribbons/streamers floating in and around Apalachicola Bay, Florida (PHOTOS & VIDEOS) | Florida Oil Spill Law

Long, SAND-colored ribbons/streamers floating in and around Apalachicola Bay, Florida (PHOTOS & VIDEOS) | Florida Oil Spill Law

BP's life on frontiers of energy industry at risk

BP's life on frontiers of energy industry at risk

Why BP had to use 1,800,000 gallons of dispersants - St. Petersburg Environmental News | Examiner.com

Why BP had to use 1,800,000 gallons of dispersants - St. Petersburg Environmental News | Examiner.com

t r u t h o u t | Despite "All Clear," Mississippi Sound Tests Positive for Oil

t r u t h o u t | Despite "All Clear," Mississippi Sound Tests Positive for Oil

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Florida Releases August 25, 2010 Gulf Oil Spill Situation Update | Gov Monitor

Florida Releases August 25, 2010 Gulf Oil Spill Situation Update | Gov Monitor

Blue crab supply back, but fishermen hoping demand will follow | New Orleans News, Local News, Breaking News, Weather | wwltv.com | Gulf Oil Spill

Blue crab supply back, but fishermen hoping demand will follow | New Orleans News, Local News, Breaking News, Weather | wwltv.com | Gulf Oil Spill

Thousands of Dead Fish Found in Mississippi River

In Louisiana, authorities in St. Bernard Parish have found thousands of dead fish in the Mississippi River. St. Bernard Parish President Craig Taffaro said, "I’m talking about 5,000 to 15,000 dead fish. Different species were found dead including crabs, sting rays, eel, drum, speckled trout, red fish." State officials said the fish might have died because of low levels of oxygen in the water. State officials have not yet linked the dead fish to the BP oil spill, but the Times-Picayune reported the fish were found floating on the surface of the water and collected in booms that had been deployed to contain oil that leaked from the BP spill.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Oil spill investigators focus on communication | DailyComet.com

Oil spill investigators focus on communication | DailyComet.com

First catch from the Gulf: Is the seafood safe? | DailyComet.com

First catch from the Gulf: Is the seafood safe? | DailyComet.com

Gulf residents struggle in aftermath of oil spill | DailyComet.com

Gulf residents struggle in aftermath of oil spill | DailyComet.com

Steve's Blog: Journalists take a closer look at oil spill coverage - WLOX-TV and WLOX.com - The News for South Mississippi

Steve's Blog: Journalists take a closer look at oil spill coverage - WLOX-TV and WLOX.com - The News for South Mississippi

Gulf of Mexico oil spill landed sucker punch as region struggled to its feet after Hurricane Katrina | NOLA.com

Gulf of Mexico oil spill landed sucker punch as region struggled to its feet after Hurricane Katrina | NOLA.com

http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/go/doc/2931/880791/

http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/go/doc/2931/880791/

BP Oil Spill Claims Czar Ken Feinberg Blasted On First Day of Overseeing Victims Payment Program - DailyFinance

BP Oil Spill Claims Czar Ken Feinberg Blasted On First Day of Overseeing Victims Payment Program - DailyFinance

Newly discovered microbe is eating the Gulf oil spill | NOLA.com

Newly discovered microbe is eating the Gulf oil spill | NOLA.com

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Is Gulf Seafood Really "Safe"? | Mother Jones

Is Gulf Seafood Really "Safe"? | Mother Jones

BP to stop handling claims related to Gulf spill - New Orleans News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - FOX 8 Live WVUE-TV Channel 8

BP to stop handling claims related to Gulf spill - New Orleans News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - FOX 8 Live WVUE-TV Channel 8

A Blog From Philippe Cousteau, Speaking Out From New Orleans - Planet Green - Features

A Blog From Philippe Cousteau, Speaking Out From New Orleans - Planet Green - Features

Fishermen's frustrations linger over BP oil-cleanup program | DailyComet.com

Fishermen's frustrations linger over BP oil-cleanup program | DailyComet.com

Safety Warning Preceded Rig Blast - WSJ.com

Safety Warning Preceded Rig Blast - WSJ.com

BP gives $12M to Ala. for mental health care | nola.com

BP gives $12M to Ala. for mental health care | nola.com

Much Oil Remains in Gulf, Researchers Estimate

[spill0816] 
Associated Press
An aerial view of the Bay Joe Wise shoreline on the Gulf of Mexico coast of Louisiana. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal is making a push for similar wetlands restoration projects to commence along the state's sensitive coast.
Researchers at the University of Georgia said Monday that more than three-quarters of the oil spilled in the Gulf of Mexico following the Deepwater Horizon drilling-rig explosion could still be in the Gulf threatening fisheries and marine life, disputing government statements that much of the oil had been safely dispersed.
The federal National Incident Command, which has been coordinating clean-up efforts, reported earlier this month that the damaged well had spewed about 4.9 million barrels of oil into the Gulf before it was capped. Half of that oil had been safely burned off, skimmed, or directly recovered and another 25% had evaporated or dissolved, the federal researchers said.
Both the UGA assessment and the federal calculations it contradicts are estimates based on incomplete information. Federal researchers cautioned that their results would be refined as better information became available.
The UGA team, which has been at the forefront of investigating the underwater oil plumes created by the leaking well, took a closer look at the government's calculations and came to a more pessimistic conclusion: As much as 79% of the oil and its toxic byproducts still remained in the subsurface waters of the Gulf.
Moreover, it might easily be years before these petrochemicals disappear.
"One major misconception is that oil that has dissolved into water is gone and, therefore, harmless," said UGA marine scientist Charles Hopkinson, the senior investigator in the effort. "The oil is still out there, and it will likely take years to completely degrade."
Federal researchers involved in preparing the earlier estimate couldn't be reached for comment late Monday. Officials at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Washington and New Orleans also couldn't be reached for comment.
In a statement, Dr. Hopkinson said most of the oil classified by the government as dispersed, dissolved or residual was actually still in the water. Using a range of likely evaporation and degradation estimates, the group calculated that 70% to 79% of oil spilled into the Gulf still remains.
The group said it was impossible for all the dissolved oil to have evaporated because only oil at the surface of the ocean can evaporate into the atmosphere and large plumes of oil are trapped in deep water.
The UGA study hasn't yet been published, nor has it been peer-reviewed by independent researchers.
Write to Robert Lee Hotz at sciencejournal@wsj.com

Government Officials Tell Fisherman To Shut Up About Oil Found On Shrimp In BP Gulf Oil Spill Waters Open To Fishing | Alexander Higgins Blog

Government Officials Tell Fisherman To Shut Up About Oil Found On Shrimp In BP Gulf Oil Spill Waters Open To Fishing | Alexander Higgins Blog

U.S. Halts Deepwater Environmental Exemptions : NPR

U.S. Halts Deepwater Environmental Exemptions : NPR

DOI curbs use of CXs offshore in wake of CEQ report - Oil & Gas Journal

DOI curbs use of CXs offshore in wake of CEQ report - Oil & Gas Journal

Oil Sightings Throughout Coastal Louisiana August 16

Report on Oil Sightings throughout Coastal Louisiana

Baton Rouge (August 16, 2010) - The below is a situational awareness report of oil impacted areas led by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, the Louisiana Army National Guard and local governments.
Sightings Report August 16, 2010
St Bernard

  • Sighting: Patches of oil 50 feet by 30 feet impacting the marsh grass on Turtle Pen Isle .7 miles ENE of Deadman's Bayou.
  • Sighting: Patches of oil 50 feet by 30 feet impacting the marsh grass on the SW end of Brush Island.
Plaquemines

  • Sighting: Tar balls and oil sheen surfaced after the bottom was stirred up of Bastian Bay.
  • Sighting: Non-recoverable oil located in Brant Bayou just off the E end of Brant Island.
For more information related to the oil spill, visit www.emergency.louisiana.govcom/photos/lagohsep">www.flickr.com/photos/lagohsep

Some Cleanup Workers Not Getting Money - Gulf Oil Spill BP - WKRG.com

Some Cleanup Workers Not Getting Money - Gulf Oil Spill BP - WKRG.com

LDWF Expands Recreational and Commercial Fishing Closures in Lower Terrebonne both Inshore and in the Territorial Seas Because of Confirmed Reports of Oil Effective Immediately | EMERGENCY.louisiana.gov

LDWF Expands Recreational and Commercial Fishing Closures in Lower Terrebonne both Inshore and in the Territorial Seas Because of Confirmed Reports of Oil Effective Immediately | EMERGENCY.louisiana.gov

20 YEARS LATER… EXXON VALDEZ OIL SPILL

KEFJ_EVOS_1989-2009_qa.pdf (application/pdf Object)

Gulf oil spill beaches full of oil, Alabama locals swim in condo pools | Fromtheold

Gulf oil spill beaches full of oil, Alabama locals swim in condo pools | Fromtheold

Georgia scientists say 80 percent of spilled BP oil remains in Gulf of Mexico | NOLA.com

Georgia scientists say 80 percent of spilled BP oil remains in Gulf of Mexico | NOLA.com

Monday, August 9, 2010

FACTBOX-Developments in the Gulf of Mexico oil spill | Reuters

FACTBOX-Developments in the Gulf of Mexico oil spill | Reuters

Video: BP's Crude Bubbling Out of Ground - New Orleans, LA Local News - Fwix

Video: BP's Crude Bubbling Out of Ground - New Orleans, LA Local News - Fwix

The spill is gone, but uncertainty haunts the Gulf | Grist

The spill is gone, but uncertainty haunts the Gulf Grist

So what happens when you dump 2 million gallons of toxic chemicals into the ocean? | Grist

So what happens when you dump 2 million gallons of toxic chemicals into the ocean? Grist

So what happens when you dump 2 million gallons of toxic chemicals into the ocean? | Grist

So what happens when you dump 2 million gallons of toxic chemicals into the ocean? Grist

BP relief well to be ready this week; Obama praises progress | Grist

BP relief well to be ready this week; Obama praises progress Grist

The Crime of the Century: What BP and the US Government Don’t Want You to Know, Part I :

The Crime of the Century: What BP and the US Government Don’t Want You to Know, Part I :

Local volunteers needed for oil-spill recovery work | DailyComet.com

Local volunteers needed for oil-spill recovery work | DailyComet.com

Crabs provide evidence oil tainting Gulf food web | DailyComet.com

Crabs provide evidence oil tainting Gulf food web | DailyComet.com

Scientists think Gulf can recover from massive oil spill | NOLA.com#incart_mce

Scientists think Gulf can recover from massive oil spill NOLA.com#incart_mce

Oil spill as fashion? What others are writing about the Gulf oil spill | NOLA.com

Oil spill as fashion? What others are writing about the Gulf oil spill NOLA.com

Saints sell Gulf Coast seafood to W.H. journos - The Oval: Tracking the Obama presidency

Saints sell Gulf Coast seafood to W.H. journos - The Oval: Tracking the Obama presidency

Sunday, August 8, 2010

YouTube - BP Oil Spill Grand Isle Town Hall Meeting What the media wont show you PART II

YouTube - BP Oil Spill Grand Isle Town Hall Meeting What the media wont show you PART II

As Spill Recedes, Probes Advance - WSJ.com

As Spill Recedes, Probes Advance - WSJ.com

What lies beneath: Investigators want to find undersea evidence - New Orleans News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - FOX 8 Live WVUE-TV Channel 8

What lies beneath: Investigators want to find undersea evidence - New Orleans News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - FOX 8 Live WVUE-TV Channel 8

Mike Utsler replacing Doug Suttles in the BP Unified Command Response - New Orleans News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - FOX 8 Live WVUE-TV Channel 8

Mike Utsler replacing Doug Suttles in the BP Unified Command Response - New Orleans News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - FOX 8 Live WVUE-TV Channel 8

Well plugging brings relief but abandonment fears | DailyComet.com

Well plugging brings relief but abandonment fears | DailyComet.com

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Reuters AlertNet - ANALYSIS-Did US Gulf Coast dodge an ecological bullet?

Reuters AlertNet - ANALYSIS-Did US Gulf Coast dodge an ecological bullet?

This week: Beyond Hayward - Counting the Cost - Al Jazeera English

This week: Beyond Hayward - Counting the Cost - Al Jazeera English

BBC News - Profile: Bob Dudley

BBC News - Profile: Bob Dudley

BBC News - Gulf oil leak: Biggest ever, but how bad?

BBC News - Gulf oil leak: Biggest ever, but how bad?

BBC News - Majority of BP spill 'dealt with'

BBC News - Majority of BP spill 'dealt with'

BP Can Cement Damaged Oil Well in Gulf, Allen Says - Bloomberg

BP Can Cement Damaged Oil Well in Gulf, Allen Says - Bloomberg

Critics not buying government's estimates of amount of oil in gulf

With a startling report that some researchers call more spin than science, the government said Wednesday that the mess made by the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is mostly gone already.

AJ video

For all of us living along the Gulf Coast, did you have the worse "sinus infection" of your life this past winter? I sure did. My ears still hurt. Doctor looks at them and sees nothing there causing my ear pain. WHOA, then I came across this video. I am adding a comments box right below this. Please add how you are feeling if you are in any of the Gulf Coast area affected by the BP OILSPILL. Thank you! Leesa