Clips below are from today's landmark NYT report on the "chaotic" nature of the effort to contain and clean-up the oil that's in the Gulf. I say it's "landmark" because there's been so little national coverage of how freaking bad this part of the response has been -- not just the failure at the seabed with the broken pipe, but the failure to keep the oil offshore and get it cleaned out of the water.
We've been screaming about this on TRMS for weeks -- I'm hoping the NYT printing such a long, long article about it gooses some more national coverage. The local communities and shore areas most directly affected by the oil have been left, essentially, to fend for themselves. It's a disgrace, it's been a disgrace for weeks, and it needs to be fixed. I've got steam coming out of my ears about this.
Reports of oil reaching shore have been made days before any vessels were seen in the area. After squalls, booms have ended up tangled like spaghetti on the shores of wildlife-rich islands, only to remain like that for days with no response workers in sight....
BP's growing cleanup operation, which includes more than 100 companies and has already cost $1.6 billion, has left an often dangerous vacuum of guidance and direction in one of the most fragile ecosystems on earth.
Cleanup workers on Queen Bess Island, La., have been spotted trampling pelican nesting grounds and tossing around pelican eggs.
Yellow caution tape has been strung up on beaches to keep the news media and civilians out, only to end up in the marsh, where it could harm birds and small mammals.
On the beach at Port Fourchon, Mr. Travirca said, cleanup workers left oil-soaked mops on the beach for days, where the tides buried them in the sand. The workers were finally told to pick up the mops and put them in garbage bags, which they did — but not before shaking the mops out and strewing the beach with oil again.
While officials and residents of southern Louisiana have criticized a response that has sometimes been absent, they have also often criticized the cleanup crews that do show up.
"BP could fire all their contractors because they're doing absolutely nothing but destroying our marsh," Mr. Nungesser told the Senate panel.
David Camardelle, the mayor of Grand Isle and others complained that the employees in BP's sprawling response are often outsiders who are not familiar with the fragile marshes and not local fishermen who most need the jobs....
One of the most vivid images in news reports on the oil spill has been boom, the lengths of orange and yellow barrier that are anchored to the seafloor and either keep oil at bay or corral it so it can be skimmed. From the earliest days, politicians have been demanding it, officials have been promising more of it and now nearly 400 miles of it is in place in gulf waters.
But it has also become a potent symbol of the problems with the response effort.
Boom, which is easily swamped by waves, provides only limited protection, something even politicians who have thundered for more to be installed will concede. It also requires constant maintenance, as squalls moving in from offshore regularly break the chains apart, and effective deployment, something officials at all levels say has been lacking.
"The boom has been a disaster from the beginning," Mr. Nungesser said, citing improper training for workers laying it out, as well as their unfamiliarity with the area's waterways.
But proper deployment also requires a thorough plan and a detailed map of effective locations, with precise measurements of passes and other waterways.
The southeast Louisiana contingency plan, which includes environmental sensitivity maps, had not been updated in seven years — a lifetime after intense coastal erosion and a series of hurricanes that have turned, by some estimates, nearly 500 square miles of wetlands into open water.
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Steam is coming from my ears, too. Thank you for your undying attention to this disaster. Your reporting has been invaluable for me.
That steam has been shooting out of your ears since day 1, and because of that we are much more informed and steaming right with you. NOBODY has been on top of this like you have. You are amazing, Rachel. I hope you get some much deserved rest. Love you, girl... thank you so much for all you've done.
I know this is slightly off topic, but I've been hearing speculation form various sources that there may be a bigger problem with the well than previously thought. There's something about it that says "conspiracy theory", but with the escalating flow rate estimations, the hiring of security firms to prevent media access to sites, I'm considering it more strongly.
http://www.theoildrum.com/node/6593/648967
Is what that poster is saying realistic? Is it possible that the well is actually damaged below the sea floor, and is eroding the well support? That it's leaking and undermining the sea bed itself? The poster mentioned a few things as evidence that should be conformable, such as that the BOP has begun to tilt.
Rachel and staff, if you could get any more knowledgeable input on this (to debunk or confirm), I'd be very interested. This whole thing has me terrified.
I look forward to the show tonight!
I recommend a program along the lines of "Cash-for-Clunkers", in that it engages average citizens and provides monetary incentives.
If the gov't will make haz-mat clean up training available to local people (NOT JUST CONTRACTORS), and perhaps lease them the gear and tools needed, I bet that there would be droves of people who would step up to bat. And if there were additionally a monetary incentive, such as $1 per liter of oil, people would organize themselves faster than you would believe.
Obviously my suggestion has holes. But my point is, empower those horrified people who feel so impotent and wronged! Get them involved! And send them the doctors that they're going to desperately need either way.
I recommend a program along the lines of "Cash-for-Clunkers", in that it engages average citizens and provides monetary incentives.
If the gov't will make haz-mat clean up training available to local people (NOT JUST CONTRACTORS), and perhaps lease them the gear and tools needed, I bet that there would be droves of people who would step up to bat. And if there were additionally a monetary incentive, such as $1 per liter of oil, people would organize themselves faster than you would believe.
Obviously my suggestion has holes. But my point is, empower those horrified people who feel so impotent and wronged! Get them involved! And send them the doctors that they're going to desperately need either way.
I recommend a program along the lines of "Cash-for-Clunkers", in that it engages average citizens and provides monetary incentives.
If the gov't will make haz-mat clean up training available to local people (NOT JUST CONTRACTORS), and perhaps lease them the gear and tools needed, I bet that there would be droves of people who would step up to bat. And if there were additionally a monetary incentive, such as $1 per liter of oil, people would organize themselves faster than you would believe.
Obviously my suggestion has holes. But my point is, empower those horrified people who feel so impotent and wronged! Get them involved! And send them the doctors that they're going to desperately need either way.
Where is the Student Conservation Corp? There are 100,000s of high school and college grads who would love to have some seasonal work. Expend the SCC and put these grads to work.
Was down there last weekend and it's such a clusterf*ck! There are hundreds (maybe even thousands) of qualified, certified people offering to VOLUNTEER and we're getting turned down!
Those oiled birds you saw on your last trip, Rachel? Still there ... or dead, with new ones to take their places. There was a boat from Fisheries and Wildlife out there who gave us two different excuses for not saving two different oiled birds; neither one of them made much sense. I wonder if you're having nightmares like I am.
We need to take this crap over; BP is never going to let us in to get this cleaned up.
Far as I'm concerned, BP has an obligation to train and hire the manpower to de-oil every bit of wildlife alive, no matter what the cost, no matter what the survival rate. And in the process, efficiencies and refinements will be discovered to increase a viable outcome, as should have been the case all along. But, 'nature' will always be there, right? Just like Mom will be there to clean our sh*tty underpants when we make a mess. Until she dies. Or we grow up (hint, hint: BP?). Shame on those who transfer the duty to their wives and daughters/next generation.
Truly, one of those rare moments when THINK OF THE CHILDREN is not in the least bit ironic.
Again, thank you, thank you, thank you for caring and covering this. Gulf coast resident.
it's not a conspiracy theory, it's more like a hubris, and cover our ass*s theory for BP. Captain Sassy up there said that we need to take this crap over and I agree, because BP's hands are covering their behinds, not in cleaning up the oil. Keep reporting on this, don't let this story go away or sweep under the rug otherwise nothing will change.
June 15, 2010
NOAA: May Global Temperature is Warmest on Record Spring and January-May also post record breaking temps
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/6/15/876188/-The-Hottest-May-on-Record-Updated
Yup, we're boned.
There must be criminal charges the execs at BP can be charged with.
I don't know if you have seen this connection to government failures and the fraud at the Deepwater projects--coastguard assets responsible for oversight in these challenging environments. Almost exactly a year ago, the courts unsealed complaints for $720M filed against military contractors Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grunman under the False Claims Act (31 U.S.C.§ 3730(b)(1) and 31 U.S.C. § 3732(a))
According to the complaint, the companies fraudulently cut corners in the construction of a number of Cost Guard boats, leaving them unfit for operations. (sound familiar?) And within the year we had the worst environmental disaster we have ever faced.
Maybe I don't understand this because of how not intelligent I am but why can't I and a bunch of other haz mat certified volunteers go down to LA, AL, MI, and FL coasts right now and start helping to prep for the incoming oil or start helping with the cleanup? I mean seriously, why can't I just take as much hay as I can get my hands on or hair or start drives to collect those products and start using them in the gulf? I'd put money the local fishermen and other boaters there would love to start helping cleanup so why the hell isn't it happening? I get that BP is supposed to hold all the culpability but they are flat out sucking and I'm confused as to why volunteers can't start taking care of this. Is it a legal issue or what's the deal?
BP essentially "owns" the beach, navy. We were all certified and even had our own Personal Protection Equipment -- we can't get in anywhere. The loophole they use is "it's for safety reasons".
It's BS, plain and simple.
Rachel, we love you! You get our "Hood Pass"... You have kept it real on the whole BP Disaster! There aren't alot of places to get the truth these days!
Anti BP/Oil Addiction Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPbM_hMNNb8
Whoa, sorry for the triple post! If I could delete it I would!
Keep up the great work, Rachel. I think you put unto words the helpless, horrible rage that a majority of American feel right now. There are truly no words.
BP are banning respirators, I wonder if they are worried that people are not trained to use tehm or more worried that actual prifessionals could sneak in if everyone looked alike and their guards could not determine those under threat to keep quiet and those who have the will to do and the freedom to talk about what was done.
If teh guards are still threatening people who boat in the area, could they not be threatened with jail for impersonating Federal officers as I believe only the Fed have the power there now to arrest someone for being afloat on public waterways
Respirators require only slightly more training to use than shovels. It's either the second thing, or they're too frackin cheap to provide safetye quipment, so they can't let anyone have their own respirator or the people without will want BP to pay to get them some.
It is completely appalling and not surprising that locals, who know their marshes and shorelines, are developing their own prevention and cleanup. Sand sifters, steel booms, barges --- these could have been in an actual oil cleanup response plan. There was really no plan at all. Obama was not strong enough in his speech! We do not need to hear about insulation and replacing windows (once again) to reduce our energy needs! We need a BIG BIG BOLD plan and now.
I was just wondering, the oil that is cleaned up and put in barges, where does that go? Does it go straight to BP and their refineries. Are we also gathering millions of gallons of oil for BP? This well will be spewing oil for awhile. BP has just purchased 32 Kevin Costner machines which he says can separate oil from water at 200 gallons/min. or was it 200 million gal./min. In any case that seems to be a windfall for BP. Does anyone know?
There are actually "entrepreneurs" down there who are collecting the oil and selling it back to them for 50 bucks a barrel, according to a shrimper I talked to.
Had to take respirator training and test when I went to Iraq as a contractor and even drunk and snoring these things could be put on, I believe BP simply want to see the faces of who is boating around.
I think Obama wants BP to recover, just enough to make a profit when he sells his BP shares and watch them tank hard.
The President is facing the most terrible odds
My research shows that B P has very powerful friends. Blackstone Financial is owned by Peter G Peterson, They own Nalco Holdings who produce Coexit, the dispersant used in the Gulf. Tony Hayward BP is a follower of Peter G Peterson, and is a member of the Hoover Inst and the Peter G Peterson Inst. Why could the President not stop the use of dispersants, because lots of influential people are making money out of it's use. Warren Buffet for one. Tony Hayward was thrown out of Russia. Clever Russians).If you do the research you will find the answers. President Obama needs some help. This is a defining moment. I was origionally British. We Americans need to wake the hell up, before Corporate America destroys us all, and they will blame us. Gosh we only did what people let us do. If you look there is information on what is in Corexit, it is not a comfortable read.
Join in a one day protest of all big oil companies: Sign up and then don't buy any gas on July 4th, our TRUE independence day. http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=107303222651400&ref=ts
Most day stoppages do nothing as you have to buy the next day and they simply raise the price knowing they will catch you for even more.
I want a true boycott, someone (Rachel?) who will find out hwat airlines and cruise lines may use BP and post them somewhere we can all see so we can contact those companies who use thousands of gallons per trip and let them know as long as they use BP, we will use another carrier. UPS, Fed-Ex and trucking lines could also be targeted and losing a few thousand gallons sales EVERY day by these companies will have far more effect than a week boycott by regular drivers who may only use 10 to 20 gallons a week.
Not this again.
You are my hero (heroine?) - your tireless pursuit of the truth about this Ungodly Mess unleashed on our coast by BP has been an inspiration (albeit depressing). Life continues to be puzzling...I can't comprehend the motivation (OK - massive Greed...) behind the perpetrators and their sycophants in our own government.
Give em hell, Rachel!
Keep nailing them, Rachel. People are listening.
God bless you.