I know I’m cynical, I get it…I admit it, but when you spend any time reading the science and the journals and watching the documentaries about climate change, fracking, even peak oil…hope ceases to really be your specialty… It’s more two parts grim reality, one part enjoy the party while you can. Anyways, this might explain why, when it comes to the money, the between … Continue reading Economy versus environment…the oil spill fine…
A recent film, originally airing April 22nd on Discovery Planet Green, documents the impact of the oil spill on Gulf residents… “You go out in the water and think everything’s okay, but it’s not. You close your eyes and you don’t hear any seagulls, there’s no fish jumping.” “I’ve been in the bayou my whole life, and I ain’t ever seen so much dead stuff as … Continue reading Stories From the Gulf: Living with the Oil Disaster
Transocean, the company that owned the Deepwater Horizon, recently objected to a draft of a Coast Guard report, released on April 22nd that placed partial blame for the explosion upon their poor safety culture, among other problems: “Switzerland-based Transocean insists the blast did not result from poor upkeep, that the blowout preventer was properly maintained and that the general alarm on the rig did not fail to operate … Continue reading Nobody did it…
Most everybody’s aware by now there were an abnormal amount of dead dolphin calves washing ashore this year, as well as a much larger than usual number of turtles dying, and there is of course the red snapper, with the NOAA recommending if fishermen catch the fish, or any other kinds of fish with lesions, fin rot or other assorted maladies they not touch them … Continue reading Dolphins, Turtles, Red Snapper…and now, sand dollars and starfish…
Kenneth Feinberg, neutral administrator of the GCCF, told a joint state House and Senate committee reviewing the claims process he hasn’t seen any scientific linkage of cleanup measures, like chemical dispersants, and health problems, “When it comes to cleanup and the respiratory claims, I think right now the medicine and science are lacking. I haven’t seen it in the claims,” Feinberg said. Sen A.G. Crowe, … Continue reading On Feinberg’s claims – regarding a lack of health claims…
The preliminary findings for a study done by the University of West Florida indicates Corexit may not have been effective and could be more damaging to the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem than the oil alone. From the article in the Pensacola News Journal: “When mixed with oil, Corexit, the chemical dispersant used by BP, is toxic to phytoplankton and bacteria — crucial elements in the … Continue reading UWF Study: Corexit and oil probably worse than oil alone…
In a Fox News article posted over the weekend, Ken Feinberg said the claims process was winding down. He also told the Telegraph he’d processed over 80% of claims, “I’ve used just over $4 billion dollars…I don’t envision a flood of new claims.” Interesting, and potentially problematic… With the terrible beginning to the brown shrimp season resulting in a new groups of claims being filed, … Continue reading Feinberg: GCCF claims process winding down…
Here’s the frustrating thing: From an article in the Times-Picayune about the recent dolphin deaths, discussed is how the oil and dispersants used to clear up the spill “may” have disrupted the food chain…leading to the death of the dolphins. And it goes on to say that though this could contribute to the calves dying, “there are other possible explanations.” So, in a court of law, … Continue reading Scientific Frustration…
Remember that study in the journal “Science” a little while back that reported microbes had taken care of “nearly all” the methane released during the BP oil spill? Um, not so fast… “Scientists on Thursday cast doubt on a study that claimed bacteria ate nearly all the methane that leaked after the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, saying its methods were flawed. … Continue reading Scientists now questioning the super microbes…
Okay, so first we acknowledge the obvious: Lawyers being lawyers, and British Petroleum having long since given up that whole “making things right,” and “actions, not words” schtick – at least in reality – of course BP is going to try to use every legal maneuver to pay as little as possible to anyone. Their company’s in trouble now that the Rosneft deal looks blown so yeah, … Continue reading Here come the lawyers…a day in Judge Barbier’s court…
Drake Toulouse: Photography and Words 