tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65712174483964165172024-03-13T05:04:04.613-05:00BP SlickDedicated to exposing
the truth behind the BP DisasterJohn L. Wathenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01140840127236193125noreply@blogger.comBlogger487125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571217448396416517.post-42169802684762779282015-05-24T08:58:00.001-05:002015-05-24T08:58:05.425-05:00Pipeline that leaked wasn't equipped with auto shut-off<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h1 class="art_head">
<span>Pipeline that leaked wasn't equipped with auto shut-off</span></h1>
<br />
<div class="art_main_pic landscape" data-byline="AP" data-caption="Workers%20prepare%20an%20oil%20containment%20boom%20at%20Refugio%20State%20Beach%2C%20north%20of%20Goleta%2C%20Calif.%2C%20Thursday%2C%20May%2021%2C%202015.%20More%20than%207%2C700%20gallons%20of%20oil%20has%20been%20raked%2C%20skimmed%20and%20vacuumed%20from%20a%20spill%20that%20stretched%20across%20about%209%20miles%20of%20California%20coast%2C%20just%20a%20fraction%20of%20the%20sticky%2C%20stinking%20goo%20that%20escaped%20from%20a%20broken%20pipeline%2C%20officials%20said." data-img="http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tuscaloosanews.com%2Fbilde%3FSite%3DTL%26Date%3D20150523%26Category%3DNEWS%26ArtNo%3D150529881%26Ref%3DAR%26Profile%3D1001&imageVersion=Main&MaxW=728&logo=/images/watermark.gif&logoxpos=0&logoypos=0" data-title="">
<a class="enlarge" href="http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20150523/NEWS/150529881/1001?Title=Pipeline-that-leaked-wasn-t-equipped-with-auto-shut-off-">
<img alt="" src="http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=TL&Date=20150523&Category=NEWS&ArtNo=150529881&Ref=AR&Profile=1001&imageVersion=Main&MaxW=445&border=0" />
</a>
<div class="caption">
Workers prepare an oil containment boom at Refugio State Beach,
north of Goleta, Calif., Thursday, May 21, 2015. More than 7,700 gallons
of oil has been raked, skimmed and vacuumed from a spill that stretched
across about 9 miles of California coast, just a fraction of the
sticky, stinking goo that escaped from a broken pipeline, officials
said.<br />
<em>AP</em>
</div>
</div>
<div class="art_byline">
BRIAN MELLEY<br />The Associated Press
</div>
<div class="art_pubdate" data-date="05/23/2015">
<h5>
Published: Saturday, May 23, 2015 at 9:00 p.m.</h5>
<h5>
Last Modified: Saturday, May 23, 2015 at 9:49 p.m.</h5>
</div>
<div class="article_text article_paragraph0">
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The pipeline that leaked thousands of gallons
of oil on the California coast was the only pipe of its kind in the
county not required to have an automatic shut-off valve because of a
court fight nearly three decades ago, a county official said.<br />
</div>
<div class="pagpag1" style="display: block;">
The original owner of the
pipeline skirted the Santa Barbara County requirement by successfully
arguing in court in the late 1980s that it should be subject to federal
oversight because the pipeline is part of an interstate network, said
Kevin Drude, deputy director of the county's Energy and Minerals
Division. Auto shut-off valves are not required by federal regulators.</div>
<div class="pagpag1" style="display: block;">
"It's the only major pipeline that doesn't have auto shut-off," Drude said. "For us, it's routine."</div>
<div class="pagpag1" style="display: block;">
Federal
regulators are investigating the cause of Tuesday's leak that spilled
up to 105,000 gallons of crude oil from an underground pipe into a
culvert and as much as 21,000 gallons into the ocean at Refugio State
Beach. The spill killed untold numbers of fish, at least five pelicans
and a sea lion. It also mired other wildlife, including an elephant
seal, in the muck.</div>
<div class="pagpag1" style="display: block;">
Plains
All American Pipeline was still draining the pipe and trying to locate
the leak Saturday. Federal regulators ordered the company to remove the
damaged section and send it to a lab for tests on the metal, along with a
series of other steps before it could resume pumping oil through the
pipe to inland refineries.</div>
<div class="pagpag1" style="display: block;">
Plains
said the pipeline had one valve to shut it down if oil flowed in the
opposite direction and three valves controlled by operators in its
Midland, Texas, control room.</div>
<div class="pagpag1" style="display: block;">
Plains
defended its people approach to manually shutting down the system,
saying it's the standard across the country for liquid pipelines.</div>
<div class="pagpag2" style="display: block;">
"It is much safer for
operators who understand the operations of the pipeline to shut it down
following a planned sequence of steps than for computer to automatically
close a valve on oil that is traveling in confined space at high
pressure," Patrick Hodgins, the company's senior director of safety,
said Saturday. "This is all standard operating procedures within our
industry."</div>
<div class="pagpag2" style="display: block;">
While it's not
known if an auto shut-off valve would have detected the leak and reduced
the size of the spill, environmentalists have criticized the lack of
such a device, saying it could have averted or minimized the disaster.</div>
<div class="pagpag2" style="display: block;">
"Everyone
is pretty mystified why the pipeline didn't automatically shut down
when the leak occurred," said Linda Krop, chief counsel of the
Environmental Defense Center.</div>
<div class="pagpag2" style="display: block;">
Santa
Barbara County regulations sometimes exceed state and federal
standards, requiring additional environmental analysis or imposing
conditions to further protect health and the environment, Drude said.
One additional requirement is a valve that can detect changes consistent
with a leak and automatically shut down.</div>
<div class="pagpag2" style="display: block;">
The
county successfully fought another operator that didn't want to install
automatic shutdown valves on a pipeline from an offshore drilling
platform, Drude said.</div>
<div class="pagpag2" style="display: block;">
However,
when there was a leak on that line in 1997, an operator overrode the
automatic shutdown, and it continued spewing crude into the Pacific
Ocean a couple miles from shore. The 10,000 gallon spill fouled 21 miles
of shoreline and killed more than 150 birds.</div>
<div class="pagpag2" style="display: block;">
Richard
Kuprewicz, president of Accufacts Inc., which investigates pipeline
incidents, said such valves aren't always effective, though newer, more
sophisticated "smart" models provide more accurate signals that can
trigger shutdowns.</div>
<div class="pagpag2" style="display: block;">
A
Plains employee discovered the leak early Tuesday afternoon, about three
hours after mechanical issues with the pipeline, according to the
company. The pipe was restarted for about 20 minutes before a pump
failed and then it was shut down because of changes in pressure.</div>
<div class="pagpag2" style="display: block;">
The company said it was looking into whether those earlier problems led to the leak.</div>
<div class="pagpag3" style="display: block;">
A surge in pressure from starting up a system could cause a leak or exacerbate one, but it's too soon to tell, Kuprewicz said.</div>
<div class="pagpag3" style="display: block;">
"In
the past, surge pressures have caused pipes to rupture. But there were
other failures, too," he said, speaking in general and not about the
Plains incident. "If that were the case, that would become fairly
evident ... pretty quickly."</div>
<div class="pagpag3" style="display: block;">
Plains
All American subsidiaries have reported at least 223 accidents along
their lines and spilled a combined 864,300 gallons of hazardous liquids
since 2006, according to federal records. The company has been subject
to 25 enforcement actions by federal regulators and tallied damages
topping $32 million.</div>
<div class="pagpag3" style="display: block;">
The company has defended its record, saying accidental releases have decreased as its pipelines have increased to 17,800 miles.</div>
<div class="pagpag2" style="display: block;">
<br /></div>
<div class="pagpag1" style="display: block;">
<br /></div>
</div>
John L. Wathenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01140840127236193125noreply@blogger.com98tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571217448396416517.post-55574335159583391522015-05-22T06:54:00.000-05:002015-05-22T06:54:34.401-05:00Finding California oil spill's cause could take months<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h1 class="art_head">
<span>Finding California oil spill's cause could take months</span></h1>
<br />
<div class="art_byline">
</div>
<div class="art_pubdate" data-date="05/22/2015">
<h5>
Published: Friday, May 22, 2015 at 3:30 a.m.</h5>
<h5>
Last Modified: Friday, May 22, 2015 at 3:05 a.m.</h5>
</div>
<div class="article_text article_paragraph1">
GOLETA, Calif. (AP) — The operator of a broken oil pipeline that
fouled a California shoreline says it could be weeks or even months
before investigators are able to determine what caused the break and
subsequent spill.<br />
Crews have yet to excavate the broken piece of
pipeline, which under the law must be done in the presence of federal
regulators and a third party, officials with Plains All American
Pipeline LP said at a Thursday night news conference at the Santa
Barbara County beach where the spill occurred two days earlier.<br />
"We have not even uncovered the pipe yet," said Patrick Hodgins, senior director of safety for Plains All American.<br />
The
company would not yet say whether two malfunctions that occurred
shortly before the spill was discovered were part of the cause.<br />
"We
were having some pump problems on the pipeline," said Rick McMichael,
another Plains All American Representative. "Whether it led to the leak
or not is part of our investigation."<br />
The 24-inch pipe, built in
1987, had no previous problems and was thoroughly inspected in 2012,
according to its operator, Plains All American Pipeline. The pipe
underwent similar tests about two weeks ago, though the results had not
been analyzed yet.<br />
The spill involved an estimated 105,000 gallons
of crude; about 21,000 is believed to have made it to the sea and split
into slicks that stretched 9 miles along coast. A 23-mile by 7-mile
area was closed to fishing.<br />
As of Thursday, more than 9,000 gallons had been raked, skimmed and vacuumed up, officials said.<br />
The
thick, powerful-smelling crude coated rocks and sand, but only six
oil-coated pelicans and one juvenile sea lion had been rescued.<br />
An
abundance of volunteers had made themselves available to help sop up
oil and in particular to help clean off animals, but they were being
turned away and encouraged not to act on their own.<br />
"We just don't have enough positions," U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Jennifer Williams said.<br />
The
latest spill is just a drop in the bucket compared with a catastrophic
blowout on the same stretch of coast in 1969, when a Union Oil platform
blew out and spewed an estimated 3 million gallons of crude along 30
miles of coast. Some 9,000 birds died, new regulations were passed and a
new era of environmental activism began in the U.S.<br />
Nevertheless,
the new spill is being held up as another reason to oppose such things
as fracking, the Keystone XL pipeline that would run from Canada to
Texas, the moving of crude by train, and drilling in far-flung places.<br />
"What
we see from this event is that the industry still poses enormous risks
to an area we cannot afford to lose," said Joel Reynolds of the Natural
Resources Defense Council.<br />
Plains All American and its
subsidiaries operate more than 6,000 miles of hazardous liquid pipelines
in at least 20 states, according to company reports. Those companies
handle more than 4 million barrels of crude and other liquid fuels
daily.<br />
Since 2006, the companies have reported 199 accidents and
been subject to 22 enforcement actions by federal regulators. The
accidents resulted in a combined 725,500 gallons of hazardous liquids
spilled and damage topping $25 million.<br />
Corrosion was determined
to be the cause in more than 80 of those accidents. Failures in
materials, welds and other equipment were cited more than 70 times.<br />
Enforcement cases against the companies resulted in the collection of $154,000 in penalties, according to a federal database.<br />
Hodgins,
of Plains All American, said the company has spent more than $1.3
billion since 2007 on maintenance, repair and enhancement of its
equipment.<br />
He also defended the company's safety record, saying
accidental releases have decreased as the number of miles of pipelines
has increased.<br />
___<br />
Associated Press writers Christopher Weber and Alicia Chang contributed to this report from Los Angeles.<br />
</div>
</div>
John L. Wathenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01140840127236193125noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571217448396416517.post-70900084073207195872015-04-21T06:56:00.002-05:002015-04-21T07:18:51.350-05:00Byron Encalade, Voices From The Gulf<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Byron Encalade, Voices From The Gulf.</h3>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wAKixaJKGrs/VTW6nZ15HgI/AAAAAAAAJcY/bSTq9sqhizs/s1600/Drew.byron.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wAKixaJKGrs/VTW6nZ15HgI/AAAAAAAAJcY/bSTq9sqhizs/s1600/Drew.byron.jpg" height="202" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drew Landry (left Byron Encalade (right) ((Click to enlarge))</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The second in a series of interviews with South Louisiana Fishermen, Drew Landry took me to Byron Encalade, in East Pointe A-LA Hache, LA, a small fishing village in Plaquemines
Parish, Louisiana. He engages in harvesting seafood, oysters and
shrimp; also in transporting seafood along the gulf coast states. He is
currently serving as Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana Constable 3<sup>rd</sup>
Ward, American Legion Post 430 Judge Advocate, Louisiana Wildlife &
Fisheries Seed Ground Permit Appeals Board, President of <a href="http://www.louisianaoyster.org/" target="_blank">Louisiana Oystermen Association</a>, President of South Plaquemines United Fisheries
Cooperative and most proudly a lifetime member of the Wolfhound Pack 27<sup>th</sup> Infantry Regiment Historical Society, Inc.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DkgCy0tVW5k/VTW7vUH6hwI/AAAAAAAAJck/xctqGP89VXQ/s1600/_MG_5925.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DkgCy0tVW5k/VTW7vUH6hwI/AAAAAAAAJck/xctqGP89VXQ/s1600/_MG_5925.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Louisiana barrier island oyster bed<br />
10/30/10</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
Byron has been an oysterman all of his life and tells it like it is for his friends and family 5 years after the BP oil disaster. <br />
<br />
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John L. Wathenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01140840127236193125noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571217448396416517.post-27669189889561523432015-04-16T12:47:00.002-05:002015-04-16T14:22:10.322-05:00Acy Cooper, Voices From The Gulf<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
"Voices From The Gulf"<br />
There is too much going on in the Gulf region today to address it with only one post and account from the people's voices. This is the first installment of a year long expose'. I will be releasing a series of video interviews from the region over the next year. During the entire 5th I will try my best to expose first hand accounts of as many impacts to the fisheries and more importantly, the people.<br />
<br />
We have all heard from the BP ads and lawyers that all is well and the Gulf is recovering. We have heard the stories of the incredible amounts of money BP has supposedly paid to impacted families. Please turn off the BP tv commercials that BP paid for and listen instead to the "Voices From The Gulf"<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MnUG7PCW5fU/VS_g8am66WI/AAAAAAAAJa0/3f-leUmr338/s1600/ACYphoto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MnUG7PCW5fU/VS_g8am66WI/AAAAAAAAJa0/3f-leUmr338/s1600/ACYphoto.jpg" height="219" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Acy Cooper, Vice President, Louisiana Shrimp Association</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Acy Cooper isn't a scientist, lawyer, or corporate giant CEO. He is the vice president of the <a href="http://www.louisianashrimp.org/" target="_blank">Louisiana Shrimp Association.</a> A fisherman working in the Gulf of Mexico today while BP claims the Gulf is healing well and everyone is being compensated. Acy has the eyes and ears of the fishing community in his area. Take time to listen to his account of the shrimpers in the Gulf of Mexico, 5 years after the BP disaster.<br />
<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iXJ7cPc5uLo/VS_v_BALvFI/AAAAAAAAJcE/nYLfC0MkP94/s1600/10671222_10204806324581220_3456258918508697603_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iXJ7cPc5uLo/VS_v_BALvFI/AAAAAAAAJcE/nYLfC0MkP94/s1600/10671222_10204806324581220_3456258918508697603_n.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Click photos to enlarge)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
His account of what the fishing communities are facing is startlingly different from the B P ads and what our government wants interior America to believe. (BP = Bought Paid for)<br />
People all over the world who are confronting the deep sea drilling monster should share these stories widely. 5 years after the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deepwater_Horizon_oil_spill" target="_blank">Deepwater Horizon</a>, BP disaster we are just now seeing the long-term impacts. It only takes one "spill", "incident", one disaster to completely change the way of life for people who are directly impacted. <br />
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John L. Wathenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01140840127236193125noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571217448396416517.post-65767582660420624042014-09-16T08:31:00.001-05:002014-09-16T08:31:15.923-05:00Letter to editor "ADEM fails to meet community’s needs"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h1 class="art_head">
<span>ADEM fails to meet community’s needs</span></h1>
<div class="article_text article_paragraph0">
Dear Editor:<br />
The Tuscaloosa News’ Lydia Seabol Avant recently did
a fine job in the article <a href="http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20140813/NEWS/140819851/0/search" target="_blank">“EPA Investigates Landfill,”</a> (The Tuscaloosa
News, Aug. 14, Page 1A) which described the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency’s investigation of the discriminatory impact on
Uniontown’s citizens caused by the Alabama Department of Environmental
Management’s decision to permit Arrowhead Landfill to receive waste from
33 states.<br />
</div>
<div class="article_text article_paragraph1">
I am one of those who say the landfill was expanded without
proper protections for public health and the environment. Prior to its
expansion, the landfill received over <br />
4 million cubic yards of toxic coal ash that came from the 2008 Kingston, Tenn., coal ash spill.<br />
As
one of those complainants, I can tell you the impacts and experiences
are as horrifying as described in the article. Frustrated residents
living near this area suffer from a wide range of medical problems
linked to coal ash dust and coal ash wastewater run-off. Concerned
families no longer grow vegetable gardens and the smells around the
landfill can make one’s stomach turn. Their quality of life has declined
as have property values.<br />
The Alabama Department of Environmental Management bears significant responsibility for allowing this to happen.<br />
Are
ADEM officials violating our civil rights when they fail to properly
review and then strengthen permits that result in little or no
protection? Are they discriminating against our poor and minority
communities when they fail to adequately enforce environmental laws?<br />
Hopefully, the EPA will find out the answer to these questions.<br />
Adam Johnston<br />
Alliance Coordinator, Alabama Rivers Alliance<br />
Birmingham<br />
</div>
<h1 class="art_head">
<span> </span></h1>
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John L. Wathenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01140840127236193125noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571217448396416517.post-38672543089566777972014-09-04T12:20:00.000-05:002014-09-04T12:20:34.050-05:00BREAKING NEWS! BP found "Grossly Negligent"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<div id="WNStoryHeader">
<h3 class="">
Judge: BP Has Been Found Grossly Negligent</h3>
<i class="wnDate">Posted:
Sep 04, 2014 9:53 AM CDT
</i>
<i class="wnDate">Updated:
Sep 04, 2014 10:35 AM CDT
</i>
<br />
<div id="WNStoryByline">
<div class="byline">
By WKRG Staff</div>
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<li class="wnDVHeadline"><h4 class="wnRole-LINK">
<a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/238656294/BP-ruling" target="_blank"><span class="">BP court ruling</span></a></h4>
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<span id="WNStoryDateline">BATON ROUGE, La. -
</span><span id="fnWrapper" style="font-size: 17px;">A
federal judge has ruled that BP's reckless conduct resulted in the
nation's worst offshore oil spill, leaving the company open to billions
of dollars in penalties.<br /><br /> U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier's
ruling Thursday could nearly quadruple the amount of civil penalties for
polluting the Gulf of Mexico with oil from BP's Macondo well in 2010.<br /><br />
Barbier presided over a trial in 2013 to apportion blame for the spill
that spewed oil from April 20 to mid-July 2010. Eleven men died when
the well blew wild; BP already has agreed to billions of dollars in
criminal fines.<br /><br /> Barbier says BP bears 67 percent of the blame
for the spill. He says drilling rig owner Transocean Ltd. takes 30
percent of the blame, and cement contractor Halliburton Energy Service
takes 3 percent.</span><br />
<br />
<span id="fnWrapper" style="font-size: 17px;">It's about damn time. </span><span id="fnWrapper" style="font-size: 17px;">The Gulf residents found BP "Grossly Negligent" May 20, 2010.</span><br />
<span id="fnWrapper" style="font-size: 17px;">My first view...</span><br />
<span id="fnWrapper" style="font-size: 17px;"> </span></div>
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John L. Wathenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01140840127236193125noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571217448396416517.post-7012951261918745262014-06-23T01:55:00.002-05:002014-06-23T01:55:32.460-05:001,000-pound tar mat is being cleaned up on Fort Pickens beach. <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="story-asset story-leadin-asset" id="module-position-NS3Nh24lu_0">
<h2 class="lead-in">
Nearly
four years to the day when BP oil began soiling our beaches, a
1,000-pound tar mat is being cleaned up on Fort Pickens beach. (<span class="js-caption-wrapper"><span class="credit">Pensacola News Journal)</span></span></h2>
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A
U.S. Coast Guard pollution investigation team is leading another day of
cleanup of a tar mat discovered Friday on the beach at Fort Pickens.<br />
So
far, the team has removed about 960 pounds of the mat, which is about 8
to 10 feet off the shoreline in the Gulf of Mexico, just east of
Langdon Beach, Coast Guard spokeswoman Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Murphy said<br />
Mats are made of weathered oil, sand, water and shells.<br />
Monday
marks the fourth anniversary of when the oil from the April 2010
Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster finally arrived on waves slicking
our beaches. Tar balls and a frothy brownish-orange petroleum product
called mousse, however, arrived earlier that month.<br />
The mat was
discovered on Friday by a Florida Department of Environmental Protection
monitor who surveys area beaches routinely looking for lingering BP
oil.<br />
"The weather plays such a big factor in this," said Murphy.
"Friday we got the cleanup crew out there and could see it (tar mat)
visibly and attacked it. Then the thunderstorms came in, and they had to
stop."<br />
By the time the crew returned Saturday, the mat was
reburied under 6 inches of sand, and it took the crew a while to
relocate it using GPS coordinates taken Friday, she said.<br />
With the mat located in the surf zone, it's harder to clean up.<br />
"It's always a battle with Mother Nature," Murphy said.<br />
The
team returned today and plans to return Monday and for as many days as
it takes to excavate the entire mat with shovels, although Murphy said
it appears by the smaller amount excavated today they may be getting
close to collecting all of it.<br />
But the team will survey about 100 yards east and west of the mat to make sure none is still buried in the sand.<br />
This mat is located about half a mile east of where a mat containing 1,400 pounds of weathered oil was cleaned up in March.<br />
Cleanup
is being conducted by a joint effort between BP, the Coast Guard,
Florida Department of Environmental Protection and National Park
Service.<br />
It will take about a week for test results to confirm whether the oil is from the Macondo well that exploded April 20, 2004.<br />
More
than 200 million gallons of crude oil spewed into Gulf in 2010 for a
total of 87 days before the Macondo well head could capped, making it
the biggest oil spill in U.S. history.<br />
Ironically, the discovery
of the near-shore mat comes at a time when the National Park Service has
stepped up efforts to search out suspected tar mats farther offshore.<br />
Mats are believed to be submerged in the Gulf of Mexico waters off the seashore's Fort Pickens and Johnson beach areas.<br />
Since
April, a specialized team of underwater archaeologists has been
scanning the waters looking for areas that might have trapped oil when
it began washing up on our beaches four years ago on Monday.<br />
Friday's
discovery is not related to the dive team's hunt for oil, although the
Coast Guard is testing several samples the team discovered to see if it
is oil and, if so, whether it's from the Macondo well, she said.<br />
Murphy
urges the public to report any tar mat, tar ball or anything they
suspected BP oil to the National Response Center hotline.<br />
<b>Report tar balls</b><br />
Report tar ball, tar mats or anything that looks like oil pollution to the National Response Center hotline 800-424-8802.</div>
John L. Wathenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01140840127236193125noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571217448396416517.post-34328254631572037772013-07-31T11:01:00.002-05:002013-07-31T12:15:54.313-05:00TAR SANDS OIL MOBILE Exposes pipeline fiasco<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>TAR SANDS OIL MOBILE</b><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mKQi0Ni-374/UfkVapuJ0iI/AAAAAAAAH_w/OoT6HogYhNM/s1600/_MG_0003+copy+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mKQi0Ni-374/UfkVapuJ0iI/AAAAAAAAH_w/OoT6HogYhNM/s400/_MG_0003+copy+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by John L. Wathen, Pilot Tom Hutchings</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
With all the talk about tar sands oil coming to Mobile Alabama and the lack of current information about the pipeline leading from Pascagoula Miss to the Downtown Mobile terminals to be built there I felt the need to expose it for what it is.<br />
The pipeline crosses the Big Creek Lake basin where Mobile gets it's drinking water. In fact this oil pipeline crosses within less than 1/2 mile from the intake pump for the drinking water of thousands of Mobile residents.<br />
The new storage tanks will be located less than 1/4 mile from a densely populated housing project and just over 500 feet from the head of Royal Street in Downtown Mobile<br />
<br />
Not only is this an environmental nightmare, it is also a huge environmental injustice for the people directly impacted by the path. Politicians will tell you that the people in the corridor sold their right of way (ROW) willingly. That is not quite all of the truth. Many people were forced to sell under the threat of takings through imminent domain. (Sell it or we take it)<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-meLWMF_1G0Q/UfkWRc-8XXI/AAAAAAAAH_8/PDh8rqyBan8/s1600/_MG_9626.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-meLWMF_1G0Q/UfkWRc-8XXI/AAAAAAAAH_8/PDh8rqyBan8/s400/_MG_9626.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by John L. Wathen, Pilot Tom Hutchings</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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As we flew from Pascagoula to Mobile I was surprised to see how many wetlands were being impacted. In the event of a rupture this will present a nightmare to contain. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FBKM09Nksto/UfkZcqA7zBI/AAAAAAAAIAM/ICfTFKfKzUc/s1600/_MG_9597.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FBKM09Nksto/UfkZcqA7zBI/AAAAAAAAIAM/ICfTFKfKzUc/s400/_MG_9597.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by John L. Wathen, Pilot Tom Hutchings</td></tr>
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One thing sticks out like a sore thumb and that is the crossing of Mobile Alabama's drinking water source at Big Creek Lake. It actually crosses the existing pipeline carrying water to Mobile!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hPxOUrZbyXs/UfkcoJ5OZGI/AAAAAAAAIAs/C5Wgh8KyiSY/s1600/Mobile+water+supply.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hPxOUrZbyXs/UfkcoJ5OZGI/AAAAAAAAIAs/C5Wgh8KyiSY/s400/Mobile+water+supply.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by John L. Wathen, Pilot Tom Hutchings</td></tr>
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We flew over the 10 Mile Storage facility owned by Plains All American. It was evident from all of the new construction that they anticipate the expansion will be approved. Why not, our politicians seem to think that profits for industry should always outweigh people, health and safety! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9Vd59v8olq0/UfkfhMWDn4I/AAAAAAAAIBA/2C7Gf6os0Y4/s1600/_MG_9806.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9Vd59v8olq0/UfkfhMWDn4I/AAAAAAAAIBA/2C7Gf6os0Y4/s400/_MG_9806.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by John L. Wathen, Pilot Tom Hutchings</td></tr>
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Leaving the 10 Mile facility we flew Southeast toward Mobile. Once again the close proximity to residents stood out prominently. I could see children's swing sets, yard equipment, horses, cows, and peoples front doors within only a few feet from the pipeline and the potential disaster looming there.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4fzYxqqfrkY/UfkhO1TdHvI/AAAAAAAAIBM/-nIv4f19w98/s1600/_MG_9824+copy+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4fzYxqqfrkY/UfkhO1TdHvI/AAAAAAAAIBM/-nIv4f19w98/s400/_MG_9824+copy+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by John L. Wathen, Pilot Tom Hutchings</td></tr>
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As we entered the Downtown area of Mobile Tom pointed out where the new storage tanks would be built. They will lie only about 1,000 feet from a densely populated housing project and only about 500 feet from Royal Street. (distances taken from Google Earth)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_W6EfS59kz4/UfkinzJEynI/AAAAAAAAIBc/k4NW082_F0E/s1600/_MG_0003+copy+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_W6EfS59kz4/UfkinzJEynI/AAAAAAAAIBc/k4NW082_F0E/s400/_MG_0003+copy+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by John L. Wathen, Pilot Tom Hutchings</td></tr>
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Directly across the river is where ARC wants to expand their holding tanks and install a subsurface pipeline under the Mobile River connecting the new tanks at the rail head and the expanded tank farm on Old Spanish Trail (Google) <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gf6xCE_zEWs/UfksAElAKlI/AAAAAAAAIBw/6WxLJSXof8s/s1600/_MG_9981.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gf6xCE_zEWs/UfksAElAKlI/AAAAAAAAIBw/6WxLJSXof8s/s400/_MG_9981.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by John L. Wathen, Pilot Tom Hutchings</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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We flew up 3 mile Creek to the ARC Saraland site. Here railroad cars are brought to load trucks with oil reported to be tar sands oil. From the photos it was clear to see that there were already problems with the site.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0je72pt_C4Q/UfktUskWKYI/AAAAAAAAIB8/FYhxPNMdHmc/s1600/DSCN0413.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0je72pt_C4Q/UfktUskWKYI/AAAAAAAAIB8/FYhxPNMdHmc/s400/DSCN0413.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by John L. Wathen, Pilot Tom Hutchings</td></tr>
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These tank trucks are leaking badly and appear to have been doing so for some time. The trucks can be seen in Google Earth as early as Jan. 2012. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bGQ67xzQFqY/UfkuC1MFsWI/AAAAAAAAICM/OtLj4cMB8ps/s1600/_MG_0059.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bGQ67xzQFqY/UfkuC1MFsWI/AAAAAAAAICM/OtLj4cMB8ps/s400/_MG_0059.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by John L. Wathen, Pilot Tom Hutchings</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o2yEWsmx41A/UfkvxJb3j4I/AAAAAAAAICc/LdP_bIrkFMg/s1600/_MG_0081.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="273" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o2yEWsmx41A/UfkvxJb3j4I/AAAAAAAAICc/LdP_bIrkFMg/s400/_MG_0081.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by John L. Wathen, Pilot Tom Hutchings</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Close up shots of the train cars here revealed the same numbering sequence as ones also seen in Downtown Mobile belonging to Canada National Railroad.
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kUhv_ucpXYM/UfkwC_eCGFI/AAAAAAAAICk/JQA6NOATBR8/s1600/_MG_0106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kUhv_ucpXYM/UfkwC_eCGFI/AAAAAAAAICk/JQA6NOATBR8/s400/_MG_0106.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ARC Saraland </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-R7sBozFLVZM/Ufkwwd2P55I/AAAAAAAAICw/bCIcCFx438k/s1600/_MG_0188.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-R7sBozFLVZM/Ufkwwd2P55I/AAAAAAAAICw/bCIcCFx438k/s400/_MG_0188.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Downtown Mobile</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
People living close to and impacted by this project are not being heard. Lands have been taken by greedy oil mongers through good old boy politics. That needs to be exposed and shown to the elected powers that have backed this play for profit. Any politician who supports such a recipe for disaster needs to be replaced at the next election. If such a pipeline is built, it certainly needs to take a different path considering the health and safety of ALL impacted residents.<br />
<br />
There are simply too many unknowns and misinformation being released that say this is OK. I call on every group that has any environmental stake in this to examine it for what it's worth and denounce this as a bad idea. <br />
<i allowfullscreen="" frame="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Qa0tA0jtkK4?rel=0" width="480"></i><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nzJVdw-hAeE/UfkyOpHIOlI/AAAAAAAAIDA/JPaTEp8s02Q/s1600/_MG_0200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nzJVdw-hAeE/UfkyOpHIOlI/AAAAAAAAIDA/JPaTEp8s02Q/s400/_MG_0200.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Give them a call and express yourself! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
Below is a video I created to expose the entire route of the pipeline and what I consider important issues associated with it. For more information concerning the pipeline and it's impacts to residents of Alabama and Mississippi, contact <a href="http://tarsandsoilmobile.com/" target="_blank">Tar Sands Oil Mobile</a></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Qa0tA0jtkK4?rel=0" width="480"></iframe>
</div>
John L. Wathenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01140840127236193125noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571217448396416517.post-65665969725752835832013-06-27T16:35:00.003-05:002013-06-27T16:35:22.457-05:0040,000-pound tar mat unearthed on Grand Terre<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
40,000-pound tar mat unearthed on Grand Terre</h3>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HcQPmvA7Drs/Ucyv_i8EjeI/AAAAAAAAH9I/wDxUW1zkb-o/s500/946825_481803595237466_1730723868_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HcQPmvA7Drs/Ucyv_i8EjeI/AAAAAAAAH9I/wDxUW1zkb-o/s320/946825_481803595237466_1730723868_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /><br />By Nikki Buskey<br />Staff Writer<br />Published: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 5:45 p.m.<br />Last Modified: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 at 7:51 p.m.<br />
<br />A 40,000-pound tar mat unearthed in the surf off Grand Terre island is a sign that three years after the Gulf oil spill, the disaster continues to affect the Louisiana coast, state and environmental officials said Wednesday.<br /><br />Grand Terre is an uninhabited barrier island east of Grand Isle. The tar mat, which was 165-feet long by 65-feet wide, was a mixture of sand, shells, oil and water. It was removed over a period of a few weeks.<br /><br />Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Chairman Garret Graves said the tar mat is evidence that BP’s cleanup along the Louisiana shoreline has been insufficient.<br /><br />BP couldn’t be reached for comment.<br /><br />“Continuing to find oil mats in our shoreline proves that our concerns are warranted,” Graves said.<br /><br />Federal on-scene coordinators for the spill are ending active cleanup this month in Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. The Coast Guard and BP are still engaging in active cleanup at several Louisiana sites, including Grand Isle, Grand Terre, Elmer’s Island, Fourchon Beach and East Timbalier.<br /><br />Louisiana officials have repeatedly voiced concerns about buried oil being left behind.<br /><br />A joint statement from environmental groups, including the National Audubon Society, the National Wildlife Federation and the Environmental Defense Fund, says Louisiana’s vital barrier islands, which are in jeopardy due to coastal erosion, took the brunt of the damage from the oil disaster.<br />
“Barrier islands provide a first line of defense against storm surge, protecting communities and habitats, and they are also nurseries and breeding grounds for many species of Gulf fish, wildlife and migratory birds,” the statement says. “BP misleads audiences when it declares cleanup victory in the Gulf. It may try to sweep this recent news under the rug, but it’s going to take a pretty big broom to hide a 40,000-pound tar mat.”<br /><br />Reports say the tar mat was made up of 15 percent oil and 85 percent sand, shells and water. But the entire mat itself was considered hazardous and had to be removed from the area, the groups point out.<br /><br />Local officials have said BP and the Coast Guard have responded to concerns about buried oil and tar mats, sampling the beach by drilling augering holes to look for oil under the surface sands and sending scuba Shoreline Cleanup Assistance Teams to probe in the wave line for submerged oil mats on Fourchon Beach. Tar balls and tar mats have washed up regularly on the beach since the spill.<br /><br />Terrebonne Coastal Restoration Director Nic Matherne said the parish has been working with the state to receive bimonthly briefings on ongoing cleanup efforts.<br /><br />“There’s so much oil we’ll continue to uncover oil for years. We’re staying informed and staying on top of the issue,” Matherne said.<br /><br />He added that officials have to balance the need to unearth buried oil with preventing damage to sensitive habitats like barrier islands.<br /><br />“We’ve worked with the Coast Guard and the incident management team to stay informed of their modelling on wave action and where they are most likely to surface, and that’s an ongoing effort,” Matherne said.<br /><br />Graves said responders have cleaned up 2.8 million pounds of oil in Louisiana this year alone.<br /><br />“That’s 99 percent of all the oil removed in the Gulf,” Graves said.<br /><br />Graves cited statistics that more than 1 million barrels of oil still remain unaccounted for since the spill.<br />
<br />
“That’s five times the Exxon Valdez spill,” he said. “We can’t just wait for it to come to shore. Most importantly, we’re only seeing this oil on the beaches we have in Louisiana. What’s happening in our wetlands?”<br /><br />He called for BP to set up a proactive monitoring system that can identify tar mats offshore and collect them before they wash in.<br /><br />Staff Writer Nikki Buskey can be reached at 448-7636 or nicole.buskey@houmatoday.com.</div>
John L. Wathenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01140840127236193125noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571217448396416517.post-10675967028624513572013-05-27T18:53:00.002-05:002013-05-27T18:53:47.144-05:00Miners, if you can't afford safety then get out <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<h1>
Miners, if you can't afford safety then get out </h1>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZdCLELYgKiw/UaPxtky_ccI/AAAAAAAAH7U/LmEicnJ6CuM/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-05-27+at+6.50.16+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZdCLELYgKiw/UaPxtky_ccI/AAAAAAAAH7U/LmEicnJ6CuM/s200/Screen+shot+2013-05-27+at+6.50.16+PM.png" width="197" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="storycredit">TAHU POTIKI
</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="red_bold_text">OPINION:</span>
Our South Island communities are being courted and consulted a
little more vigorously than usual, thanks to an opportunity for the big
mining companies to explore our ocean floors for signs of gas and oil.
<br />
These companies have known for a long time that there is potential
for extraction in a number of offshore sites but, for one reason or
another, the numbers simply haven't stacked up or the political
environment has not been conducive. But things are different now and it
seems the best opportunity to make some money is now.
<br />
It is not a fait accompli by any stretch of the imagination and in
the current environment the best progress is going to be made when all
community stakeholders are on board.
<br />
This is a big ask, as we saw this week when Conservation Minister
Nick Smith announced Bathurst could proceed with opencast mining on the
conservation estate.
<br />
The whole thing may yet be derailed by legal proceedings but
Bathurst believes it can run a viable operation, with all the best
practice initiatives in place, and still contribute $22 million to local
conservation projects.
<br />
I fully understand that where all the factors are well known,
associated management challenges are adequately mitigated and the safety
issues are implemented and monitored well, then a reliable operation
can be run.
<br />
This is particularly true of land-based mining.
<br />
It is important to note the economic viability of any mining needs to take all of these factors into consideration.
<br />
Cost savings when it comes to safety are not an option. A
Rolls-Royce operation, which is what we deserve and what we should
demand, comes at a cost and that will be the real leveller.
<br />
If the figures don't stack up: that is, you can't afford the safety, then get out of town.
<br />
The game is a little different in the open sea.
<br />
Anadarko is one of the companies that may be drilling in the Great
South Basin and it has been actively engaging with iwi and many other
community stakeholders.
<br />
Not surprisingly, they are talking about the innocuous impact of
their exploration technology, and how friendly they are to whales and
other charismatic mega-fauna.
<br />
All sorts of discussions are being had about how the company can
make a meaningful contribution to the community, and ensure an enduring
and productive long-term relationship.
<br />
Excuse my cynicism but these types of negotiations struggle to pass
my sincerity test. That is not to say all multinationals with a
reputation for natural resource exploitation should be tossed to the
side but, for me, the hurdle is pretty high.
<br />
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Yesterday, I met with veteran activist Mike Smith and a
photojournalist from the United States who was on the ground, and in the
air, during the weeks following the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill in
2010.
<br />
His view was that the incident, and the subsequent cleanup, was less
than transparent and quite convoluted with deliberate misinformation
and a poorly co-ordinated operation.
<br />
They particularly pointed out that Anadarko, one of the companies
possibly operating off the South Island coastline, has been implicated
in the Gulf of Mexico spill. Anadarko was a 25 per cent partner in the
BP and Haliburton-led operation, although it claims it was only a
financial partner.
<br />
Others argue that Anadarko was involved in critical decision-making.
<br />
It is certainly on the end of legal proceedings in the US that
accuse it of not fully declaring how much it knew about the Deepwater
Horizon disaster and the impact it would have on the value of the
company.
<br />
My personal concern with any deep-sea drilling here is the ability to mitigate against any disaster.
<br />
I do not oppose the principle of mineral or fossil-fuel extraction but what if it all goes to crap?
<br />
It certainly did in the Gulf of Mexico and the means to tidy up the mess were far from adequate or effective.
<br />
The primary intervention was the use of something called Corexit, a
dispersant that coagulates the spilt oil, which then disappears below
the surface of the ocean.
<br />
Britain banned the use of Corexit dispersants in 1998 and many
expert scientists believe it is more harmful than the oil itself.
<br />
A survey of the health impacts of Corexit on cleanup workers showed
eye, nose and throat irritation, respiratory problems, blood in urine,
rectal bleeding, seizures, nausea and violent vomiting, skin irritation,
burning and lesions, short-term memory loss, liver and kidney damage,
central nervous system damage, hypertension and miscarriages.
<br />
In New Zealand, the first line of defence, if we were to experience a significant oil spill, would be to use Corexit.
<br />
It was most recently used following the Rena crisis off Tauranga two years ago.
<br />
If that is as good as it gets, then it isn't good enough.
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
(for those in the US, mining in New Zealand is the same as what we refer to as drilling for oil)</div>
John L. Wathenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01140840127236193125noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571217448396416517.post-54807916083881999462013-05-27T16:10:00.000-05:002013-05-27T16:10:09.563-05:00 Local doc presses BP claims <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<h1 id="blox-asset-title">
<span class="blox-headline entry-title">Local doc presses BP claims</span></h1>
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<a href="http://www.tri-parishtimes.com/news/article_0b65680c-6004-11e2-b8f2-001a4bcf887a.html?mode=image&photo=0" title="Mike Robichaux">
<img alt="Mike Robichaux" class="horizontal" src="http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tri-parishtimes.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/1/bd/1bda3a1e-6004-11e2-8f9b-001a4bcf887a/50f6e6a6ca28d.preview-300.jpg" width="300" />
</a>
<div class="byline">
JOHN DeSANTIS | TRI-PARISH TIMES</div>
<h3>
Mike Robichaux</h3>
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</div>
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<div class="story-times dtstamp">
Posted: <span class="updated" title="2013-01-16T11:42:00-06:00">Wednesday, January 16, 2013 11:42 am</span>
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<div class="byline">
<span class="author vcard"><span class="fn">By JOHN DeSANTIS
Senior Staff Writer</span></span> </div>
<div class="byline">
<br /></div>
<div class="content">
<span class="paragraph-0">
In the weeks, months and years following the Deepwater Horizon
rig explosion, Dr. Mike Robichaux drew international attention as he
cared for people he maintains were sickened by the incident’s aftermath,
occasionally advocating on their behalf within the legal system.<br />
</span>
<span class="paragraph-1">
And he’s not done.<br />
</span>
The Mathews physician, who calls himself a
“simple country doctor,” has been busy with a letter-writing campaign
seeking to have the medical aspects of a class-action settlement
re-defined. And although the federal judge overseeing the matter has
approved a program for medical settlement that Robichaux faults, he is
still not done.<br />
“I realize that I’ve worn out my welcome over the
last few months,” states a letter from Robichaux to U.S. District Court
Judge Carl Barbier. “However, the health and care of my patients
supersedes my reluctance to annoy you any further.”<br />
Robichaux, a former Louisiana state senator and
LSU football star, has also written the attorneys general of Louisiana,
Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. He wants them to look at his opinion –
from a medical perspective – that the settlement process has been
“corrupted” because it ignores matters he sees of clear medical
importance.<br />
Robichaux’s letter questions the manner in which
claims of illness are being handled in the settlement. While court
papers refer to various ailments related to exposure of people to crude
oil and other chemicals, Robichaux says there is in no way enough
emphasis on long-term effects. Chronic conditions that may still be
developing as well as various cancers, in Robichaux’s opinion, are not
being taken seriously. Failing to clearly state illnesses that he is
convinced show signs of manifesting now, Robichaux maintains, could
result in difficulty should people now involved in the settlement press
claims of chronic illness later, even though there is some protection
against that built into the settlement.<br />
In December, Barbier issued a judgment certifying
who qualifies for the class of people suffering economic and property
damage due to the disaster and approved a settlement agreement.<br />
Approval of the medical portion was announced late last week.<br />
“Parts of the agreement between the Plaintiff
Steering Committee, appointed by Judge Barbier, and BP relied on
premises that, in my opinion, had no basis in fact and completely
distorted the reality of the long-term consequences of these illnesses,”
Robichaux said Monday in an interview.<br />
Last spring, advocates for workers and residents
saw the inclusion of potential compensation for future illness as a big
plus while the litigation package was being hammered out. Robichaux says
he is convinced, however, that the process does not go far enough.<br />
Top among the credentials Robichaux presents as a
man of medicine who should be heeded is the fact that he has personally
treated people affected by the spill. Robichaux also opines that some
of the most important chronic potentials are likely to mirror Gulf War
illness.<br />
He notes in his letter to Barbier a statement
entered into the court record by Dr. Michael Harbut, a physician with
impeccable background but who did not – in the court statement – refer
to aspects of the longer-lasting medical problems.<br />
Robichaux was disturbed by this, he said, because
he has seen medical literature that shows Harbut and other experts who
appear to be ignoring long-term aspects of exposure are well aware of
the long-term risks.<br />
“I was fascinated when I realized that he is an
exceptional clinician and genuine ‘Good Guy,’ who is a formidable
presence in our profession and in his medical specialty,” Robichaux told
the judge.<br />
Robichaux has advised Barbier that, in his
opinion, the settlement contains flaws that could keep people who
contracted chronic illnesses from being adequately compensated and
getting the care that they need.<br />
Robichaux’s letter is dated Dec. 7 and has not received a reply from Barbier.<br />
The medical settlement program is limited in most
cases to people living with certain physical proximity to the disaster,
or who worked directly in its proximity during the cleanup.<br />
Those people may still press claims at a later
time if it is discovered that they have developed illnesses related to
the spill. But Robichaux says that’s not good enough, that there should
be a way to give greater assurance within the settlement.<br />
Local attorneys involved with the litigation
confirmed that there are options for people who may have other illnesses
at a later time, but also acknowledged that they were not entirely sure
of the limitations and that the claims they handle are largely been
limited to those now before Barbier.<br />
“It is my most sincere belief that the proposed
agreement between BP and the Plaintiff Steering Committee has been
severely corrupted and should be rejected,” Robichaux’s letter states.<br />
Asked to explain in detail what he desires,
Robichaux said the goal is for Barbier “to reject the medical part of
the settlement. The chronic illnesses stated in there are false. This is
supposed to be a true document. The attorneys will say it is the best
we can get in negotiation.”<br />
Robichaux notes that while people working on the
attorney steering committee and representatives from BP got to speak at a
recent hearing, the people most affected – those who say they are ill –
did not.<br />
“So there is no public record on any of these
things, no record that these sick people existed,” the Mathews doctor
said, complaining that the potentials for chronic illness have been cast
into the land of “what if.”<br />
Robichaux is not the only physician with a strong opinion about the process.<br />
Dr. Kaye Kilburn, a Pasadena medical toxicologist
who has seen patients with illnesses related to the spill, not only
agrees with Robichaux, but says the geographic area used to determine
who is eligible for a medical claim should be made bigger.<br />
Kilburn said enough tests have not been done to
ensure that all areas with potential wind-blown effects from burned oil
and other chemicals during the cleanup process are identified.<br />
“I have examined some of the people and Dr.
Robichaux and I agree that we have a huge health problem that is being
actively suppressed, in Raceland and all the way to Grand Isle,” Kilburn
said in a telephone interview last week. “I think the problem is far
wider, that it extends 200 or 300 miles from the site. What I found was
lots of neurological impairments. These people in Louisiana, they are
not complainers. They are stoic people. Some had few complaints but they
showed with impairment of balance and slowing of reaction time,
difficulty discriminating color. They had memory and brain fog,
confusion. We have methods for doing objective testing on these things,
on these concealed damages. An ordinary doctor would say it’s all in
your head … but these doctors are misleading the people. This is the
worst type of misjudgment and inhumanity.”<br />
Robichaux and Kilburn have sought help from
private donors for enough testing to be done to make a clear and
convincing case to attorneys or to the courts.<br />
Although he is receiving no compensation for his
efforts, Robichaux said this weekend he plans to keep pressing the
issue, even though the chances he will go unheard are great.<br />
“There are a large number of formerly healthy
American Citizens who have suffered life-altering illnesses as the
result of exposure to chemicals released by a foreign corporation in
American waters.” Robichaux said. “To the best of my knowledge, there
has not been a penny paid out for the care of these individuals by this
corporation and this corporation has been successful, to date, in
obscuring the severity and extent of the illnesses being suffered by our
fellow countrymen.”<br />
</div>
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<span class="blox-headline entry-title"> </span>
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John L. Wathenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01140840127236193125noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571217448396416517.post-73470507055878709712013-05-14T19:30:00.000-05:002013-05-15T02:06:12.100-05:00Hands Across The Sands New Zealand<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
My friends. I am here in the fight of a lifetime to "<a href="http://www.greenpeace.org/new-zealand/en/campaigns/climate-change/Oil-drilling-not-a-solution/" target="_blank">Stop Deep Sea Drilling</a>" in New Zealand.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y-cjjufQYdw/UY5KR3xcYJI/AAAAAAAAH28/T6kfUIpq3O0/s1600/IMG_8444-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="271" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y-cjjufQYdw/UY5KR3xcYJI/AAAAAAAAH28/T6kfUIpq3O0/s400/IMG_8444-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
The groundswell of momentum to stop deep water drilling is almost intoxicating. People, businesses, tribal leaders, and even the children seem to be together in their love and heart felt commitment to protect New Zealand from the horrors we went through in the Gulf. As we all know the only way to keep the disaster from these shores is to stop the drilling in deep water before it begins.<br />
<br />
There has been a series of meetings with locals and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hui_%28M%C4%81ori_assembly%29" target="_blank">Hui</a> assemblies where I have presented my photos and videos from our BP mess.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y_cqfokka1I/UZLNrOBkRwI/AAAAAAAAH40/woTY0JNCB0g/s1600/IMG_8624.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y_cqfokka1I/UZLNrOBkRwI/AAAAAAAAH40/woTY0JNCB0g/s400/IMG_8624.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kaikoura Public presentation </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The people were more than willing to come out publicly to say no deep sea drilling. Even the town councilman who was in attendance said the town had begun drafting a resolution to say no. Many businesses such as <a href="https://www.facebook.com/straw.tree" target="_blank">Strawberry Tree</a> (a local pub) have been very outspoken in the movement to stop this madness. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PGMqFNSSkPI/UZLPxe32QHI/AAAAAAAAH5A/Y7pX_D7vM2c/s1600/IMG_8468-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PGMqFNSSkPI/UZLPxe32QHI/AAAAAAAAH5A/Y7pX_D7vM2c/s400/IMG_8468-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Abbey tags a wall in the Strawberry Tree</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Whale Watch is one of the most influential businesses in the district and has come out strongly against. It's a good thing because we, in the US, know what a single disaster like our Gulf can do to all marine life. Imagine no one being able to see these majestic creatures again!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XgnnVx6hjU4/UZLSFesvT_I/AAAAAAAAH5M/3wAvXBFaS34/s1600/_MG_8775.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XgnnVx6hjU4/UZLSFesvT_I/AAAAAAAAH5M/3wAvXBFaS34/s400/_MG_8775.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Sperm Whale off the coast of Kaikoura</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kzHZKUEAht0/UZLSs2P4DwI/AAAAAAAAH5U/vtGFl26FJxw/s1600/_MG_8598.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="251" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kzHZKUEAht0/UZLSs2P4DwI/AAAAAAAAH5U/vtGFl26FJxw/s400/_MG_8598.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Of all the wonderful sights and people of this trip, the children of the Kaikoura Suburban School have absolutely the most inspiring event yet.<br />
<br />
I was asked to speak to a group of grade school students about my experiences in the Gulf of Mexico. I have to admit that I was a bit nervous about it. I am used to speaking to adults about what corrupt and dangerous neighbors BP was to us and their "<a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/23/us-bp-oilspill-ruling-idUSTRE81L2C620120223" target="_blank">silent partner</a>" Anadarko. I had never been asked to talk to children about it.<br />
<br />
I was ushered into a classroom full of children who welcomed me with songs and a very impressive display of their resolve to help protect their Moana (Ocean)<br />
<br />
After the talk I asked if they had any questions they wanted to ask. I was very impressed with what they asked.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wcqSY6p21o0/UZLTkBf1TeI/AAAAAAAAH5g/Aw1KrstGcec/s1600/IMG_8846.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wcqSY6p21o0/UZLTkBf1TeI/AAAAAAAAH5g/Aw1KrstGcec/s400/IMG_8846.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kids are the true hope for the future. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BG0Z9hhHBD4/UZLUqM0qsHI/AAAAAAAAH5s/fJbWD57W52A/s1600/IMG_8818.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BG0Z9hhHBD4/UZLUqM0qsHI/AAAAAAAAH5s/fJbWD57W52A/s400/IMG_8818.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They are practicing for Hands Across The Sands Kaikoura</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
SO here is the ask of my friends in America. We have a great momentum here and I actually believe we can stop deep water drilling off the coast of Aotearoa (New Zealand) but need to let the people here know that they are not alone in the fight. When Hands Across The Sands America happens on the 18th, I want as many people in America as possibly to make and display some signs to say "We support no deep sea drilling in New Zealand" or words to that effect. Take video, and or photos of the event and send them to me on Facebook (<a href="https://www.facebook.com/john.wathen.944?ref=profile" target="_blank">John Wathen)</a> or email at <a href="http://hccreekkeeper@gmail.com/" target="_blank">hccreekkeeper@gmail.com </a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I will then spread them all over the islands here to show our support for this monumental movement. Good on ya for doing this. Together we can shove these drill crazy son's of BP back home to Texas with their tail tucked!</div>
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John L. Wathenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01140840127236193125noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571217448396416517.post-87586700274106579492013-05-06T18:10:00.002-05:002013-05-06T18:10:15.142-05:00Protests mount on use of BP Gulf spill funds<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="time">May 6, 2013 6:50 pm</span></div>
<h1>
Protests mount on use of BP Gulf spill funds</h1>
<div class="byline ">
<span>By Ed Crooks in New York</span></div>
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</div>
<div id="storyContent">
A plan to build a convention centre in Alabama using money given by <a class="wsodCompany" data-hover-chart="uk:BP." href="http://markets.ft.com/tearsheets/performance.asp?s=uk:BP.">BP </a>to
restore the coast of the Gulf of Mexico has angered environmentalists,
raising concerns over how funds to improve the environment are spent.<br />
The plan is part of projects worth $594m announced last week by BP and the five coastal states affected by<a href="http://www.ft.com/indepth/bp-trial" title="BP trail - In depth - FT.com"> the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster</a>, funded out of the $1bn that the company promised in 2011 for early restoration of the Gulf.<br />
<br />
Groups
including the National Wildlife Federation have protested that building
the convention centre in Gulf State Park in Alabama, justified as a way
to improve public access to the natural resources of the coast, will do
nothing <a href="http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/b14627b4-ab4c-11e2-ac71-00144feabdc0.html" title="Halliburton sets aside $1bn for Gulf costs - FT.com">to repair the damage done by the spill</a>.<br />
The controversy is a foretaste of even fiercer disagreements that are likely over the <a href="http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/c8c04208-9e0e-11e2-9ccc-00144feabdc0.html" title="BP fails to block ‘absurd’ spill payments - FT.com">much larger sums expected to flow into the region </a>in damages and penalties following the trial over the disaster at the federal court in New Orleans.<br />
The convention centre is planned as part of a refurbishment of the
park using $85.5m of BP’s money: the bulk of the $94m spending announced
in Alabama last week. It will replace a lodge that was wrecked by
Hurricane Ivan in 2004.<br />
Robert Bentley, Alabama’s governor, said the centre, which will be
built and run by a public-private partnership, would create jobs and
generate more tourism in the state. <br />
David White of the NWF said his organisation was “shocked” by the decision.<br />
“The American public expects to see BP’s oil spill money spent on
projects that will restore the health of the Gulf coast, not on
pork-barrel projects like a convention centre,” he said.<br />
Another group, Alabama Coast United, said the governor had “decided
to cause more damage by disturbing land that has been reclaimed by
nature”, rather than spending money to remove oil that settled on the
seabed along the coast.<br />
Several of the new projects announced by BP are not directly related to damage done by the spill.<br />
Texas, for example, is spending more than $10.7m to restore Galveston
Island State Park to its condition before Hurricane Ike in 2008.<br />
In Florida, $10.8m is being spent to remove asphalt from beaches, and $4m on two passenger ferries.<br />
BP said that although some of the places where its money was being
spent had not been directly affected by the spill, the projects would
“address loss of use by providing residents and visitors with new
recreational options, better access to existing natural resources and a
greater opportunity to enjoy them”. <br />
Projects have to be approved by BP and the natural resource trustees,
which are representatives of several US federal government departments
and agencies, and the coastal states of Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi,
Florida and Texas.<br />
</div>
</div>
John L. Wathenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01140840127236193125noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571217448396416517.post-17369861878521261232013-05-01T04:23:00.000-05:002013-05-01T04:24:29.178-05:00 Eye witness shares stories of oil spill Photojournalist in Kaikoura <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll297/creekkeeper_2008/New%20Zealand/Wellington%20Overview/_MG_7557.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll297/creekkeeper_2008/New%20Zealand/Wellington%20Overview/_MG_7557.jpg" width="215" /></a><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][4][1]{comment10201188919788109_6457718}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2]"><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][4][1]{comment10201188919788109_6457718}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0"><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][4][1]{comment10201188919788109_6457718}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[0]"> What a long strange trip it's been!</span></span></span></h4>
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][4][1]{comment10201188919788109_6457718}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2]"><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][4][1]{comment10201188919788109_6457718}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0"><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][4][1]{comment10201188919788109_6457718}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[0]">I
will be making my public debut here in NZ on Wed. It is an
honor to be representing My friends and family in the Gulf and my
brothers and sisters of the <a href="http://www.waterkeeper.org/" target="_blank">Waterkeeper Alliance</a>. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][4][1]{comment10201188919788109_6457718}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2]"><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][4][1]{comment10201188919788109_6457718}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0"><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][4][1]{comment10201188919788109_6457718}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[0]">A local radio station
here interviewed me today and I told them the truth. We had thousands of
people, hundreds of ships, boats and even Corexit and we failed
miserably at keeping it off of our shores and our people got sick then
and still today are sick from that failure!</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id=".reactRoot[1].[1][4][1]{comment10201188919788109_6457718}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2]"><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][4][1]{comment10201188919788109_6457718}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0"><span id=".reactRoot[1].[1][4][1]{comment10201188919788109_6457718}.0.[1].0.[1].0.[0].[0][2].0.[0]">This was in the local paper here in Wellington today.</span></span></span><br />
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<h1>
Eye witness shares stories of oil spill Photojournalist in Kaikoura
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Kaikoura bound: Environmentalist, John Wathen is holding a presentation of Wednesday next week about the Gulf oil disaster</div>
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Kaikoura
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<span class="story_icon_icon"></span> <a class="serif" href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/marlborough-express/news/kaikoura/8614561/Freezers-full-after-hunt"></a></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
An American photojournalist will share his eye-witness account of
the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster at a free seminar in Kaikoura on
Wednesday next week.
<br />
The community is invited to John Wathen's presentation, which will include a short film and discussion.
<br />
The evening is hosted by No Drill Kaikoura and Greenpeace, and will
include an update on deep sea oil drilling proposals in New Zealand.
<br />
Mr Wathen is an environmental photojournalist from Tuscaloosa,
Alabama. He chartered a plane to fly over the oil spill in the Gulf of
Mexico, capturing images of the spill as it developed.
<br />
Since 2010, Mr Wathen has continued to document the after-effects and the impacts on coastal communities.
<br />
Mr Wathen is a member of the International Waterkeepers Organisation
that campaigns for the protection of waterways, and was the recipient
of the Waterkeeper's River Hero of the Year Award in 2012.<br />
<br />
For more information contact: Ralph Hogan 03 319 6637.
<br />
The seminar is at 7pm in the Memorial Hall supper room.
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John L. Wathenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01140840127236193125noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571217448396416517.post-60362414804608695802013-04-22T07:30:00.000-05:002013-04-24T11:18:23.105-05:00BP SLICK IN NEW ZEALAND!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">
IT'S OFFICIAL FOLKS</h3>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
Your Hurricane Creekkeeper in New Zealand??!!</h3>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S28-6hGYBL4/UXP37loOyWI/AAAAAAAAH2E/ohcA2XiB84A/s1600/547259_10201036882907534_1310578645_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="251" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S28-6hGYBL4/UXP37loOyWI/AAAAAAAAH2E/ohcA2XiB84A/s400/547259_10201036882907534_1310578645_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hurricane Creekkeeper on Hurricane Creek, Photo by Ken Robinson</td></tr>
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As your Hurricane Creekkeeper I've had the privilege of being the advocate for one of the most beautiful places on Earth, Hurricane Creek. Kenneth Robinson will be standing in as Your Hurricane Creekkeeper while I am away. Let Ken know if you see anything that needs attention... kennethrobinson1@netzero.com (205-310-0995)</div>
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<a href="http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll297/creekkeeper_2008/Fall%202012%20Hurricane%20Creek/Fall12Copyright-26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll297/creekkeeper_2008/Fall%202012%20Hurricane%20Creek/Fall12Copyright-26.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div>
Through my involvement in groups like the <a href="http://www.citizenscoalcouncil.org/" target="_blank">Citizens Coal Council</a> and <a href="http://www.waterkeeper.org/" target="_blank">Waterkeeper Alliance</a> I have become associated with some of the worlds most passionate water advocates. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vgrC10lzDrQ/UXPpcSg4PcI/AAAAAAAAH1E/FBxqne4Jjpw/s1600/Untitled_Panorama1b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="137" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vgrC10lzDrQ/UXPpcSg4PcI/AAAAAAAAH1E/FBxqne4Jjpw/s400/Untitled_Panorama1b.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waterkeeper Alliance in Baja</td></tr>
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Part of being your Hurricane Creekkeeper is the ability to capture evidence and present it in a way that is both passionate and not sensationalized. What I see is sensational enough without making it bigger than it is. That process has taken me to some of the largest man-made disasters in history. I took my cameras to Kingston Tenn. to document the coal ash pond disaster there with my sister Waterkeeper, Donna Lisenby. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X_BOTGPpNeU/UXPrI-KyhzI/AAAAAAAAH1M/sNgMY3WZKMc/s1600/_MG_2880.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X_BOTGPpNeU/UXPrI-KyhzI/AAAAAAAAH1M/sNgMY3WZKMc/s400/_MG_2880.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Donna Lisenby, Upper <a href="http://www.waterkeeper.org/ht/d/OrganizationDetails/id/669" target="_blank">Watauga Riverkeeper</a> documents dead fish</td></tr>
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We were given the bums rush out of the river by TVA goons with trucks, boats, and helicopters! You would have thought we had committed some heinous crime instead of collecting evidence in what was at that time the largest spill of any toxic material into a river in American History.<br />
We were actually given citations for paddling a canoe and a kayak in a Waterway of The US. <br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-muM-1_PQWyc/UXPscu-VAtI/AAAAAAAAH1c/23AGBBxd1rQ/s1600/_MG_2993.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-muM-1_PQWyc/UXPscu-VAtI/AAAAAAAAH1c/23AGBBxd1rQ/s320/_MG_2993.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Officer John B. Neal issues citation to Upper Watauga Riverkeeper</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John L. Wathen, Sandra Diaz, and Donna Lisenby proudly display our citations</td></tr>
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Little did I know then that the Kingston coal ash disaster would follow me home to Alabama in a subtle and devious manner of it's own.<br />
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://creekkeeper.blogspot.com/2010/02/arrowhead-landfill-complaint-021610.html" target="_blank">Enter Perry County</a></h4>
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The ash was not cleaned up but only transferred to Perry County, Alabama in a whirlwind of toxic issues of it's own.</div>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
</h4>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://bpoilslick.blogspot.com/2010/07/creekkeeper-appears-on-olberman.html" target="_blank">Then in April, 2010, America suffered another huge man-made disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.</a></h4>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HdeCsAN40Ys/UXPw95wRbcI/AAAAAAAAH1k/wFTVjZDXPsI/s1600/_MG_1478.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HdeCsAN40Ys/UXPw95wRbcI/AAAAAAAAH1k/wFTVjZDXPsI/s400/_MG_1478.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Gulf of Mexico, 05/07/2010</b></td></tr>
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Again, I had a front row seat for the largest man-made disaster in our history! This one was the most dramatic spectacle of callous greed and deceit I had ever encountered. Media was intimidated to a point where they were afraid to report anything. BP had goons all over the place trying to keep the story down using any methods available to stop the truth. I went over their heads, so to speak by using a flight service named <a href="http://www.southwings.org/" target="_blank">SouthWings</a>. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OK0dAN-BbCA/UXPyxEJh0VI/AAAAAAAAH1s/CaDPHUMLPZ4/s1600/_MG_4695.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OK0dAN-BbCA/UXPyxEJh0VI/AAAAAAAAH1s/CaDPHUMLPZ4/s400/_MG_4695.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John Wathen, <a href="http://www.southwings.org/" target="_blank">SouthWings pilot,</a> Tom Hutchings, and <a href="http://jhenryfair.com/aerial/index.html" target="_blank">Industrial Scars photographer,</a> Henry Fair</td></tr>
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<h4>
It has now come to me to put these disasters to good use. </h4>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I have been asked to come to New Zealand for a month to work with <a href="http://www.greenpeace.org/new-zealand/en/campaigns/climate-change/Oil-drilling-not-a-solution/" target="_blank">Green Peace New Zealand</a>.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
It will be my honor to meet and greet with environmental groups and tribal elders of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C4%81ori_people" target="_blank">Maori People</a> to share what I have seen and experienced in both the coal and oil industries in my journeys across <a href="http://bpoilslick.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">America's oil</a> and <a href="http://creekkeeper.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">coal fields.</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Follow me on this new and fabulous adventure where I will attempt to put all of this horror story of American Extraction technology to good use informing the people of New Zealand of what can be expected if they allow<a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/8378259/NZ-unprepared-for-deep-water-oil-spill-Greens" target="_blank"> deep water drilling</a> in their sacred tribal waters.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The wells in New Zealand will be almost twice as deep as BP's Deepwater Horizon, with bigger pipes, and only 3 (THREE) oil response vessels that can't even leave the harbors because they are so small the waves will capsize them. Imagine what will happen if (when) the have a disaster like ours! We had hundreds of boats, planes, people on the ground and "supposedly" well trained responders. </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I8NOb-TW8FY/UXP3W_ADpEI/AAAAAAAAH10/Vh-FZgVI2cs/s1600/_MG_7582.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I8NOb-TW8FY/UXP3W_ADpEI/AAAAAAAAH10/Vh-FZgVI2cs/s400/_MG_7582.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div>
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It is my sincere hope that what happened in the Gulf of Mexico will be a warning to the Maori of what is more likely to happen to their pristine waters than not. I will also be working to start up a Waterkeeper New Zealand program to further support world wide clean water that is <a href="http://www.waterkeeper.org/ht/d/sp/i/187/pid/187" target="_blank">Fishable, Drinkable, Swimmable</a>, any where in the world.</div>
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<br /></div>
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You can keep up with my trip and it's success by adding <a href="http://bpoilslick.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">BP Slick</a> to your reading list. </div>
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Here's an example of what I have been told to expect... </div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/3BoNmpvkavo?rel=0" width="420"></iframe>
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(turn on the closed captions for English translation)
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/yblB87dpJGc?rel=0" width="560"></iframe>
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John L. Wathenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01140840127236193125noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571217448396416517.post-63881199836266683722013-04-08T12:18:00.002-05:002013-04-08T13:59:07.455-05:00Babs "Roaming Buffalo" Bagwell, Voice from the Gulf<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
Babs "Roaming Buffalo" Bagwell, Voice from the Gulf</h3>
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Babs is from the <a href="http://www.isledejeancharles.com/" target="_blank">Isle de Jean Charles</a> Band of Biloxi-Chitimacha, Choctaw people in, Louisiana.</div>
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Babs like so many has become an activist out of necessity. Listen to her account of living with big oil before and after the BP, Deep Water Horizon disaster. For more information about the Isle de Jean Charles visit... <a href="http://www.isledejeancharles.com/" target="_blank">www.isledejeancharles.com </a><br />
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John L. Wathenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01140840127236193125noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571217448396416517.post-17262305845799132822013-04-07T09:01:00.000-05:002013-04-07T10:13:05.611-05:00Dr. Wilma Subra, Voices From The Gulf <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Dr. Wilma Subra, Voices From The Gulf</h3>
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WILMA SUBRA </div>
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PRESIDENT, SUBRA COMPANY </div>
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P. O. BOX 9813 </div>
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NEW IBERIA, LA 70562 </div>
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SUBRACOM@AOL.COM<br />
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Committed to protecting the environment and the health and safety of citizens, Wilma Subra </div>
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started Subra Company in 1981. Subra Company is a chemistry lab and environmental </div>
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consulting firm in New Iberia, LA. Mrs. Subra provides technical assistance to citizens, across the United States and some foreign countries, concerned with their environment by combining technical research and evaluation. </div>
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This information is then presented to community members so that strategies may be developed to address their local struggles. </div>
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Utilizing the information gained from community involvement, the needs identified are </div>
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translated into policy changes at the State and Federal level through service on multi-stake holder committees. She has just completed a seven year term as Vice-Chair of the Environmental Protection Agency National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy and Technology (NACEPT), a five year term on the National Advisory Committee of the U. S. Representative to the Commission for Environmental Cooperation and a six year term on the EPA National Environmental Justice Advisory Council (NEJAC) where she served as a member of the Cumulative Risk and Impacts Working Group of the NEJAC Council, and chaired the NEJAC Gulf Coast Hurricanes Work Group. </div>
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Mrs. Subra holds degrees in Microbiology/Chemistry from the University of Southwestern Louisiana. She received the MacArthur Fellowship, Genius Award from the MacArthur Foundation for helping ordinary citizens understand, cope with and combat environmental issues in their communities and was one of three finalist in the Environmental Category of the 2004 Volvo for Life Award. </div>
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I wish to thank Dr. Subra for taking time to make this message available.</div>
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John L. Wathenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01140840127236193125noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571217448396416517.post-5015444509764612982013-03-29T13:04:00.000-05:002013-05-28T03:15:03.786-05:00BP Slick Is Back!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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After a long absence due to personal and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97wzTDyS3IA">disaster related matters</a> I have decided that the public needs to hear the truth about what's happening in our Gulf of Mexico.</div>
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I have been honored with an invitation to visit the people of New Zealand to help expose big oil for what it is. A ticking time bomb capable of destroying entire lifestyles in a single <a href="http://bpoilslick.blogspot.com/2010/05/bp-slick-burn-at-source.html">"incident"</a></div>
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What better way to do that than to let the people of the Gulf of Mexico in America speak directly to the Maori through BP Slick interviews with real people in a real life energy sacrifice zone.</div>
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The first in the series "Voices From The Gulf" is Cherri Foytlin. Cherri is a mother of 6 beautiful children who was thrust into an activist roll by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deepwater_Horizon_oil_spill">Deep Water Horizon disaster of 2010.</a> She later took matters into her own hands and walked from <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MUShJnjltw&feature=share&list=UUw8GCcuPlEPBvI9qat3KaPA">Rayne La. to Washington DC</a>. (more than 1,400 miles)</div>
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To my new friends in New Zealand, Kia Ora... Meet Cherri.</div>
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John L. Wathenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01140840127236193125noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571217448396416517.post-22802634873760922532012-05-25T09:59:00.000-05:002012-05-25T10:00:07.477-05:00The Gulf is still UNDER ATTACK!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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It's been a while since I have posted here due to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyOEPjwzVbQ&list=UU24b8g9NYEEkZ7XqHvacsiQ&index=6&feature=plcp">local demands</a> on me at home in Tuscaloosa Al.<br />
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I have to bring you up to speed on what is STILL happening in the Gulf of Mexico. <br />
<b>THE OIL IS STILL IN THE GULF! </b> and so are the people.<br />
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I got a call a few days ago saying that there was more oil in the Gulf and would I come down to fly with <a href="http://www.southwings.org/">SouthWings</a> to document a report given to us by John Amos at <a href="http://blog.skytruth.org/">Sky Truth</a>. After the 2010 Deep Water Horizon disaster we decided to create a response team for these type incidents. For years these type "leaks" have been occurring under the guise as "natural seeps" and reports of miniscule losses by the industry. We can now tell you that that is not always the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.<br />
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This latest incident was due to a leak thought to come from the same source reported to you back in <a href="http://bpoilslick.blogspot.com/2010/06/bp-slick-new-source.html">June of 2010. It was called "Diamond Offshore"</a> back then and was leaking from damage to the well during Hurricane Ivan back in 2004. The well has been problematic and causing sheen like this off and on ever since. <br />
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Why is the American government still subsidizing this errant industry?<br />
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It is time for the American People to wake up and be able to hear and see the truth. <a href="http://creekkeeper.blogspot.com/">Extraction technology, coal</a>, oil and gas are depleting and dirty resources. If the entire price for the deaths, health, safety, environmental cost to the communities were properly assessed to the responsible industries there would be more incentives for naturally renewable energy resources like wind, solar, and Geo-thermal. <br />
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How long will Americans settle for half truths and outright lies about the true cost on carbon energy sources. It is not an overnight process but we MUST begin to realize that defending a depleting resource is like the Ostrich with it's head in the sand. While our heads are in the sand, our arses are in the air and it's not pretty what's happening back there out of sight!<br />
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</div>John L. Wathenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01140840127236193125noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571217448396416517.post-80719243904002547402011-09-01T16:11:00.000-05:002011-09-01T16:11:16.513-05:00Oil is resurfing again not far from the location of the BP Macondo Wel<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">If you think there's nothing going on out there and believe that "they" don't have any knowledge of it, check out this screen grab from just a few minutes ago. The yellow circle is the DWH site.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T9dBGPmsRuY/Tl_0xoYqMrI/AAAAAAAAHbY/o8XjA22Fb4E/s1600/296814_10150298674004788_807319787_7691456_1042925_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="376" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T9dBGPmsRuY/Tl_0xoYqMrI/AAAAAAAAHbY/o8XjA22Fb4E/s400/296814_10150298674004788_807319787_7691456_1042925_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>~Mac MacKenzie Oil is resurfing again not far from the locat<span class="text_exposed_show">ion of the BP Macondo Well off the Gulf of Mexico, 15 months on. Oil is resurfing again not far from the location of the BP Macondo Well off the Gulf of Mexico, 15 months on. <a href="http://aje.me/InDeepShoil" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://aje.me/InDeepShoil</a> Could the capped wellhead at the Deepwater Horizon site be leaking again? That's the question some are asking after the discovery of oil sheens in the vicinity of the infamous BP disaster. <a href="http://bit.ly/InDeepShOil2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/InDeepShOil2</a> Video: <a href="http://youtu.be/RDO-MhWMJVE" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://youtu.be/RDO-MhWMJVE</a> Mystery Oil Leak in Gulf: Ask some folks in the blogosphere and they'll tell you that without a doubt BP's Macondo well is spewing oil once again. Ask people at BP and they'll tell you it's not their well. Ask the U.S. Coast Guard and they'll say "We haven't seen any yet." So who's telling the truth? On Wings of Care, a non-profit that uses airplanes to help assist in wildlife rescue and habitat protection efforts, has spotted oil repeatedly in the area. <a href="http://bit.ly/DrudgeOil" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/DrudgeOil</a> The Alabama Press Register has gathered photos, video, and oil samples that BP and the Coast Guard are lying about oil leaking from the Deepwater Horizon Macondo well. <a href="http://bit.ly/InDeepShOil3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/InDeepShOil3</a> Gulf Oil Spill Crisis Not Over: BP's Deepwater Horizon Well Is Leaking Again - We May Never Be Able To Fully Stop the BP Leak <a href="http://bit.ly/InDeepShOil4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/InDeepShOil4</a></span></div>John L. Wathenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01140840127236193125noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571217448396416517.post-50839626245211497972011-08-07T07:05:00.003-05:002011-08-07T07:09:23.421-05:00Cherri Foytlin tells of her arrest at the BP Protest in NOLA<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Cherri was arrested for civil disobedience to mark the anniversary of the so called end of the BP crisis.<br />
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<div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;">The day before yesterday, on August 4, 2011, one year after the President of our United States stood on national television and said that 75% of the oil that had spewed into our Gulf was gone, I was booked into the New Orleans Parish Police lock-up with the charge of Criminal Trespassing. </span></div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"> <div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
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</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;">The day before, I had been called by the Louisiana State Police Department to come to a meeting with them to discuss the Non-violent Direct Action Protest that myself and a united group consisting of environmentalists, community organizers, fishermen and clean-up workers, had organized in front of the British Petroleum offices, which are on the 13th and 14th floor of 1250 Poydras in NOLA. </div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
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</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;">At that meeting, I was told that we were allowed on the sidewalk only. That there would be plain clothed officers among us, and that if we crossed a certain line, which runs from the building to the parking lot, we would be arrested. The detectives, very nicely, drew us a map to explain the exact whereabouts of that line. </div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
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</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;">When we got to the event, which at the beginning had nearly 100 in attendance, I made the announcement that I was going to cross that line. And that I was doing this in protest of the so many lines that BP has crossed, in my mind, concerning the cleaning up of their mess, the spraying of toxic chemicals in our water, the murder of 11 of our energy providers, the disrespect and economical damage to our fishermen and residents, and the denial of and lack of response to health issues and claims since April 20 of last year.</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
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</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;">So, I intentionally crossed that invisible line and took their tar balls back to them - a box full that had been picked up our beaches that day, (with no clean-up workers in sight, I might add). At least 15 other people chose to go with me, to complete this task.</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;">As we approached the front door, we were met immediately by a representative of the company, the building and a security guard. Together they refused us any access to the building, citing that all BP workers had been dismissed for the day - a fact I knew to be untrue, because the state police had told me at our previous meeting that although most would be sent home at 4:30 that day, some would be available until 5:30, (at the time that they had told us this, they were trying to facilitate a meeting between us and BP - to which we had said was only an option it Feinberg and Zimmer was in attendance, and to which BP had refused to consider).</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;">Being unable to enter the building, we dropped the tar balls on the sidewalk (in plastic), and sat down directly in front of the doors, where others came to join us. </div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;">And that was where we stayed. </div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;">In the mean time, kind people from within our group brought us waters and other refreshments in order to make our stay more comfortable. So, naturally, it was not very long before I personally had to urinate. </div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;">A very respectful gentleman from the state police had come forward to negotiate, just as he had the day before at the meeting in the SBI offices. I asked him, jokingly, if he thought they would just let me in to pee. He said no and that “They were freaking out in there.”, but pointed out that there were portable toilets just beyond the fence in a nearby hotel construction site. </div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;">After a few minutes, I felt it calm enough at that moment - since all BP representatives, building security and police personnel were discussing the issue inside, (excluding the one member of the state police that, at that time, was sitting with us), I could go use the restroom quickly, and come back. </div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;">So, I did. I jumped the fence and used the facilities. Upon my return jump, I realized that the BP reps in the building had seen me go and went running to find me, perhaps thinking I had looked for an alternative route into the building. </div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;">And that they had taped me jumping the fence and notified the nearby construction site mangers of my trespassing. We believe that they had hoped that the other owners would have had me arrested for trespassing and kept the BP name out of the incident. You see, arresting and charging people for bringing to light their negligence and lack of response sort of blows that whole “making it right” image.</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;">But, the people next door had no interest in arresting me, or anyone else. We have more allies than they, or even we, know - you see?</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;">I then joined the others in sitting, which we continued for over all around 3 hours until a little after 8:00 pm, which is when - after negotiating tirelessly, and being very respectful with us all day, the New Orleans Police Department and the Louisiana State Police gave us one more chance to end the protest and go home before arrests were made. </div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;">At that final refusal, NOLA PD, quietly came forth and arrested the 3 of us, who had remained seated. </div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;">Truth is, I knew that I personally was going to get arrested if I stayed sitting there, I knew that. And this was a decision that had not been made lightly on my part. </div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;">Over the last year and nearly a half I have studied past movements that have worked on different levels. And thanks to those who have come before us, we have a general formula for affecting change. </div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;">According to Dr. King, mainly from his letters while he, himself, was sitting in an Alabama jail, he said that the progression includes the following:</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;">- To find out if an injustice exists - without doubt we, the people of the Gulf, have been dealt with very unjustly with regards to this corporation and our governments handling of this event, as well as others across the Gulf. </div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;">- To negotiate - we, the residents, fishermen, clean-up workers, tourism industry workers, oil workers, community organizers, ect, have negotiated on the local, state and federal levels with the HHS, the CDC, the NOAA, the EPA, the GCERT, the CEQ, the DEQ, the Oil Spill Commission, the Administration, and BP itself for nearly 16 months - to little or no avail. </div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;">- Dr. King’s next step was to “self-purify” - each person must take this step alone. Personally, I had first interpreted this step as the ending of bad habits, such as social drinking. But on the walk I realized that he was talking about preparing your mind against egotistical illusions, self-doubt and self-pity.</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;">- The last step is action. And in the successful civil rights movement, as well as the Eastern Indian movement for independence, that meant non-violent action and civil disobedience taken against the oppressors in order to advance the cause of, and bring to light the call for, justice and liberty. </div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;">Our being arrested, was just the first step of that last phase. </div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;">Now, while I was sitting there I had a good friend of mine, who is very sick from the toxins still in his system and our environment, say to me, “Cherri, it is not worth getting arrested.”. He was begging me not to take that final step. He did that, because he love me, and he did not wish to see me suffer, I understand that - and it warms my heart. But my response to him was, “My friend, you are so worth getting arrested for”. </div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;">You see that is what we all must understand. You, my friend, are worth it. Our ecosystem is worth it, our kids are worth it, our future is worth it.. We must understand the value of what we have and be determined in protection of that. We must take up responsibility to, and for, each other now, in these times. Because, we are all worth it. </div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;">As we sat there, we repeatedly looked across the crowd and saw testament to that notion; such as, the poster my 9-year-old had made of her depiction of Earth with pollution dotting it, and the eyes of the people who were sick from chemical poisoning and yet had still come out to take a stand, calloused hands of a fishermen, community organizers who we have all seen at events from Texas, to Florida, to D.C. - demanding, begging sometimes, to be heard on behalf of the communities and ecosystem that they love. And we saw grandmothers and grandfathers, daddies and mommies, and sisters and brothers, all united in the simple humanitarian right of clean air and water. </div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;">One person in particular, Kimberly Wolf, a warrior woman who I have had the honor of getting to know early on in this fight, and who also has terminal cancer, yet got out of her bed and joined us for as long as she could - strengthened our souls. She is the picture of strength and love in all of this - and in seeing her, I have never been so moved by an example of commitment and perseverance. </div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;">That is the epitome of what this event, and our arrest, was about. That there is hope, we have allegiance to each other, that the loss of one does not and will not end the journey of the whole for truth, justice and recompense of the human rights violations that are taking place in our homeland.</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;">There are so many to thank for the success of the day. I would especially like to recognize Kyle Nugent and Noah Learned, who I had not met prior and yet went all the way on behalf of our people and coast. The people who helped in organizational duties, too many to name here - but in particular Karen S, Ada, Devin, Josh, Mary-Margaret, Anne, Elizabeth, Robert - there are so many. And including the people who were at the event(s) of last week, and/or are still working on this issue, or others like it.. you are all my heroes. </div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;">I would also like to make clear, that the New Orleans Police Department and the Louisiana State Police Department were very kind in their treatment of us before, during and after our arrest. The first thing I was told after getting in the car was, “Why didn’t you just go home, Miss Cherri? None of us wanted to arrest you.”</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;">They also took the handcuffs off as soon as we arrived at the station, and made sure we were as comfortable as possible under the circumstances.</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;">So, there you have it. </div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;">I want you all to know, that we will not stop. We will not stop until our fishermen, our workers, our families, our wildlife, our waters, our region - are made whole again. Because when you love something, when you really do, you will never be silenced in protecting and fighting for it. </div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;">There will be further opportunities for those caring souls across the nation to stand with us for justice. Be ready. </div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;">You see, THAT is the greatest weapon in our tool box, that is what will win this and so many other battles we have been called to participate in, it’s our LOVE that will carry the day. </div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;">On August 4 we took our first stand. Courage, my friends, this is just a beginning. </div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;">Yours truly,</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;">Cherri Foytlin</div></span><br />
<div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_902639613" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><br />
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<div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_902639613" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></a></div><div style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_902639613" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></a></div><a href="http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll297/creekkeeper_2008/BP%20Slick%20photos/NOLA%20Burlesque/IMG_7074.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a></div>John L. Wathenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01140840127236193125noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571217448396416517.post-69961394083057287152011-07-20T14:34:00.002-05:002011-07-20T14:34:30.069-05:00Gulfport councilman slams BP<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <em class="wnDate">Posted: Jul 05, 2011 12:16 PM </em><noscript><em class="wnDate">Tuesday, July 5, 2011 1:16 PM EST</em></noscript> <em class="wnDate">Updated: Jul 05, 2011 12:16 PM </em> <noscript><em class="wnDate">Tuesday, July 5, 2011 1:16 PM EST</em></noscript> <div id="WNStoryByline"><div class="byline">By Brad Kessie, News Director - <a href="http://www.wlox.com/Global/story.asp?S=5207359" target="_blank" title="">bio</a><span class="addthis_separator"> | </span><a href="mailto:bkessie@wlox.com" target="_self" title="">email</a></div></div><div class="wnRight" id="WNStoryRelatedBox"> </div><div class="" id="WNStoryBody"><span id="WNStoryDateline">GULFPORT, MS (WLOX) - </span>Gulfport councilman Rusty Walker doesn't mince words when the issue of BP's relationship with his city comes up. "They're not dealing fairly with us," Walker said during a phone conversation with WLOX News Director Brad Kessie. "They're using low level flunkies to deal with us."<br />
Walker admits his anger with BP stems from Gulfport's efforts to work with the company on a post-oil spill settlement. That anger becomes evident in a news release he sent to the media on Tuesday afternoon.<br />
"BP's office in Gulfport does not make up for the negative impact of the oil disaster it was responsible for. It's affect on our City will be felt for years," the councilman wrote."<br />
"In fact, this new office should facilitate direct communications with BP management on the damages and losses that have been suffered and will be suffered in the future by the City. However, to date, BP has refused to deal with the City on a direct basis and instead has tried to force the City to deal with an array of contract adjusters, lawyers, and consultants such as Witt and Associates, headed by Democratic FEMA director, James Lee Witt, with no experience in understanding local government finances or short or long-term community redevelopment.<br />
In the interest of a timely settlement and desire to avoid unnecessary costs, the City has tried to seek a non-judicial resolution for BP oil spill related damages.<br />
But BP continues to demand that initial contact must be channeled through processing personnel with no management authority who have already deemed that the City should only be compensated in an amount that equals no more than $1.11 per resident of Gulfport. This is an insult to the people and the City of Gulfport. It is an affront to common sense and reality.<br />
BP's offer is based on an arbitrary formula that it wants the City to follow. Should it be any wonder that Gulfport has developed an alternative to that formula?<br />
It is only reasonable that we will want to discuss our approach with real managers of BP, not low level surrogates.<br />
Finally, BP needs to stop trying to mislead the public and media to think that federal law mandates how compensation is decided from its $20 billion fund. Just as it compensated a business partner for $10 million without any reference to federal law, BP can make compensation on any basis that it agrees to. The $20 billion set aside to pay for current and future losses due to the oil disaster it caused, is private money that BP can allocate on any basis it chooses.<br />
A BP office lease in Gulfport is in and of itself not a bad thing; attempts to buy off the City through such an effort is.<br />
I will work through the City Council to make clear that the damage suffered by our community is way beyond $1.11 per resident. To be considered a good neighbor, BP needs to deal with the City of Gulfport with honesty and fairness. Our citizens deserve no less."<br />
WLOX News is attempting to reach BP for a response to Councilman Walker's comments. As soon as we hear from a BP representative, we'll post that on WLOX.com.<br />
<em>Copyright 2011 WLOX. All rights reserved. </em></div></div>John L. Wathenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01140840127236193125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571217448396416517.post-81203968880179371002011-06-22T08:33:00.003-05:002011-06-22T08:35:37.805-05:00BP Oil and Chemicals Still Pollute Alabama Back Bays<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><h2>BP Oil and Chemicals Still Pollute Alabama Back Bays</h2><h2><a href="http://blog.locustfork.net/2011/06/bp-oil-and-chemicals-still-pollute-alabama-back-bays/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">From Locust Fork News Journal </span></a></h2><small>June 20th, 2011 </small> According to BP ads and the lamestream media, including local newspapers and television news outlets that have taken millions of dollars in advertising money from BP, the Gulf of Mexico is now “clean” only a year after being polluted on a massive scale by the BP oil spill of 2010, the largest and worst mand-made environmental disaster in American industrial history.<br />
The only problem is, it is NOT true. According to this video by Trisha Springstead with Captain Lori Deangelis of Dolphin Queen Cruises, the oil and chemicals are still showing up.<br />
<span id="more-13232"></span><br />
For more information, check out this Website on <a href="http://espbotanicals.com/environmentalpoison/">Poisoned Earth, Poisoned Bodies</a>.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/cUFs4hPxVp8" width="425"></iframe> </div>John L. Wathenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01140840127236193125noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571217448396416517.post-84293927530425040412011-06-12T17:50:00.000-05:002011-06-12T17:50:49.373-05:00Gulf Coast environmentalist, Sea Lab director tangle over Gulf's post-oil spill condition<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><h1 class="entry-title">Gulf Coast environmentalist, Sea Lab director tangle over Gulf's post-oil spill condition</h1><h1 class="entry-title"> </h1><h1 class="entry-title"> </h1><div class="box_bottom_left"><!-- --></div><div class="box_bottom_right"><!-- --></div><div class="entry_widget_large entry_widget_left" id="asset-9692308"><span class="adv-photo-large"><img alt="orange-beach-oil-spill.jpg" class="adv-photo" height="264" original="http://media.al.com/live/photo/9692308-large.jpg" src="http://media.al.com/live/photo/9692308-large.jpg" width="380" /><span class="photo-data"><a class="full-size-popup" href="http://media.al.com/live/photo/orange-beach-oil-spilljpg-2b53cdea06e12aa1.jpg" target="_blank">View full size</a><span class="caption">In this July 7, 2010, file photo, oily sand covered beach chairs sit idle on the beach in Orange Beach Ala. The oil washed ashore with the tide overnight, leaving an ugly stain that brought out hundreds of BP workers to clean. One year after the spill, environmentalists differ on the lingering effects from the spill. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)</span></span><span class="photo-bottom-left"><!-- IE6 HACK --></span><span class="photo-bottom-right"><!-- IE6 HACK --></span></span></div>Questions about the severity of the Gulf oil spill’s environmental impact have divided officials along state lines and are now creating discord even within coastal Alabama. <br />
<br />
Data collected so far show that the spill’s effects have been "minor" east of Louisiana, according to George Crozier, executive director of the Dauphin Island Sea Lab. <br />
Crozier, whose research lab was granted $5 million by BP PLC last year to coordinate environmental studies, said "I would love to screw BP with their own money." But, he said, "I can’t bring myself to exaggerate effects that I can’t document." <br />
Crozier, who announced Friday that he will retire from the Sea Lab later this year, expressed frustration over a letter sent by environmental groups last month to top Obama administration officials. The letter warned of a "growing health crisis" because of the spill. Such claims are unsubstantiated and harmful to the Gulf fishing industry, Crozier said. <br />
<div class="entry_widget_small entry_widget_left" id="asset-8363324"><span class="adv-photo-small"><img alt="George Crozier.jpg" class="adv-photo" height="206" original="http://media.al.com/live/photo/8363324-small.jpg" src="http://media.al.com/live/photo/8363324-small.jpg" style="display: block;" width="155" /><span class="photo-data"><a class="full-size-popup" href="http://media.al.com/live/photo/george-crozierjpg-3c5f44e63649649a.jpg" target="_blank">View full size</a><span class="byline"> </span><span class="caption">George Crozier of the Dauphin Island Sea Lab: "I would love to screw BP with their own money." But, he said, "I canât bring myself to exaggerate effects that I canât document." (Press-Register File Photo)</span></span><span class="photo-bottom-left"><!-- IE6 HACK --></span><span class="photo-bottom-right"><!-- IE6 HACK --></span></span></div>Casi Callaway, whose Mobile Baykeeper group signed on to the letter, said that while it would be irresponsible to "cry wolf," it would also be irresponsible to conclude, "We have no problem; it’s over." <br />
"I am not telling people that we’re sick and dying, and every animal is dead and gone," she said. "I do believe that it is critical that we keep studying." <br />
An estimated 206 million gallons of crude gushed into the Gulf last spring and summer after the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded and sank in waters southeast of Louisiana, killing 11 workers. <br />
It quickly drew comparisons to the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster immediately off the Alaskan coast. The Valdez spilled 11 million gallons of oil, but the environmental consequences appear to have been much more devastating, Crozier said. <br />
The fact that the ruptured Gulf well was 5,000 feet underwater and many miles from most shores greatly reduced the potential damage, as did the natural ability of the Gulf ecosystem to consume oil, Crozier said. <br />
Callaway cautioned that it’s too soon to judge the spill’s lasting impact. "We don’t know what the long-term environmental effects are going to be," she said. <br />
Callaway, Crozier, and many across the Gulf agree on at least one point: Louisiana received the most severe environmental blow. Other Gulf states, such as Alabama, were harmed economically, in large part, through losses in tourism and fishing. <br />
The distinction is significant in light of the $5.4 billion to $21.1 billion in Clean Water Act fines expected to be assessed against BP and other parties responsible for the spill. <br />
Lawmakers in Washington are working on a bill to send most of the fine money to the affected Gulf states. But they have bogged down on several points, perhaps chief among them: How much money is doled out for environmental vs. economic restoration, and how much each state receives as a result. <br />
Callaway urged that lawmakers consider both environmental and economic issues in deciding the question. But once states get their money, she said, they need to devote most of it to environmental recovery. <br />
"The economic impact was caused by an environmental disaster, and if we’re going to fix it, we’re going to fix it by fixing our environment," she said. <br />
<div class="entry_widget_small entry_widget_left" id="asset-9436479"><span class="adv-photo-small"><img alt="casi.callaway.jpg" class="adv-photo" height="224" original="http://media.al.com/live/photo/9436479-small.jpg" src="http://media.al.com/live/photo/9436479-small.jpg" style="display: block;" width="155" /><span class="photo-data"><a class="full-size-popup" href="http://media.al.com/live/photo/casicallawayjpg-2d9c19978412ce51.jpg" target="_blank">View full size</a><span class="caption">Casi Callaway: "I do believe that it is critical that we keep studying." (Press-Register File Photo)</span></span><span class="photo-bottom-left"><!-- IE6 HACK --></span><span class="photo-bottom-right"><!-- IE6 HACK --></span></span></div>Rep. Jo Bonner, R-Mobile, expressed concern that Alabama groups pressing for an environmental emphasis could effectively be arguing for the fine money to go elsewhere. "They may well be writing Alabama out of anything," Bonner said. <br />
An aide to Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Tuscaloosa, said that Shelby is working on a compromise that would give states flexibility in deciding whether to spend on environmental or economic projects. Still, the aide anticipated that the majority of the fine money would go to the environment. <br />
Crozier said he agreed with Callaway that more scientific study is needed, but bristled at what he perceived as a rejection of his findings to date. <br />
It’s useful for Callaway’s fundraising purposes, he said, to depict a dire situation in the Gulf. "I am suspicious of the motives of the people who are afraid to accept the fact that we have so little short-term environmental damage," he said. <br />
Callaway, in turn, questioned Crozier’s motives, noting that oil companies help underwrite the Dauphin Island Sea Lab Foundation. <br />
"It helps George’s fundraising to say we don’t have any damage," Callaway said. "We’re not saying we have damage. We’re asking if we do." <h1 class="entry-title"> </h1></div>John L. Wathenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01140840127236193125noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6571217448396416517.post-21901563857210680362011-04-27T15:10:00.001-05:002011-04-27T15:51:24.575-05:00Gulf Coast Leadership Summit or Feinberg Evades Answers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zfSTG2MVRA8/Tbh35fSXp4I/AAAAAAAAHaQ/pcJ3ryWGVjM/s1600/_MG_3634r.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zfSTG2MVRA8/Tbh35fSXp4I/AAAAAAAAHaQ/pcJ3ryWGVjM/s200/_MG_3634r.jpg" width="122" /></a></div>Kindra Arnesen, well known Louisiana activist recently went to the Gulf Leadership Summit to ask Kenneth Feinberg questions relating to current issues surrounding the BP Slick disaster. Feinberg did everything he could NOT to answer.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/nDfjNqJBG_4" title="YouTube video player" width="425"></iframe></div>John L. Wathenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01140840127236193125noreply@blogger.com3