Looks Like They Found The Oil The Microbes Ate...

by punditician

It just sank to the bottom of the ocean. (facepalm)

http://www.npr.org/...

Scientists on a research vessel in the Gulf of Mexico are finding a substantial layer of oily sediment stretching for dozens of miles in all directions. Their discovery suggests that a lot of oil from the Deepwater Horizon didn't simply evaporate or dissipate into the water — it has settled to the seafloor.

The Research Vessel Oceanus sailed on Aug. 21 on a mission to figure out what happened to the more than 4 million barrels of oil that gushed into the water. Onboard, Samantha Joye, a professor in the Department of Marine Sciences at the University of Georgia, says she suddenly has a pretty good idea about where a lot of it ended up. It's showing up in samples of the seafloor, between the well site and the coast.

continued at Daily Kos....

Gulf Coast Residents are NOT the Problem. So What is?

by jamess

Even though many of us have Disaster Fatigue, for scores of hundreds of local Gulf Residents, this BP Crisis is very much their recurring daily Nightmare.

BP Oil Spill Compensation Fund Not Living Up to Promise
NewsInferno.com, News that matters! -- Sep 10, 2010

In an interview with USA Today, Feinberg promised a better response times as his staff weeds through old claims. "I’ve inherited a huge number of claims that have never been processed that need to be processed, especially business claims," he said. Such claims, he said, were placed on a "side track" by BP when it was handling the process.

According to USA Today, more than 46,000 people have filed claims since Feinberg took charge. By September 8, his staff had paid 10,252 claims for nearly $80 million. Most claims paid are small, with payouts of $5,000 or less, USA Today said.

So Ken Feinberg has inherited an extensive paper trail of bureaucratic procrastination;

While the Gulf Coast Residents, simply keep reaping the BP whirlwind ...

continued at Daily Kos....

Science vs. Reporting

by mem from somerville

There was an interesting item I heard this morning on my NPR station. It was from the show Living on Earth, and it was about the BP oil spill. But it wasn't so much about the spill itself--it was more about the scientific communications around the spill that were the issue. The segment was: Dude, Where's the Oil? and the scientist discussing it is Christopher Reddy of WHOI.

This story made some interesting points that I'd like to discuss here.

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could affect tourism ... but finding the truth is more important

by jamess

Gulf Coast Communities Investigate Oily Sea Mist
by Debbie Elliott, NPR -- September 3, 2010

Orange Beach city hall has been inundated with calls from residents with complaints — foam that they think is dispersant, a gray-metallic slick in back bays or seaweed that looks oiled. There's a heightened sense of environmental awareness, and local officials are looking for a way to determine what's going on.

Mayor Tony Kennon says that's why the town hired independent scientists to test the air, water and soil.
[...]

Orange Beach is using grant money from BP for the testing, and posting the data on the town's website. Mayor Kennon says negative results could affect tourism in the short term, but finding the truth is more important.

Kudos to Mayor Kennon for taking a stand, for what's right!

The Major is a man of his word.

Monitoring, he is.

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BP Poor-Mouthing

by Crashing Vor

Headlining the New York Times today is BP's claim that, unless they are allowed to keep drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, times might get so tight they won't be able to pay the fines and restitutions they've pledged to cover their accident. . . in the Gulf of Mexico.

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Everybody Knows

by Crashing Vor

Everybody knows the boat is leaking.
Everybody knows that the captain lied.

A few people have asked me recently why I've stopped writing about The Hell, why issues other than the petro pus from the Macondo well have crept into my posts of late.

I figure it's mostly because I'm dumb. There are people way smarter than I who can tell you whatever you need to know about all that, and the consensus from the smarter people is clear: It's over. Move on.

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Fox News Caps Flow Of Oil Spill Stories

by KingOneEye

A new study by the Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism analyzed the coverage of news stories about the Gulf Coast oil spill. The results show that, while everyone else was busy trying to plug the leak, Fox News was putting a "top kill" on coverage of the catastrophe.

Brought to you by...
News Corpse
The Internet's Chronicle Of Media Decay.

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Some thoughts on offshore drilling

by Thunderthief

Some thoughts on offshore oil drilling.... crossposted at my blog, http://lurkerspace.blogspot.com/

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No honor among thieves - Transocean accuses BP of withholding info

by rfall

(I'm not sure if this has been diaried yet--if it has, I will take this diary down.

Also, I have to post and run, but will return later to take part in commenting.)

AP is reporting that, in a letter send to BP earlier this month, Transocean, the owner of the ill-fated Deepwater Horizon rig, is claiming that BP is withholding information critical to determining the cause of the accident there earlier this year.

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Gulf Recovery: Dispatches, Day #2

by Project Gulf Impact

Yesterday we spent the day indoors (thankfully) at Louisiana State University interviewing professors from schools across campus. We spoke with experts that represented a range of disciplines, from toxicology to ichthyology. Despite their diverse set of backgrounds, we heard one message loud and clear: our future is uncertain. The need for funding for rigorous research, for both today and years to come, is crucial. As we continue to fight traditional media's assertion that the oil is gone, the situation in the Gulf grows more dire.

When asked what message the scientists and professors wished to convey to the world, they unanimously answered: “the oil spill is not over.”

continued at Daily Kos...

Gulf Recovery: BP Worker Exposes Truth of Working Oil Spill Cleanup

by Project Gulf Impact

Project Gulf Impact wants to use its diary in the Daily Kos Blogathon for the next three days to allow residents of the Gulf to be heard. Project Gulf Impact is down in the Gulf right now conducting interviews and launching preliminary relief efforts to give the citizens of the Gulf a voice, a chance that is long overdue for Gulf residents.

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Gulf Recovery: Who Cares About Health Effects?

by mogmaar

This diary is part of the 3 day Gulf Recover blogothon.  Thanks to all participants!  Enjoy!

BP has given $1.3 million to candidates and members of congress since 1999.  That's not even that much, compared to the $3.9 million that Exxon has given, or the whopping $4.4 million that Koch has given in that time. (Check the amazing dirtyenergymoney.com that launched yesterday for more juicy details.)

These are direct contributions, not including money funneled into 501c3 'educational' efforts or to libertarian think tanks.  That's before Citizens United opened up the gates.  This is normal operating procedure in Washington, and what does it buy the oil companies?

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Do you think I'm dumb or somethin'?

by icebergslim

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To Eat or Not to Eat Gulf Seafood: The ?

by War on Error

It's an important question.  Oil and Corexit are toxic even neurotoxic.  Brain lesions even.

Gulf States, Feds Report on Seafood
Release date: 12/09/2005

The states of Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana, along with U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have analyzed hundreds of samples of fish and shellfish from the waters affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. To date, the data show no reason for concern about consuming seafood from the Gulf region due to the hurricanes.

As always, fishermen should avoid catching seafood in areas with visible oil sheens or slicks, and should only harvest live seafood

http://yosemite.epa.gov/...

That was then, in 2005.

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Scientists Call for More Transparency in the Gulf, Questions the Administrations Assessment

by Ellinorianne

Recommend the BP Catastrophe Liveblog Mothership: 72

I've written about a couple of diaries in the past few days regarding the heavy use of corexit and the issue of where the animals have gone in the Gulf regarding the gusher.

Both are relevant and important and touch on two of the major issues that will be ongoing for many years in the Gulf coast, health issues for the residents and the environment.

As the EPA continues to defend the use of dispersants, the questions have more to do with full disclosure, the amount of dispersants used and the long term consequences, from the food chain to the health of residents and workers.  

Both those diaries were met with some skepticism, healthy at times and hostile at others.  Which is fine, this is a community and when you write things here, it is open to comments and discussion.  

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The Truth About Global Warming; Monday Earthship

by eKos

Welcome to the eKos Earthship, your one-stop-shop for green diaries and series.

Beneath the fold you will find news and notes, community announcements, and our eco-diary roundup.

Peruse the eKos Library to find previously listed diaries. You can also follow eKos on Twitter.

Tonight's editor: ellinorianne

Please remember to rec the BP Catastrophe Liveblog Mothership: 69

All views expressed by today's editor do not necessarily represent those of eKos or eKos listed diarists.

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BP to offer claimants a One-time Payment

by jamess

I think "Breaking" is the correct adjacent ...

BP offers one-off payouts to stem Gulf oil spill lawsuits
Lump-sum compensation offered in return for waiving the right to sue,
but uncertainty remains for those indirectly affected
Tim Webb, guardian.co.uk -- August 1, 2010

BP will begin its legal offensive this month to cap its liabilities from the Gulf of Mexico disaster by offering those affected one-off compensation payouts in return for them waiving the right to sue.
[...]
The fund does not cap BP's liabilities at $20bn. But privately the company believes that it will not have to pay out anywhere near this sum. BP has hired a battery of lawyers to protect itself, and so far it has paid out $261m in claims.
[...]
According to BP, 1.8m gallons of dispersant have been pumped into the Gulf. Scientists say that the resulting high toxicity levels could harm marine life for years to come.

Hmmm ... Seems BP is a bit worried about the long-term effects of that 1.8 Millions of gallons of Corexit, they used -- to help make that spill problem disappear?

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Houston, We got a New Problem -- BP's Oil has ALL Disappeared!?

by jamess

OH  NOES!

Just when you thought the worse was over ...

BP to scale back some oil response units, new leader pledges to stay for long haul
by Doug Mouton / Northshore Bureau Chief
wwltv.com -- July 30, 2010

How much oil is in the Gulf now is up for debate.  Several Louisiana leaders, including St. Tammany Parish President Kevin Davis have argued that million of gallons of oil are underwater, waiting to surface.

"We haven't found that," [Bob] Dudley [new BP CEO] said.

Dudley said six ships and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are working to locate underwater oil.

"It's a big hunt going on right now," Dudley said. "It's going to keep going on."

Hey BOB! -- MAYBE you haven't "found it" because of 1.8 Million Gallons of Toxic Dispersants you managed to spray -- Kept much of it Underwater, eh?

They'll find ALL that missing Oil -- just give them some more time ... that's all they ask ...

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Project Gulf Impact - Telling Their Stories

by Ellinorianne

There's a lot of speculation about the long term impact of the oil left behind from the massive oil gusher in the Gulf.  There are still questions about the relief wells, the cap and whether the oil will really be held at bay for the long term.

And then you have the millions of gallons of dispersant, Corexit, that was sprayed in the air and over water, it was used profusely in a way that hadn't been done in any previous spills.

There have been dairies about the health of the workers, the residents, etc. but not many.  I wrote about the early diagnosis of the health issues facing workers and residents being a syndrome known as tilt.  The people suffering are being shouted down by skeptics, you can see it my diary that I reference.  The more doubt given to their symptoms and their health issues, the less BP, etc. will have to actually pay and be responsible for what they are doing.

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UPDATE x5: Dam *NOT* breached?? Tony the Tiger still dead.

by Brainwrap

This is bad. Really, really bad:

A Michigan State Police emergency management official said this evening that the viscous flow of oil has breached the Morrow Dam and is bearing down on a federally designated pollution zone on the Kalamazoo River, potentially adding to the cost of the disaster's cleanup.

Tom Sands, the deputy state director of emergency management and homeland security for the Michigan State Police, said he saw a light sheen of oil past the Morrow Dam near Galesburg during a flyover this afternoon.

That would mean that the oil is closer to a Superfund site, an Environmental Protection Agency designation for heavily polluted areas. And Gov. Jennifer Granholm, who spoke to reporters tonight along with Sands, said the presence of oil at a Superfund site "completely explodes the amount of money needed to address" the spill.

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