Tag Archives: gulf

Proposed Law to Reform Use of Chemical Dispersants on Oil Spills

As of right now, oil companies engaged in cleanup operations after a spill (one particular one comes to mind) are not required to disclose which chemicals comprise the products they are using to contain or break up the oil. Therefore, BP isn’t required to reveal which chemicals make up the toxic dispersants it’s spraying in droves in the Gulf. It’s alarming that these standards don’t already exist to say the least, but at least one senator plans on doing something about it: Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) announced he plans to introduce the Safe Dispe… Read the full story on TreeHugger

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Proposed Law to Reform Use of Chemical Dispersants on Oil Spills

As Laura Ingraham Sells New Book, NBC’s Lauer Sells Idea That Dems, GOP Equally Hated

Laura Ingraham was invited on Tuesday’s Today show, to plug her new book The Obama Diaries , and predict how the midterm elections will go but she couldn’t get out of the segment without Today co-anchor Matt Lauer suggesting Republicans are just as unpopular as the Democrats. During the segment Lauer read from a Washington Post poll that stated 6 in 10 Americans don’t have faith in President Obama and 7 in 10 don’t have faith in Congressional Democrats but then also pointed out that 7 in 10 Americans don’t have much confidence in Republicans either as he asked Ingraham: “So what’s the message here? A pox on all their houses.” Ingraham agreed there’s “a lot of cynicism out there,” but went on to point out the folly of assuming Democrats are somehow safe as she retorted to Lauer: “I think that’s a little facile to say, ‘Oh everyone who’s in power is just a disaster and no one trusts anyone.’ I don’t think that’s true. I think what people are seeing, that the nation is in debt. We have a lack of focus on things like the Gulf Coast.” In fact Lauer completely glossed over the fact that the Washington Post poll article he read from clearly stated that “Those most likely to vote in the midterms prefer the GOP over continued Democratic rule by a sizable margin of 56 percent to 41 percent.” After the poll question, Ingraham went on to poke fun at the First Lady’s appearance in the Gulf Coast: I mean I know the First Lady dropped by the Gulf Coast. That was a beautiful image. She went to an ice cream shop. I thought dessert was not a right. But she had a, you know, a chocolate hurricane yesterday. That was a nice image. But we’re losing part of the country, Matt. We’re losing the Gulf Coast day by day by day. I hope the cap works. We’ll see if it does. Ingraham actually had a lot of fun at not only the Obamas’ expense, but also cheekily mocked Lauer’s colleague Brian Williams as seen in the following interview as it was aired on the July 13 Today show: MATT LAUER: Let me ask you about midterm elections. You heard in Chuck’s piece that, that a lot of people are now talking about the possibility Republicans could regain control of the House and the Senate, likelihood of it happening is what? INGRAHAM: Pretty likely in the House, not sure about the Senate. I should say that — this is actually breaking news today – Barack Obama in his diaries actually predicts gaining seats in both the House and the Senate, the bravado is quite something. LAUER: That’s because you write them as fictional entries in his diary. INGRAHAM: Well what’s fiction? What do you mean fiction? LAUER: Let, let me ask you this. INGRAHAM: Fiction?! LAUER: If they do, if Republicans do regain control of the House and make substantial gains in the Senate, will it be a general dissatisfaction voters are showing with Democrats in Congress or the administration or would you point to a specific tipping point? INGRAHAM: Well, who’s in charge? I mean we were promised hope and change. We were promised turning the page. A transparent White House. These are, are regular people but they have a new vision for America. Well a vision is unfolding and it’s not working out so well. That, that’s not political. That’s not ideological. That’s factual. I think people are seeing that jobs are not the focus. We’re doing a lot of, you know, fun partying at the White House, which is also cataloged in The Obama Diaries. There’s a lot of partying. A beautiful family, wonderful image. But the image for the country is not a comedy, Matt, it’s a tragedy. LAUER: If you look, if you look at the front page of the Washington Post there’s a poll and it kind of tells two stories. INGRAHAM: Yeah. LAUER: One it says, about 6 in 10 Americans are, do not have faith in President Obama. Almost 7 in 10 Americans don’t have faith in Democrats in Congress. But it also says- INGRAHAM: But? What’s the but? LAUER: -it also says that just slightly more than 7 in 10 Americans don’t have faith in Republicans in Congress. So what’s the message here? A pox on all their houses? INGRAHAM: Well I think there’s, yeah, there’s, there’s a lot of cynicism out there. But I think that’s a little facile to say, “Oh everyone who’s in power is just a disaster and no one trusts anyone.” I don’t think that’s true. I think what people are seeing, that the nation is in debt. We have a lack of focus on things like the Gulf Coast. I mean I know the First Lady dropped by the Gulf Coast. That was a beautiful image. She went to an ice cream shop. I thought dessert was not a right. But she had a, you know, a chocolate hurricane yesterday. That was a nice image. But we’re losing part of the country, Matt. We’re losing the Gulf Coast day by day by day. I hope the cap works. We’ll see if it does. LAUER: So, so- INGRAHAM: There’s been a failure in leadership. That’s why the polls are where they are. A failure in leadership. LAUER: Let me put you in charge. So if I put you in charge of the campaigns- INGRAHAM: Oh gosh, that’d be fun. LAUER: -campaigns of all the Republicans running in the midterm elections, what’s your bumper sticker? Is it, “We’re not Democrats” or is it something more? INGRAHAM: Well it might be “America First.” It might be focus on American families and American jobs. Period. America. Reignite a love affair with our country! We don’t need someone apologizing for America. We don’t need someone saying, “Well, American exceptionalism yes but there’s also Greek exceptionalism and British exceptionalism.” We need to reignite a love affair with America. That’s what I write about in The Obama Diaries. That’s the, that’s the comedy, the tragedy that’s kind of unfolding today. … LAUER: The Obama Diaries. Fictional entries in Obama’s diary. INGRAHAM: First of all is it fictional to say that the, the President with the burger runs. Remember last, last year Matt, last June when Brian Williams was in the backseat. Now that was funny. In the burger run with Obama? I love Brian Williams at that moment. You know, petting Bo the dog. That was comedy. The Obama Diaries? It’s revealing. LAUER: But, but what, four months or three-and-a-half months before midterm elections- INGRAHAM: Yeah. LAUER: -what do you want people to take away from this? Is this a fun romp? Is this? INGRAHAM: The book is revealing arrogance, incompetence, horror, and, Matt, Barack Obama and Joe Biden. You didn’t know this, they’re two of the funniest people on the face of the planet. You add Marian Robinson, Michelle Obama’s mother? She is, this woman is one of the best people, funniest, common sense. And she wants those daughters to eat junk food when they want to eat it, okay? LAUER: The book is The Obama Diaries. Laura it’s nice to have you. INGRAHAM: It’s great to see you Matt, as always. LAUER: Good to see you as well.

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As Laura Ingraham Sells New Book, NBC’s Lauer Sells Idea That Dems, GOP Equally Hated

Charity F-Bomb-A-Thon Aids Gulf Clean Up – Very NSFW (Video)

Image credit: Luke Montgomery and Nate Guidas As evidenced when BP failed f***ing booming school , an unmitigated disaster like the oil spill occurring in the Gulf of Mexico can provoke some pretty strong language. (Not to mention some idiotic remarks from BP CEO Tony Hayward .) Now a group of activists wants to turn all this loose talk into powerful action—they are holding what they claim to be the world’s first ever F-Bomb… Read the full story on TreeHugger

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Charity F-Bomb-A-Thon Aids Gulf Clean Up – Very NSFW (Video)

Most Transparent Administration Ever Makes Effective Reporting from Gulf a Felony

Effectively reporting on the Gulf oil spill is now a Class D felony, punishable by a fine of up to $40,000. That’s right, the most transparent administration in history has made it a felony, effective July 1, to get within 65 feet of what the Coast Guard determines are essential recovery efforts. According to Anderson Cooper, officials tried to up that number to 300 feet. Cooper, who claimed federal officials prevented CNN on two occasions from taking photographs in the gulf, seemed frustrated when he reported on the new laws the day they went into effect. The press is “not the enemy here” he pleaded. The new policies, he said, make it “very easy to hide failure, and hide incompetence.” Cooper also let loose this zinger: “Transparency is apparently not a priority with [Coast Guard Commandant] Thad Allen these days.” Ouch (full video and transcript below the fold – h/t Ron Robinson ). This is but the latest in a string of incidents that seem to have much of the country — and if Cooper is any indicator, at least a few journalists — questioning the sincerity of candidate Obama’s pledges of transparency, openness, and respect for the press. But these new regulations on press coverage of the spill have not garnered as much attention as perhaps they should — certainly not as much as similar moves during the Bush administration’s response to Hurricane Katrina (a fact that Cooper notes). Shortly after the Hurricane hit, according to the Washington Post , “FEMA refused to take reporters and photographers along on boats seeking victims in flooded areas, saying they would take up valuable space needed in the recovery effort and asked them not to take pictures of the dead.” The Post touted claims that the FEMA policy was “in line with the Bush administration’s ban on images of flag-draped U.S. military coffins returning from the Iraq war” — clearly drawing a comparison to other Bush policies rife with accusations of politically-motivated censorship. So far, the Post is silent on the criminalization — a much stronger statement of administration policy than the refusal to allow embedded reporters on rescue efforts — of media coverage in the Gulf. With a scant few exceptions, the legacy media are silent on the issue. But for his part, and to his credit, Cooper issued a heartfelt call for more press transparency: …the Coast Guard today announced new rules keeping photographers and reporters and anyone else from coming within 65 feet of any response vessel or booms out on the water or on beaches — 65 feet. Now, in order to get closer, you have to get direct permission from the Coast Guard captain of the Port of New Orleans. You have to call up the guy. What this means is that oil-soaked birds on islands surrounded by boom, you can’t get close enough to take that picture. Shots of oil on beaches with booms, stay 65 feet away. Pictures of oil-soaked booms uselessly laying in the water because they haven’t been collected like they should, you can’t get close enough to see that. And, believe me, that is out there. But you only know that if you get close to it, and now you can’t without permission. Violators could face a fine of $40,000 and Class D felony charges. What’s even more extraordinary is that the Coast Guard tried to make the exclusion zone 300 feet, before scaling it back to 65 feet. Here is how Admiral Allen defends it. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ALLEN: Well, it’s not unusual at all for the Coast Guard to establish either safety or security zones around any number of facilities or activities for public safety or for the safety of the equipment itself. We would do this for marine events, fireworks demonstrations, cruise ships going in and out of port. (END VIDEO CLIP) COOPER: So, this is the exact same logic that federal wildlife officials used to prevent CNN on two occasions from getting pictures of oiled birds that have been collected, pictures like — like the — well, that we’re about to show you which are obviously deeply disturbing, pictures of oiled gulls that we just happened to catch. Suddenly, we were told after — after that day we couldn’t catch it anymore. So, keeping prying eyes out of marshes, away from booms, off the beaches is now government policy. When asked why now, after all this time, Thad Allen said he had gotten some complaints from local officials worried people might get hurt. Now, we don’t know who these officials are. We would like to. But transparency is apparently not a high priority with Thad Allen either these days. Maybe he is accurate and some officials are concerned. And that’s their right. But we’ve heard far more from local officials about not being able to get a straight story from the government or BP. I have met countless local officials desperate for pictures to be taken and stories written about what is happening in their communities. We’re not the enemy here. Those of us down here trying to accurately show what’s happening, we are not the enemy. I have not heard about any journalist who has disrupted relief efforts. No journalist wants to be seen as having slowed down the cleanup or made things worse. If a Coast Guard official asked me to move, I would move. But to create a blanket rule that everyone has to stay 65 feet away boom and boats, that doesn’t sound like transparency. Frankly, it’s a lot like in Katrina when they tried to make it impossible to see recovery efforts of people who died in their homes. If we can’t show what is happening, warts and all, no one will see what’s happening. And that makes it very easy to hide failure and hide incompetence and makes it very hard to highlight the hard work of cleanup crews and the Coast Guard. We are not the enemy here. We found out today two public broadcasting journalists reporting on health issues say they have been blocked again and again from visiting a federal mobile medical unit in Venice, a trailer where cleanup workers are being treated. It’s known locally as the BP compound. And these two reporters say everyone they have talked to, from BP to the Coast Guard, to Health and Human Services in Washington has been giving them the runaround. We’re not talking about a CIA station here. We’re talking about a medical trailer that falls under the authority of, guess who, Thad Allen, the same Thad Allen who promised transparency all those weeks ago. We are not the enemy here.

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Most Transparent Administration Ever Makes Effective Reporting from Gulf a Felony

BP Gulf Disaster is on the verge of releasing a subterranean methane bubble that will cause mass extinction

A media blackout has kept the world in the dark about how bad things are going on in the Gulf of Mexico. Scientists fear an enormous rise in pressure on the seabed in light of the BP Oil Spill may release a catastrophic amount of methane, enough to poison the entire neighboring ocean and release a toxic bubble of methane 20 miles in diameter that would displace a trillion cubic feet of water and create a towering supersonic tsunami that would annihilate every coast of the Gulf of mexico and continue well inland. The rest would die to toxic methane in an extinction event not unlike the Permian extinction 251 Million years ago. Find out the truth that BP is desperately trying to keep withheld from the public. http://www.helium.com/items/1882339-doomsday-how-bp-gulf-disaster-may-have-trigg… added by: Icophesis

Corporatism 101: [1990] Congress artificially limits Oil companies liability to a meager $75 million dollars.

If you took a barrel of oil and dumped it into a stream on your property you would be fully liable for damage to the property and person of anyone down stream. So when BP’s oil well ruptures, dumping millions of gallons of oil into the gulf the company is fully responsible for the damages it caused and those affected should be fully compensated to be made whole again, right? Unfortunately, the 1990 Oil Pollution Act caps an Oil company’s liability for economic damages relating to an oil spill at $75 million. (As of May 3rd the economic Cost of the BP Oil Spill: was $12.5 Billion, so that only leaves $12,425,000,000 of damages unpaid.) source: http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2010/05/03/oil-spill-cost/ Luckily the Act provides that if the courts determine BP was “grossly negligent or engaged in conduct in violation of federal regulations,” the $75 million cap disappears, so BP is not of the hook yet right? Wrong. Unfortunately, a little known government agency, the Minerals Management Service, “approved BP's application to drill under the Deepwater Horizon and …and approved the blowout preventer that failed to stop the Gulf of Mexico oil spill without assurances that its last-ditch mechanism would work on the drill pipe the company was using.” [1] And the rigs strong track record of passing inspections prompted the regulatory agency to “herald the Deepwater Horizon as an industry model for safety.” [2] The chances of a court finding that BP was “grossly negligent” or in violation of federal regulations, are nil when the very agency that oversees BP not only routinely found the well in compliance with the federal regulations but also hailed it as a model for industry safety. So congress has been caught with its pants down, because the special privilege of a liability cap they created for the oil companies, the judiciary or anyone else can't punish -through punitive damages – or even hold BP liable for more than a fraction of the amount of damage they caused. Which raises an important question: absent a congressional created cap on liability of only $75 million, would BP have drilled an unprecedented 5,000 ft well , without knowledge, technology or experience of capping wells at that depth, if they had unlimited liability and had to pay the actual full amount of the potential damages?($12.5 billion as of May 3.) http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/05/oil_spill_liability_whos_on_th… [1.] http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2010/05/updates_from_oil_rig_e… [2.] http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2010/05/federal_inspections_on… added by: Dagum

Oil Gusher Could be 100% Capped by Monday

(CBS/AP) The federal official leading the Gulf oil spill cleanup says a new containment cap and an additional ship collecting oil could effectively contain the spill as early as Monday. National Incident Commander Thad Allen said Friday that the work to replace a leaky containment cap on the well head with a tighter one will begin Saturday. At the same time, a ship connecting to a different part of leak is expected to come online Sunday. If all goes according to plan, the combination could collect all of the oil leaking from the seafloor. Workers at the site of BP's massive spill are set to begin the complicated cap-switching operation this weekend. But oil may flow unimpeded for several days during the process. Allen said Friday that undersea robots will begin removing a cap mounted over the jagged remnants of the well head Saturday. Special Section: Disaster in the Gulf They plan to put a new containment cap that will form a better seal. Then, up to four ships will begin collecting the oil and gas. The time from beginning the removal of the old cap to attaching the new cap will take several days. Work continues on what officials hope will be the ultimate solution: a pair of relief wells intercepting the leaking well far below the seafloor. BP said Thursday that the first of the relief wells could be done by the end of the month. And if that doesn't succeed, one backup being considered is transferring the crude to non-producing underwater wells that are miles away. BP would run the flow through pipelines across the floor of the Gulf of Mexico, Allen said. Allen on Thursday sent BP a letter demanding details about contingency plans in the event they have to proceed with the simultaneous maneuver or if the sealing cap installation fails, including due to severe weather. The oil company has 24 hours to respond. Thad Allen's July 8 Letter to BP There are currently two vessels siphoning oil from the gushing undersea well: the Discovery Enterprise, which captures an estimated 15,000 barrels of oil a day, and the Q-4000, which captures about 10,000 barrels a day. Crews are working to connect a third ship, the Helix Producer, which would help another 25,000 barrels daily. If everything works as planned, officials hope the total capture capacity could increase to 80,000 barrels daily with the sealing cap, reports CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller. added by: TimALoftis

BP Says it Could Cap Leak by July 20th

Drilling the relief well. Photo via WSJ If all goes according to plan, the gusher behind the Gulf spil l will be plugged a month earlier than planned, BP says. This, of course, is months and months after they originally said they’d have the thing plugged, but mark this down as (extremely) tentative good news. That the company is pushing to cap the geyser by July 20-27th doesn’t seem like a coincidence, either — the… Read the full story on TreeHugger

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BP Says it Could Cap Leak by July 20th

EPA Approves First Mountaintop Removal Coal Mine Under More Stringent Guidelines

Mountaintop removal mine in Kentucky, photo: iLoveMountains.org via flickr. One more item that probably would’ve made more headlines had there not been a gigantic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico (I know I missed it until now): As Solve Climate reports, the EPA has given approval to the first

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EPA Approves First Mountaintop Removal Coal Mine Under More Stringent Guidelines

SF’s 1st Medical Marijuana Farmers Market this Saturday

See ya there! added by: saytenvoneryk