Erin Brockovich Oil Spill Visit Planned: Fishermen Sickened By Dispersant Contact Advocate

HOUMA, La. — Environmental and consumer advocate Erin Brockovich will be in southern Louisiana to speak to people who say they've been sickened by dispersants used to break up the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

The Courier newspaper of Houma reports that Brockovich, best known for the Julia Roberts film that bears her name, said she had been contacted by fishermen whose cleanup work with BP exposed them to the chemical.

She will spend Monday in Lafourche Parish and Grand Isle, and is scheduled to host a town-hall meeting. Brockovich plans to spend Tuesday in St. Bernard Parish and Wednesday in Terrebonne Parish.

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Information from: The Courier, http://www.houmatoday.com

Comments

[AppalachianCrisis]

08:28 PM on 06/13/2010

BP spill the greatest enviromental disaster ever? Really? Every day the mountains of the Appalachians are blown up and the most biodiverse forest, second only to the Amazon, is being bulldozed into the valleys. All for what, 10% of the nations coal. The coal companies call it Mountain Top Removal. In reality its the total obliteration of the land and a culture. This has been happening for decades, but as long as people have cheaper electric bills, who cares about the people of Appalachia, right? I mean rich people love the beach, who cares about the poor people in the mountains, right? Nearly 2000 miles of streams have been buried or polluted by MTR valley fills and toxic run-off. 3,000,000 pounds of explosives are used on the mountains in WV alone every working day. 1 million acres of Appalachian forest and lands have been leveled, but less than 3% have been reclaimed for commercial or industrial use. Top coal producing counties in WV suffer from some of the worst poverty and unemployment. Residents who live in the coalfields live with increased flooding, blasting that damages homes, air filled with silica and toxic coal dust, plus poisoned water supplies. Is the oil spill bad? Yes. However, when compaired to Mountain Top Removal, I hardly see how it can be called the worst. The oceans will recover LONG before the mountains ever will, if they ever do.

[RevBookburn]

11:28 PM on 06/08/2010

Good. The more brilliant and compassionate minds, the better. It is also time to seize BP.

[MizLiz]

01:14 AM on 06/08/2010

GO ERIN !!!

[maxfax]

12:52 AM on 06/08/2010

"Upon signing up for BP’s Vessels of Opportunity Program, they were told their job would be to lay boom and sop up oil. Instead, some have told her they’re being asked to mix and apply dispersant to oil they find in the ocean. They say the chemical exposure made them sick."

http://www.houmatoday.com/article/20100606/FEATURES12/100609551

[washingtonnoninsider]

11:33 PM on 06/07/2010

JUSTICE FINALLY FOR BP, from the NYT:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/08/business/08sorkin.html

"It seems unthinkable, even now, that the disastrous oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico could bring down the mighty BP. But investment bankers get paid to think the unthinkable — and that is just what they are doing.
Related

"The idea that BP might one day file for bankruptcy, particularly as part of a merger that would enable it to cordon off its liabilities from the spill, is starting to percolate on Wall Street. Bankers and lawyers are already sizing up potential deals (and counting their potential fees).

Given the plunge in BP’s share price — the company has lost more than a third of its value since Deepwater Horizon blew — some bankers and analysts say BP is starting to look like takeover bait. The question is, who would buy BP, given its enormous potential liabilities?

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/08/opinion/lweb08oil.html

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/060515/15mediatakes.htm

[bitsailor]

11:43 PM on 06/07/2010

"...cordon off its liabilities..." just like GM, etcetera...

It's coming unless our government seizes this company before they 'disappear' all their money...

[MizLiz]

01:15 AM on 06/08/2010

You mean just like the Catholic church?

[SnapShots]

01:23 AM on 06/08/2010

Also remember Bhopal. Union Carbide changed its name to Linde. Expect something similar.

[0emissions]

11:25 PM on 06/07/2010

hoolywood will be interested

[spiritpony1]

09:05 PM on 06/07/2010

oh man, wtf took this ambulance chasing self-marketing queen so long-------surprised she was not on first flight to drum up biz for her company via a class action. Don't get me wrong---------a zillion of these people have legitimate claims, and I hope it tanks BP in the process-------and we can bet EB won't do diddly for the wild-life. Most overrated lawyer of her ilk-----------self-promoter----under the guise of "do-gooding"----------that movie was a big mistake-------too bad

[Bitsko]

10:30 PM on 06/07/2010

Take a few deep breaths, dude.

[MizLiz]

01:16 AM on 06/08/2010

Do you know her personally? Just what is your basic problem?

[backhandpath]

08:33 PM on 06/07/2010

I am impressed with the way Ms Brockovich has carried herself along the Gulf Coast, to help people get clear on their rights as they confront this catastrophe. She was in FL, AL, MS on a tour.
She talks to press before, but only to promote the meetings. At these meetings, she talks to and with the people. Press later, sometimes not even allowed in the room with the people. Strictly avoiding conflicts of interests, she brings lawyers, and lawyers from other firms are there as well to answer questions and offer services.

Her main point seems to be: to encourage The People impacted by man-made / corporate disaster to Trust Themselves, Trust their Neighbor and Stick Together --and oh, protect yourself with badass lawyers. I'm kidding there, but that is another point: don't mess around without legal representation, then go for the facts and then go for the throat.
(My oh'so humble opinion there too :)
Erin Brockovich doesn't mess around. Gets right to it.

Y'all reading this should pay her a visit when she comes to town.

[spiritpony1]

09:07 PM on 06/07/2010

you bet----when her percentage is at issue---nearly half-by the way

[tahoegal]

07:40 PM on 06/07/2010

Go get 'em Erin! It will be decades before we know the real dangers to the lives of the gulf residents, employees, and effects of eating seafood from what is "deemed" to the "safe seafood". The area needs a true advocate like you to cut through the B.S. and help the real people effected by this environmental disaster.

[pina colada]

05:24 PM on 06/07/2010

WHERE IS CHENEY?????

[Crystalmoon47]

05:50 PM on 06/07/2010

Where else? in hiding..

[Puller58]

04:43 PM on 06/07/2010

Frankly, a "celeb-lawyer" doesn't inspire me with confidence. You see them on the news shows where they report of legal issues, and some even take on high profile clients while serving as an analyst. Not a highly credible category.

[Sam Smith]

04:56 PM on 06/07/2010

Uhhhh, don't think she IS a lawyer, just celeb. I'm not sure how or why she is seen as so powerful, can anyone explain???

[oonamanoona]

05:11 PM on 06/07/2010

Anyone who can keep the media attention on the needs of those affected by the geyser is doing good work. "Celeb" isn't always a derogatory title and you've got to admit she shook things up in the past. Beats sitting on her hands.

[MarauderF]

06:35 PM on 06/07/2010

She's won a few hundred million in claims against chemical companies, and is known by every American by name, and is a legal clerk to lawyers who can act... I'm just guessing she knows what to do.

[blinkthink]

03:45 PM on 06/07/2010

After BP already announced their would be lots of illegimate claims, go get them, Erin. Make 'em cry- The Americans are coming! The Lawsuits are coming!

[Gilliam G]

03:50 PM on 06/07/2010

And how long will people have to suffer while battling in court with deep pocket BP? How many appeals will be filed? The media is having a feeding frenzy over this. Should the media agree to donate money back to the cleanup?

[blinkthink]

04:36 PM on 06/07/2010

We have people in Washington-elected leaders I think we call them-that should be feeling alot of heat right now, but I'm not hearing anything about it. This is a crisis, and we should turn up the heat on them to do their jobs, instead of blocking whatever this administration does. Our economic situation isn't just the responsibility of the President-a lot of Congress is responsible. Contact them, tell them to get in lockstep and deal with the crisis, and not in partisan fashion-we hold them accountable. Tell them we are NOT willing to watch the coast suffer because they want to keep reparations low.
Give the media a whole new story to write. They make everything bigger-we should use it to our advantage. Contact these lame Congressmen instead of paying them for obstruction.

[mudshark12]

03:41 PM on 06/07/2010

This is the first GOOD news I've heard in this extremely sad tragedy. I hope Erin takes BP to the cleaners and get every last dime BP owes. I am also hoping that BP will NOT be treated with the same favor that Exxon-Mobil received after getting the settlement payout reduced to a paltry 10%.

One can only hope that the Exxon-Mobil deal that was made can be reviewed and possibly overturned as it was a disgracefully BAD decision made by OUR Supreme Court which is supposed to be impartial.

Ms. Brockovich has a J.D. (Juris Doctor) and has only to complete her studies and pass a Bar exam to become a lawyer.

She will become a most excellent lawyer.

[OkieMon]

03:30 PM on 06/07/2010

maybe private investors will stop investing in oil drilling like they have never invested in nuclear plants......go solar!!!!!!!!

[mikeodd]

03:28 PM on 06/07/2010

They'll be calling her Bubba Brockovich by the time she's done!
Squeal BP Squeal like a pig!