Over a month after the Deepwater Horizon explosion that sparked the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and following increased public outrage, a task force named the "Flow Rate Technical Team" has finally been created to investigate just how much oil is spilling into our seas. The group, an inter-agency effort, is made up of scientists from the Mineral Management Service (MMS), the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Department of Energy, the U.S. Geological Survey with the U.S. Coast Guard taking the lead.
The task force was put together amidst reports that BP had either significantly underestimated or simply misled the public about the amount of oil spilling into the Gulf. In fact, after several scientists testified before Congress yesterday that the amount of oil leaking into ours seas could be more than 100,0000 barrels per day, BP finally admitted that its original estimate of 5,000 barrels was most likely inaccurate.
To make matters worse, environmentalists and scientists have become concerned about the amount of dispersant that BP has been using to break up the oil accumulating in the Gulf. Yesterday, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) informed BP that it had 24 hours to find a less toxic alternative to the Corexit chemical dispersants it has been using and 72 hours to discontinue its use all together.
To date it is estimated that approximately 700, 000 gallons of dispersants have been released into our waters, the greatest use of toxic dispersants to clear an oil spill in history. What's more, the toxic nature of Corexit and its potential for harming aquatic life has led some countries, including Britain, to prohibit its use. Corexit was used in 1989, after the Exxon Valdez oil spill, and there were reports connecting the chemical to severe health issues including respiratory, kidney and reproductive problems. In fact, Exxon's own data listed 6,722 cases of upper respiratory infections among the workers participating in its oil spill cleanup.
Preliminary data compiled by the EPA demonstrates that the level of airborne toxic chemicals poses a serious threat to human health. Fishermen and workers helping to clean-up BP's massive spill are already suffering side effects from the toxic dispersants blanketing the Gulf, including sinus infections, dizziness, vomiting, burning eyes, coughing, headaches and respiratory complications.
At this point, BP has not offered to provide respirators or special equipment to the workers on the front lines of the massive clean-up effort, proving that despite the many medical and technological advances over the past 20 years, very little has changed since the Exxon Valdez oil spill - not least of which, willingness of these oil giants to take responsibility for their negligence.
As Congressman Edward Markey, who has campaigned against the use of Corexit stated, "I think now we're beginning to understand that we cannot trust BP. BP has lost all credibility."
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http://www.lvrj.com/news/exxon-valdez-oil-risks-spur-warning-for-gulf-cleanup-crews-93258964.html
The workers who are cleaning up the oil in the Gulf need to be aware of the chemicals that will be used. I am one of the 11,000+ cleanup workers from the Exxon Valdez oil spill (EVOS), who is suffering from health issues from that toxic cleanup, without compensation from Exxon.
My name is Merle Savage; a female general foreman during the EVOS beach cleanup in 1989, which turned into 20 years of extensive health deterioration for me and many other workers. Dr. Riki Ott visited me in 2007 to explain about the toxic spraying on the beaches. She also informed me that Exxon's medical records that surfaced in litigation by sick workers in 1994, had been sealed from the public, making it impossible to hold Exxon responsible for their actions. http://www.rikiott.com
Exxon developed the toxic spraying; OSHA, the Coast Guard, and the state of Alaska authorized the procedure; VECO and other Exxon contractors implemented it. Beach crews breathed in crude oil that splashed off the rocks and into the air -- the toxic exposure turned into chronic breathing conditions and central nervous system problems, along with other massive health issues. Some of the illnesses include neurological impairment, chronic respiratory disease, leukemia, lymphoma, brain tumors, liver damage, and blood disease.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5632208859935499100
http://www.silenceinthesound.com/stories.shtml
“...BP shall identify... dispersant products from the National Contingency Plan Product Schedule that... have a toxicity value less than or equal to 23.00 ppm LC50 toxicity value for Menidia or 18.00 ppm LC50 for Mysidopsis....”
As is well known to environmental workers, “A lower LC50 means the substance is more toxic.” For example, copper, reviewed at www.koifishponds.com/copper.htm.
The EPA has ratings for 15 chemicals (shown in part):
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Toxicity LC50, ppm - -Effectiveness
Product - - - - - - - - - -Menidia - -Mysidopsis - - - - So. La.
MARE CLEAN 200- - - 1996 - - - - 938 - - - - - - - - 84.1%
JD-2000 - - - - - - - - - - - 407.00 - - - 90.50 - - - - - 77.8%
NEOS AB3000 - - - - - - - -91.1 - - - -33.0 - - - - - - 89.8%
COREXIT EC9500A - - - 25.20 - - - -32.23 - - - - - 54.7%
FINASOL OSR 52 - - - - - -11.66 - - - - 9.37 - - - - - -71.6%
DISPERSIT SPC 1000 - - - 3.5 - - - - 16.6 - - - - - -105 -%
The main product that BP has
This hostile foreign attack on our world here should be defended against, but BP and federal government seem interested in defending Florida more than here. They have already written us off. We deserve defense rather than this misguided attempt to hide the pollution under the surface in a stupid attempt to limit financial liability at the expense of 30% of the US's wetlands and our way of life. A lot of our wildlife and storm surge protection is going to die very soon without proper action.
DREDGE PLAN promotion. Aside from the immediate need, we can legitimately claim we will require this barrier structure to hold back some of the fresh water we are going to try to use to attempt to flush the toxins from our waters with a plan of trying to cause this fresh water introduction will rebuild fresh water cypress wetlands like they were before we were bought by the United States.
Our wetlands and way of life cannot be sacrificed for the sake of the rest of the nation's quality of life. We are not disposable citizens.
While I understand the worry that, once the oil reaches the southern tip of
Florida, there's not much to stop it from reaching the rest of the East
Coast, it's important that we not abandon those states nearest to the spill.
They will, no matter how far the oil is carried, bare the brunt of the
devastation.
Also, the use of chemical dispersants raises some very serious questions.
It not only masks the extent of the spill but also adds to the toxic mix
choking our seas. Dumping almost a million gallons of toxic dispersant into
the Gulf, is like drinking a beer to cure a hangover -- great in theory,
disastrous in practice.
a safe solution
http://www.brasschecktv.com/page/844.html
andy lopez
Invisible Gardener