Deepwater Horizon
It was suggested to me to start an oil spill journal. It is now day 70 since the April 20th explosion on the BP rig named Deep Water Horizon off the coast of Louisiana.
When the spill first occurred, I don’t think anyone expected for it to spew 100,000 barrels (4.2 million gallons) of oil into the gulf daily. The response from the Federal Government, especially President Obama, was slow. President Obama was already running away from his responsibilities as Commander and Chief after sending VP Joe Biden in his place to honor fallen troops at Arlington cemetery. Instead, President Obama decided it was best to take a vacation to Chicago, go out for some nice dinners and shoot a couple rounds of golf.
Since the oil spill began, there has been a continual track record of such social planning within the White House. Not only that, the BP CEO, Tony Hayward, has taken vacation time on his private yacht. Golfing and hanging out on private yachts seem extra appropriate when the entire Gulf of Mexico is being poisoned to death.
You can review for yourself the White House’s response to the oil spill here: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/05/28/disaster-gulf-days-counting/
BP has been holding “informational” town hall-like meetings around the state of Louisiana, even having the mayor of New Orleans and Senator Landrou show up for these events to “answer questions.” However, most questions go unanswered, I and others are given the runaround, or the answers are insufficient.
I have now heard from four NOAA biologists, dozens of BP employees, the Coast Guard, and those who work for the company that is making the oil dispersants. No one knows what the is going on. No one has any clue what the effects of the spill will be in the long term. Seemingly, most can’t answer many of the questions about the short term.
The NOAA biologists know that over 400 sea turtles have died and fish are dying and birds are dying, but they don’t know how many fish are dying. It could be that they are dying off underneath the water and getting swept away. Also, things seem hush-hush about things like birds and dolphins dying. Many areas have been blocked off and censored. I have seen on the news amateur videos of sharks of all kinds by the hundreds and hundreds along the Mississippi coastline trying to find more oxygenated water, not too far from Slidell, in very shallow water, an event that does not happen on such a large scale.
The effects of tar balls and oil that sinks to the bottom can last indefinitely. I just read an article in the local newspaper, the Times-Picayune about oil from the Exxon-Valdez spill in Alaska. One can dig a hole in the ground near the coast, and oil will rise from the hole. BP employees and the NOAA biologists can only say that the water is warmer in the Gulf of Mexico and there are different kinds of bacteria that can help break down the oil. They have no idea how long it will take or completely occur.
BP employees told me that dispersants are like dish soap and have short half lives. However, I heard different numbers about the half lives. Some said as little as 5-8 days, while others said that the amount of days was higher. I was told that the dispersants don’t get rid of the oil, but make the particles smaller so that bacteria can break it down easier. One BP employee said that they can only guess if the effects of the dispersants will be less than the oil itself and they are hoping as a company and are pretty sure that in the long term, it is better to use dispersants. The BP employee said, and I quote, “We hope it is less bad.”
The Coast Guard has been hindered in their relief efforts. I have heard some comments that booms have not been placed correctly by one NOAA biology. Also, there have been articles in the press about the ignorance of President Obama, who refused the help of other countries that have better equipment to deal with oil spills.
Here are two articles about not using the help of other countries that actually have the equipment needed to combat the spill and clean it up:
http://blog.heritage.org/2010/06/22/our-government-slowed-down-the-gulf-cleanup/
I heard the Chief of Police from St. Bernard Parish say that the fishing waters will be closed. Once the oil gets into the marshlands, which are thousands of miles of the greatest fish hatcheries in the U.S., shrimping, oystering, fishing, crabbing, lobstering, and shrimping will cease. It was nearly two weeks ago that news broke of a 32-mile wide oil slick, the biggest yet, being pushed into the fresh water marshes in Louisiana.
Tropical storm Alex created large enough waves that the oil was pushed right over any of the booms that have been placed in the gulf and further push oil into the marshlands.
As far as eating seafood, I have been told by NOAA that the FDA and other administrations have tested thousands of seafood samples from the coast, including fish, shrimp, oysters, lobster, and crabs and have not found a single sample that was affected by the oil. However, many of the areas where fisherman can catch seafood had been shut down. The amount of seafood being caught had drastically dropped and was being caught in designated areas where no oil was being found yet. It is safe to eat seafood.
Most of the fisherman have been hired by BP to put out booms. BP is paying well, but it does not make up for the damage that is done. Those with boats are paid $1,500 a day, while those who don’t own boats are paid $16 tax-free per hour to work 12-hour days, 7-days a week. All must wear special rubber suits.
The account of those affected can’t be fathomed right now as there are those who produce the ice for the fisherman, deck hands, people that clean the seafood, convenience store employees, grocers, immediate family of all of the above, etc. who are affected by the spill. Those who work in tourism along the beaches are highly affected. The coastal states are bleeding money from loss of tourism.
I’ve heard a lot of things and find it hard to write anything down at all because everything I’ve heard has been a “maybe” or an “I don’t know.” I don’t know if the information I have received is misinformation, lies, confusion, ignorance, fear-mongering, and/or a combination of all the above. I think that it is probably all of the above.
Please continue to pray for the coastal states. As the tides turn, the oil may now go towards Texas. As of right now, no one knows for sure. The oil has already greatly affected Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. Also, pray for the leaders and politicians from the local community all the way up to the White House.
President Obama has said that by the end of his first term the oil spill will be under control. He’s a fool for even saying such a ridiculous statement. After only living here in Louisiana for 4 months and attending the meetings with some NOAA biologists, talking to the Coast Guard, and also talking to BP employees no one in their right mind would say such a thing. Why? Because no one has any idea what the long term effects of this spill will be, but everyone thinks that that they will be catastrophic and affect the area for a long, long time. Please pray for President Obama and his ability to lead.
Through all this, God is sovereign and he will be glorified through the oil spill. Pray that this spill and the effects will be as quick and painless as possible and God’s will will be carried out swiftly.
