It's Enough To Make You Sick

[shipperx]

Instead of chanting "Drill, baby, drill" (which I always thought was shortsighted and kind of obnoxious), right now I want to chant "Die, BP, die."   

After reading a couple of articles, I really do want to see some asses thrown into jail over the oilpocalypse.   Some serious jail time needs to be handed out to some BP folks.  First, on Daily Show last night, Stewart shows an ABC News clip that revealed that BP had 760 "egregious willful violations."  Exxon (of, y'know, the Exxon Valdez) only had 1.  BP had 760. 

15 people died in a 2005 BP refinery explosion. 
In 2007, they spilled 200,000 gallons in Alaska's wilderness, 
And now 30 people have died in this mess.    30 People. 

Then to read that the BP guy on TV who "just wants to get his life back", got a mega-million dollar bonus for his increase in 'operational efficiency,' which, if we parse that, means that they got more oil while spending less.   Hmmm, wonder how they did that...

Then I read articles on the clean-up and now feel like popping a gasket.

"The EPA asked BP on May 19  to find a less-toxic dispersant [than Corexit] within 24 hours, and to start using its replacement in 72 hours..."

Have they done it? Hell no.   British Petroleum has contiuned using a dispersant in the Gulf of Mexico that is actually banned in the UK.  And here's the kicker:

BP is using the most toxic dispersant that is only half as effective as its alternatives 

Given the unprecedented volume {being released into the Gulf), the EPA has instructed BP to pick a different dispersant. The EPA lists 18 dispersants as approved for use. The one BP has used on the Gulf oil spill is called COREXIT 9500. According to EPA summaries in rating effectiveness in dispersing South Louisiana Crude oil COREXIT rates as 55% effective.

Two other products DISPERSIT and SEACARE  rate as 100% effective

What's more:

Marianne Cufone, fish program director at Food & Water Watch in Washington, DC, said "in studies COREXIT was shown to be twice as harmful to shrimp as an alternate dispersant called Dispersit," produced by Polychemical Corp. in New York. That's problematic for the huge Gulf shrimp industry, she noted. Meanwhile, according to test results compiled by the EPA, seven alternative dispersants are less toxic to shrimp than COREXIT and at least 14 alternatives are less toxic to fish.

So basically Dispersit is approximately twice as effective and almost half as toxic as COREXIT.   And Dispersit's manufacturer has said they can ramp up production of Dispersit  immediately.  So exactly why is BP using the more toxic, more wildlife-killing, less effective alternative?  You know where this is going, don't you?  

It's because BP has a financial stake in COREXIT!  

Guess they figure they can make up some of their losses in the oil spill by selling crap that cleans it ... only less well and in a more toxic manner.  

AG Holder needs to kick some asses into jail for this catastrophe.   And the EPA needs to have some boots to some BP execs throats, forcing them to change dispersants now... like they told them to nearly a month ago!

Comments

[empresspatti.livejournal.com]

There is a real possibility that they won't be able to truly cap that well for years. This disaster, even if fixed today, will affect the area for 50 years. It makes me sick.

I, too, am looking forward to the BP perp walk. As a matter of fact, I'm looking forward to the Big Bank, Coal Mine owners and BP perp walks.

[empresspatti.livejournal.com]

PS= 60 Minutes did a great interview re BP & the oil platform explosion etc a few Sunday's ago.

If you haven't seen it, it really is worth a look. Riveting television.

[framefolly.livejournal.com]

I feel guilty, but I can't try to follow what's going on. It makes me so angry that I think it's unhealthy. If only there were a way my anger could help the situation...

[hazel75.livejournal.com]

Ugh.

[jerrymcl89.livejournal.com]

I'm starting to take the view that for a screwup this massive, the government should be allowed to seize BP and liquidate the company to pay for it.

[ms-scarletibis.livejournal.com]

WORD.

[elisi]

I... have no words. *fumes*

[petzipellepingo.livejournal.com]

You know where this is going, don't you?


Oh yeah.

[sp23.livejournal.com]

When I first heard about all those violations, my first thought is that these guys are the Massey Energy Co. of oil. Massey Energy are the fuckers that own Upper Big Branch Mine, the mine that exploded in April killing 29 West Virginia coalminers. They're infamous for violations that they ignore and/or appeal.

[thedabara-cds.livejournal.com]

Jacques Cousteau's son just did a piece in the Gulf, and they had to wash the oil off of him and his cameraman before they took off their scubagear/hazmatsuits. It was so disheartening.

And the seeming lack of any cohesive effort by the feds and BP to get more barriers up between the oil and the wetlands it is heading for is really depressing me. The locals seem to be doing everything they can but with all the National Guard in the Middle East when they should be here helping... but that's a whole other tangled mess...

Surely there's a special level in hell reserved for the BP execs.

[queenofattolia.livejournal.com]

It will never happen. We're a little more than two years away from a major election! Congress has already put the kibosh on a law making oil companies pay more for their oil disasters (hey, our senators and reps know who really pays the bills). Now I'll bet they'll pass a law making US taxpayers responsible for BP's "efforts" to clean up a horrible disaster they engendered!

I am really, really disappointed in how Obama has handled this, too. But then again, I always forget that he's a politician who is staring down a tough re-election.. Jesus H. Christ.