Latest on oil spill response

[ProSense]

SUNDAY, MAY 23

Secretary Salazar Meets with Federal Science Team Working at BP Command Center
Secretary Salazar traveled to the BP Command Center in Houston to meet with the federal science team that is working with BP officials, scientists and engineers to help stop the flow of oil from BP’s well. Since day one, Secretary Salazar has continued to hold BP accountable for meeting critical deadlines as they attempt to close the well.

Oil Cleanup Efforts Continue to Build in Louisiana
Response personnel and Shoreline Cleanup and Assessment Teams, along with hundreds of volunteers, continue to clean the Louisiana coastal areas impacted by the Deepwater BP oil spill. Approximately 400 people, more than 300 vessels and 45 aircraft are on-scene in Iberia, Jefferson, Lafourche, Plaquemines, and Terrebonne Parishes investigating reports of oil, cleaning impacted areas and evaluating response efforts to ensure the oil is removed with the most environmentally responsible methods.

Response crews and Shoreline Cleanup and Assessment Teams have positioned more than half a million feet of boom in the region. They are manually removing oil with shovels and rakes, skimming the oil off the surface, applying dispersant and conducting controlled burning operations at every opportunity to minimize coastal impact.

Additional response personnel and equipment is being surged into areas where modeling and aerial surveillance indicate a greater potential for shoreline impact. Anyone who locates oil on the shore should avoid contact and report the sighting to [phone].

Fish and Wildlife Operations Continue to Expand
Assistant Secretary of Fish and Wildlife and Parks Tom Strickland visited Robert, Port Fourchon and Delta National Wildlife Refuge to oversee wildlife rescue missions and plans. Fish and Wildlife Service is working to expand their operations further to the west pursuant to reports of the oil spill impacting assets in that direction. Up to 10 personnel will be based out of Grand Isle and a barge will be moved to Trinity Island. An additional helicopter has been obtained to assist with wildlife rescue missions.

Property Damage Claims Processed
The administration will continue to hold the relevant companies accountable for repairing the damage and repaying Americans who’ve suffered a financial loss. BP continues to process claims via its claims website (www.bp.com/claims) and its helpline (1-800-440-0858). BP reports that 23,451 claims have been opened, from which $27.8 million has been disbursed. No claims have been denied at this time. There are more than 420 claims adjusters on the ground. To file a claim, visit www.bp.com/claims or call BP’s helpline at 1-800-440-0858. Those who have already pursued the BP claims process and are not satisfied with BP’s resolution, can call the Coast Guard at [phone].

Controlled Burn Conducted
Favorable weather conditions allowed responders to conduct a successful controlled burn operation. As part of a coordinated response that combines tactics deployed above water, below water, offshore, and close to coastal areas, controlled burns efficiently remove oil from the open water in an effort to protect shoreline and wildlife.

By the Numbers to Date:
- Personnel were quickly deployed and more than 22,000 are currently responding to protect the shoreline and wildlife.

- More than 1,150 vessels are responding on site, including skimmers, tugs, barges, and recovery vessels to assist in containment and cleanup efforts—in addition to dozens of aircraft, remotely operated vehicles, and multiple mobile offshore drilling units.

- More than 1.73 million feet of containment boom and 730,000 feet of sorbent boom have been deployed to contain the spill—and approximately 275,000 feet of containment boom and 1.25 million feet of sorbent boom are available.

- Approximately 10.2 million gallons of an oil-water mix have been recovered.

- Approximately 785,000 gallons of total dispersant have been deployed—685,000 on the surface and 100,000 subsea. More than 340,000 gallons are available.

- 17 staging areas are in place and ready to protect sensitive shorelines, including: Dauphin Island, Ala., Orange Beach, Ala., Theodore, Ala., Panama City, Fla., Pensacola, Fla., Port St. Joe, Fla., St. Marks, Fla., Amelia, La., Cocodrie, La., Grand Isle, La., Shell Beach, La., Slidell, La., St. Mary, La.; Venice, La., Biloxi, Miss., Pascagoula, Miss., and Pass Christian, Miss.

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[phleshdef]

1. The government has undeniably delivered an active response to this.

Just because the President didn't also attempt to make a big, hollywood-esque production out of it doesn't change that fact.

[NJmaverick]

2. K & R!

[one_voice]

3. Wish I could rec..

again..

So here's a kick.

[jenmito]

4. K&R. Did you see Bobby Jindal a while ago complaining about things he supposedly

has to "take into his own hands"? He was talking a mile a minute trying to appear on the case and upset, etc.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

5. Good

[damntexdem]

6. And also, Bobby, no-money-for-catastrophes, Jindal is criticizing Obama for a slow federal to ...

the catastrophe engulfing, en-Gulfing, Louisiana. Heroic levels of hypocrisy at work here.

[Jennicut]

9. Volcano monitoring is bad but when it comes to oil spills Bobby has his hand out.

[kenfrequed]

7. A few questions?

Percisely in what way is Salazar "holding BP accountable?" What does that mean? Are actions against them being taken? Are they being compelled to act in a manner contrary to their economic interest? How are we defining "Holding BP accountable?"

Aren't the dispersants just as toxic (if not moreso) than the oil itself?

I noted the figure 27.8 million dollars is being payed out in damage claims. Has BP waived the 75 million dollar maximum penalty as is laid out in the 1990 oil production act?

Since much of the oil is dense and below the surface has BP considered whether or not the burning would be succesful or whether or not the amount of dispersants would be too much and kill anything the oil plumes themselves happen to spare?

Is BP still pursuing the tactic of drilling relief wells 'to relieve pressure' that coincidentally would also allow them to maintain a drilling presence and access to the resources there?

[ProSense]

8. "Has BP waived the 75 million dollar maximum penalty "

Likely not, and increasing the cap failed in Congress.

(updated) Lisa Murkowski (R-ExxonValdez) opposes forcing oil companies to pay to clean up oil spills

by David Roberts

On the Senate floor a few moments ago, Sens. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J), and Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) asked for unanimous consent to pass their Big Oil Bailout Prevention Liability Act of 2010, which would raise the liability cap on offshore drilling accidents from $75 million to $10 billion. Unanimous consent simply means the bill passes without all the usual Senate procedural folderol.

Now, ask yourself: Who could object to this? Does anyone really think BP should only have to pay $75 million -- a drop in the bucket relative to what's necessary; an even smaller drop in the bucket of BP's profits -- to clean up the Gulf oil catastrophe? What possible justification could there be for objecting? Surely if anything deserves unanimous consent, it's this, right?

You underestimate the Republican party. None other than Alaska Republican Lisa Murkowski stood up to object. Yes, the senator from the state that got hammered by the Exxon Valdez spill objected to raising the liability cap.

And what was her argument? If the liability cap is raised, that might exclude small oil companies from being able to get the insurance and financing necessary to drill offshore. After all, only the oil giants could afford $10 billion. That is to say: only the oil giants can afford to clean up after themselves.

You're not dreaming. That's really the argument. Murkowski wants small, independent oil companies to be able to privatize the profits of offshore drilling but offload the financial risks to the public. And she frames it as avoiding a "Big Oil monopoly" on drilling. She's just defending mom-and-pop oil shops! The gall is breathtaking.

more

[kenfrequed]

11. What a despicable person

How does she sleep at night?

Seriously her positions and actions border on the sociopathic.

[phleshdef]

10. Dispersants overall are nowhere near as harmful as the oil itself.

For one thing, dispersants used in deep waters tend to only persist for a short time. Yes, they do introduce more toxicity to the environment, but its a toxicity that doesn't "live" nearly as long as a bunch of oil does. The taint from all that unchecked oil can last for decades.

[kenfrequed]

13. Fair enough

But isn't the short term intensity of the toxin fairly bad. Additionally how effective are they in dealing with the muddy oil saturation that occurs along the banks or in the sediment? To effect all of that wouldn't the dispersant need to be insinuated into all of theses areas?

And what of any of my other questions?

[Cha]

12. THanks, PS.