BP’s containment dome didn’t work to stop the Deepwater Horizon’s oil geyser, which is spewing anywhere from 210,000 to 2.5 million gallons of oil per day. Yesterday the EPA announced that it has approved further use by BP of chemical dispersants, both on the surface and underwater, even though the agency notes that
“The effects of underwater dispersant use on the environment are still widely unknown, which is why we are testing to determine its effectiveness first and foremost. If it is determined that the use of this dispersant underwater is effective and that BP may continue its use,the Federal government will require regular analysis of its impact on the environment, water and air quality, and human health. We reserve the right to discontinue the use of this dispersant method if any negative impacts on the environment outweigh the benefits.”
It’s not Dawn dish soap, no matter how BP and the government spin it. “Testing” on a grand scale in the biologically diverse and important Gulf of Mexico and then deciding over time if the negative impacts might outweigh the benefits? (more…)
Topics:
Environment,
Environmental Protection Agency,
Free Agency
Tags:
BP,
chemical dispersant,
corexit,
dispersant,
Environmental Protection Agency,
Gulf of Mexico,
ocean,
oil,
oil spill
Who knew? Turns out there’s an oil company called BP that is responsible for releasing petrochemicals into the environment without telling people. James C. McKinley, Jr. reports in the New York Times on BP’s latest travesty in Texas (they’re good at creating disasters over in Louisiana, but in Texas they’ve outdone themselves — it’s all about being consistent). (more…)
