oil has hit pensacola beach

[Lejardin]

What I don't understand is why the states affected don't do whatever they can to protect their coast NOW, and bill the government and BP for it?

 

I know Louisiana finally decided to go ahead and build a berm or two before it was finally authorized.

 

Florida's governor has already requested $100 million from BP. We already have received $50 million. Many coastal counties already have task forces in place and plans are underway. Local marine laboratories such as Mote have extensive information already on the spill and have plans to address the oil spill if, and when it reaches Florida's coastlines. So, yes, we are doing something now. I know many people who have signed up for volunteer efforts as well.

[conchead]

As long as we are dependent on fossil fuels we will have drilling with risk of disaster. Refineries blow up natural gas plants catch on fire. People complain when gas is 5 dollars a gallon. We complain about BP then walk out to our car drive to the store.

BP didn't use a device that cost so much to buy and install. Do you think car manufacturers would put in air bags at a substatial cost if it were not required? Say what you want but they met all the government standards that were required. Until we start to use less fossil fuel and don't want to be paying high prices for foreign oil then we are all to blame.

I say quit the blame game and polital hearings and stop the leak. Worry about politics and getting lawyers rich once the leak has been stopped!!!

 

 

I agree 100%

However, this will never fly, the press is loving every

minute of it. They are always looking for a way to make the

story bigger and better than their competition, while at the

same time trying to appear that they really care!!

[lowbass]

Sad for Louisiana, Florida and ???

 

Amazing that in age of texting, email, etc., BP and the government are unable/unwilling to deal with this.

 

 

Come on now, do you really, really think that our government or BP want this to happen???? This is going to cost BP a LOT of money and it's also going to cost our government a LOT of money and it will be years, and years before the affected areas are right again. Who in their right mind would want any of this.

[Sargent_Schultz]

Florida's governor has already requested $100 million from BP. We already have received $50 million. Many coastal counties already have task forces in place and plans are underway. Local marine laboratories such as Mote have extensive information already on the spill and have plans to address the oil spill if, and when it reaches Florida's coastlines. So, yes, we are doing something now. I know many people who have signed up for volunteer efforts as well.

 

Doesn't sound like BP is foot dragging.

[lowbass]

The best thing for the President to do now is actually to step out of the way and let the experts and the local officials do whatever is necessary to fight the oil. When the federal government sat on its hands and didn't give the state and local governments the permits that they needed to start building protective barriers a month ago, and the President didn't push those federal agencies to issue those permits ASAP, then the President and those federal agencies can and should be held responsible for the oil covering the wetlands and beaches now. It makes for great political soundbites to issue platitudes like "I care" and "I'm in charge and take full responsibility", but I have seen no sense of urgency on the part of the President or federal agencies in preventing the oil from reaching our shores. The Gulf Coast doesn't need any more quickie politically-expedient visits by the President every couple of weeks; we need real action in order to avert an even greater catastrophe. :mad:

 

 

And once the bills start coming in and we(the tax payers) have to start paying them since BP will be crying that they have lost so much money and they can't afford it who do you think is going to get blamed for that? Our President of course. He is in a "no win" situation. You think he hasn't done enough, there's a lot of people who think he's done to much since there are multi-billion dollar companies like BP, Halilbirton and Transocean that are involved in this mess and they have more knowledge on how to fix it.

[sjn911]

Robert Redford's video about the oil spill called "The Fix":

 

 

Thank you for this post. I have not seen this. I was living in Oregon for Valdez. This is so much worse..and all the missed lessons in safeguards and disaster clean-up. It has been a horrible lesson and we are still at the relative beginning...

 

Empathy and prayers to the vastly effected reigons first...and to us all for finding better ways..sjn.

[Sargent_Schultz]

The Gulf Coast doesn't need any more quickie politically-expedient visits by the President every couple of weeks; we need real action in order to avert an even greater catastrophe. :mad:

 

Every time he visits, more things get done. He should consider renting a condo.

[EaglesRock]

And once the bills start coming in and we(the tax payers) have to start paying them since BP will be crying that they have lost so much money and they can't afford it who do you think is going to get blamed for that? .

BP has already said they will pay for the for the cleanup effort and the federal government has already said it will hold BP financially responsible so your point is moot. BP is still making plenty of money even now and can definitely afford it; besides, they have plenty of assets that we can seize if they fail to reimburse the government for the cleanup. The main point is that the government cannot sit back and wait for BP to clean up this mess; it needs to use whatever resources are necessary to get the job done now and send BP the bill.

[SailorNYC]

Hulamoon asked: "Does anyone know if there are volunteer activities that would be helpful?"

 

CNN published a list of organizations that are accepting volunteer help, donations and other items:

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/04/30/impact.oil.spill/index.html

 

The individual states have their own sites, but I have not seen anything for Texas.

 

Alabama

http://www.servealabama.gov/2010/OilSpill/OilSpillinfo.aspx

 

Florida

http://www.volunteerfloridadisaster.org/

 

Louisiana

http://www.volunteerlouisiana.gov/

 

Mississippi

http://www.volunteermississippi.org/1800Vol/OpenIndexAction.do#Gulf%20of%20Mexico%20Oil%20Spill%20Response

 

More environmental and other organizations that are working on the spill and accepting volunteers, donations, or other resources:

http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/stories/army-of-volunteers-needed-for-gulf-oil-spill-cleanup

 

The Mother Nature Network also posts non-mainstream press reports of the catastrophe in the Gulf:

http://www.mnn.com/eco-glossary/oil-spill

[SailorNYC]

If you have been affected by the gushing oil, BP has a claims process outlined on their site:

 

http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/go/doc/2931/542307

 

 

Good luck! My heart goes out to anyone who has been (or will be) affected by this catastrophic, negligent event, which is destroying our beautiful sea and all its life.

[Sargent_Schultz]

If you have been affected by the gushing oil, BP has a claims process outlined on their site:

 

http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/go/doc/2931/542307

 

This is actually a site maintained by the Unified Command's Joint Information Center, of which BP is obviously a participant. Some of the others can be found listed here:

 

http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/go/doc/2931/541571

 

For Louisiana, I might contact the Audubon Institute to see if they are accepting volunteers

 

http://www.auduboninstitute.org/gulf-oil-spill-resources

[Lejardin]

Doesn't sound like BP is foot dragging.

 

'foot dragging' is the least of their worries. My point is that we ARE taking proactive measures to mitigate the damages of their 'f-up'.

[SailorNYC]

Sargent Schultz, The link I posted is correct. Please do not respond to anything I post ever again. I do not wish to engage in conversation with someone who thinks this catastrophe is not a big deal.

 

As it says on the top of the page:

 

BP Claims Information

 

PROCESS FOR SUBMISSION OF DEEPWATER HORIZON INCIDENT CLAIMS

 

BP has established an Online Claim Form as well as a Claims Line for oil spill-related claims.

 

Again, if anyone needs to make a claim against BP the site is as follows:

http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/go/doc/2931/588263/

 

The Audubon Society (and the correct links for volunteers) is one of the MANY organizations on the lists I sent.

[Sargent_Schultz]

Sargent Schultz, The link I posted is correct. Please do not respond to anything I post ever again. I do not wish to engage in conversation with someone who thinks this catastrophe is not a big deal.

 

You stated it is BP's website. It is not.

 

The spill is obviously a big deal. Please do not put words in my mouth.

[futaba951]

Gee Sarge, what did you do now?

[firefly333]

You stated it is BP's website. It is not.

 

The spill is obviously a big deal. Please do not put words in my mouth.

 

I had someone on CC call me "clueless" on another oil thread, and rather than engage them in useless conversation, I now have a ignore list of one person. :D

 

If someone has to resort to name calling or telling you not to talk to them, they probably aren't mature enough for adult conversation. Just let them go, people know better. This oil spill emotions seem to be running higher than normal.

[Sargent_Schultz]

Sheesh. Works for me. Just because I'm from Louisiana, I guess that means I know nothing. :D

[futaba951]

I had someone on CC call me "clueless" on another oil thread, and rather than engage them in useless conversation, I now have a ignore list of one person. :D

 

If someone has to resort to name calling or telling you not to talk to them, they probably aren't mature enough for adult conversation. Just let them go, people know better. This oil spill emotions seem to be running higher than normal.

 

It's ironic to me that a lot of the people that are hyperventilating about the spill are the ones who don't live in the path of the oil. I live 3 miles from the Gulf in AL and we have been having tar balls for over a week and some mousse washing up for a couple days now. The smell of the oil is in the air. Smells like kerosene. As seriously as we take it, we can't do a freakin thing about any of it.

[momto3sons]

I think he said something about not building an ark.

But, I'm hoping he can talk the President into renting our condo, because no one else will.

We have been blessed, we survived hurricanes, tropical storms, and the downfall of our economy. We are thankfully not one of the many in forclosure because we didn't have to have ours rented all of the time.

I am thankful to live so close to the Gulf. I have spent several weeks every summer of my life on these beautiful beaches, amongst some really wonderful people, and so have my children. I am sick about what is happening.

I realize that it is not the end of the world and I should just suck it up, but that doesn't help the way I feel right now. This is my land and these are my people. It feels like a death to many of us.

[futaba951]

We are thankfully not one of the many in forclosure

 

Rats!! I will never get to meet you in person if you keep up with your payments. :D

[SailorNYC]

Firefly333, since you've never had a conversation with me, you have no idea who I am, yet you jump in and judge me. Shame on you. But... thanks for the tip about the "ignore feature"!!

 

SS jumps in whenever anyone says something about the oil spill. He has stated that the only data are that 11 people have died. I have taken what he has written to mean that the oil spill is not a big deal. If I misunderstood his words, than I stand corrected. However, I feel it is NOT an exaggeration to state that he does everything he can to downplay the catastrophe.

 

I have argued that there are more facts to this catastrophe than the 11 people who tragically lost their lives.

 

Futaba - I do not believe people are hyperventilating. What I feel you are hearing is people who care. In my humble opinion, thinking that there is nothing we can do about it adds to and furthers the problem.

 

Momsto3sons and to JJ who started this thread and to all who are affected by the catastrophe - I am so sorry for you and all of us.

[momto3sons]

Rats!! I will never get to meet you in person if you keep up with your payments. :D

And I'm so cute too!

Honestly, I envy your ability to emotionally distance yourself from this.

[futaba951]

Futaba - I do not believe people are hyperventilating. What I feel you are hearing is people who care. In my humble opinion, thinking that there is nothing we can do about it adds to and furthers the problem.

 

 

The problem is that there are a lot of folks who would love to volunteer their time, but, if they don't go through the hazmat training, they can't work. There are a lot of boat owners and fishermen who want to sign on to work, but, they must have a vessel fifty feet in length or larger. BP is turning away a lot of help because of these regulations. I don't know who makes these regulations, but, at this point in time they just need to throw some of this BS out and accept all comers. This is where a lot of the local outrage is coming from. It's not as simple as just showing up at the beach with boots and gloves.

[Sargent_Schultz]

The 11 people who were incinerated on the rig were Americans, yet others seem to think this is some conspiracy by some foreign, heartless corporation with no connections to America. At least one died trying to keep the rig from coming in. As for foreign, heartless corporations, they are no different than the native, heartless corporations.

 

All of the causes are not known and will not be known until the investigation is complete. It is important to get to the root causes and address those - get it right the first time and not have to go through this again. That will take time.

 

The oil spill is not the biggest in the gulf nor the biggest worldwide. Nature has done an amazing job of cleaning those up. There is a case for letting nature clean most of this one up. We could easily make things worse.

 

We can't accurately predict where a hurricane will strike more than a few days out, yet some are predicting where oil will be in weeks or months? Amazing.

 

This is not the end of the world or life in general. We will survive. The animals will survive, including the damn nutria. There is still life around the wellhead. Lots of it. There is still life in the sea.

 

The ARK reference was for any who think this is the end of the world. They should perhaps start gathering animals so they can repopulate the Earth.

 

Actually Audubon is keeping rescued turtles safe and not releasing them, so some of the turtles are covered.

 

It is clear that some are thinking with their emotions and speculation and not the actual data that is known.

 

I think I'm done with all of this, and will go back to stuffing the ballot box, me.

[futaba951]

And I'm so cute too!

Honestly, I envy your ability to emotionally distance yourself from this.

 

My company manages foreclosures and handles evictions for mortgage companies. Hopefully we will never meet. (Under those circumstances) :)