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Toxic Beaches Remain in Shadow of Latest Rig Explosion
Another Oil Rig Explodes as Labor Day Crowds May Come to Polluted Louisiana Beaches
As I was writing an article in Venice, Louisiana about my last two days in the Louisiana Gulf area doing research on the effects of the BP oil gusher, the news broke of another oil rig-production platform exploding in the gulf 80 miles south of Vermillion Bay. At this time, Coast Guard helicopters and ships are heading for the burning oil rig where 13 crewmen on the rig have abandoned the rig. Apparently no oil drilling was occurring when the explosion occurred.
However, the effects of BP’s Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion are still widespread and dangerous. The past two days I have been in Grand Isle, Louisiana and Venice talking with clean-up workers, scientists and shrimpers about the effects of BP’s 206 million gallon oil gusher that filled the Gulf of Mexico in the 100 days the broken pipe remained uncapped. BP's Deepwater Horizon rig exploded April 20, 2010 and killed 11 workers. It was finally capped on July 15, 2010.
On the wide beaches of Grand Isle, the community is getting ready for the beaches to open for the Labor Day weekend, even though oil clean up on the beach continues. BP has a large sand cleaner set up on the beach. Oil laden sand is dumped into a chemical and hot water machine. A liquid goo comes out with oil and chemicals poured into a large tanker and the tanker is dumped at a “safe” site. Clumps of oil and sand that cannot be dissolved are dumped into trash dumpsters to be taken to a nearby dump. Clean sand is returned to the beach. This daily routine has slowly moved down the beach leaving “clean sand” until the next tide comes in bringing more oil. One beach clean-up worker told me at a restaurant he would certainly not let his family swim in the waters off Grand Isle or anywhere in the Gulf affected by the oil.
Several miles away, next to the last bridge before getting to Grand Isle, a clean-up crew is shoveling oil sand off a sand spit and putting it into large white sacks. One of the workers said that every tide brings in another layer of oil, coming in from the bottom on the bay, slowly moving onto the beach with sand covering it up until the workers arrive the next morning to begin the shoveling task again.
Shrimpers in the Port Fourchon area are working as oil cleaners rather than going out shrimping. I met several shrimpers as they got off a large ship that had taken them to outer beaches and islands to clean overnight. Huge white bags of oil sand were on the ship. One of the shrimpers (who did not want to be identified) said that while other shrimping areas had opened, the ones around Grand Isle had not—and for good reason according to the shrimper. “There is too much oil out there.”
One cleaner said that one of the saddest things he has seen are dolphins swimming in chocolate waters, coming onto the beaches to die.
Clean-up personnel and many others living around the Gulf still have the effects of toxic exposure-from oil itself and from the 1.8 million gallons of dispersants used to break up the oil on the surface of the Gulf, driving small droplets from the surface.
Bad headaches, hacking coughs, stuffy sinuses, sore throats, rashes and other skin maladies are common symptoms of clean-up personnel and of others observing the oil slicks. The effects on family members of those involved in the clean-up have not been studied yet.
When asked about the government’s report that much of the oil had “disappeared” because of the effectiveness of the dispersants, one worker said, “That oil is out there somewhere and if it was Spanish treasure reported to be missing, they sure as hell would be trying to find it.”
For those ready to hit the beaches of the Gulf Coast this weekend for their last swim before autumn, the warning of a clean-up worker should be heeded—he is not letting his family swim.
13 Comments so far
Show AllI have been reading about the oil spill, and the government has a lot of information available in their website. According to what I see, most of the oil has indeed been removed from the environment. However, the oil spill was very large, therefore a small fraction of a large oil spill is evidently going to have an impact. I see the performance of the Obama administration to be quite professional, they have done a good job. And it appears many of the comments in the media are meant to undermine the president, because they lack hard facts. For example, this article above quotes an anonymous worker in a restaurant, and mentions some observations, but it fails to provide real figures. This would be such as what is the length of beach, in meters, which is fouled with oil, how much oil is being removed every day, how many animals are found every day covered with oil, or similar numbers. If i don't see the numbers, then I suspect this is just a Republican financed statement, or a knee jerk environmentalist tirade, without a serious basis. And this is intended to hurt the Democratic party in the forthcoming elections.
You may be the only one in the country who believes that most of the oil is gone. If you are so hung up with numbers, ask yourself where the 200 million gallons of oil went. The cleanup crews have not removed it. bacteria have not had enough time to decompose it. So where is it?
And your comment that the clean-up workers' comments are designed to destroy the Democrats are absurd. I am a yellow-dog Democrat but I am not wearing blinders. These people have had their lives destroyed. Their comments are understandable. The oil is still out there and will be coming up on the beaches for years.
A died in the wool Democrat?
How thirty years ago!
As hard as it is for me to admit it, I did vote for a Republican once - Nixon, in 1960 (mainly because I lived in Boston at the time and did not like the way the people there worshiped JFK and the entire Kennedy clan.
But I have been voting for Democrats every since. Sometimes I have to hold my nose to do it, but the alternative always seems worse.
Worried that the democrats might be hurt?? God Help Us!!
I'd like to drop a mountain on them and their republicorp counterparts. A single dolphin is worth more than the entire DC lot!
" I see the performance of the Obama administration to be quite professional, they have done a good job. And it appears many of the comments in the media are meant to undermine the president, because they lack hard facts." (braulioherrera)
I am sorry, but I disagree with you. I think the Obama Administration goes down as one of the worst in this nation's history. You say that those of us who see through his lies lack facts. Yet, time and time again the truth comes out that Obama lies again. He will go down as one of the worst Presidents and he deserves that title along with George W. Bush.
Tell me what is the big difference between Bush and Obama? Very little from where I sit.
To me you sound like another Democrat parrot who like the Republican parrots refuse to see the truth of your man in the office. You have blinders on like the Republican parrots who told us to stop bashing George W. Yet, those Democrats who bashed Bush are silent when Obama does the same thing as Bush and even takes things further. Why the double standard of it is a crime when Bush does it, but it is legal when Obama does the same thing.
Here is a fact for you. Independents and Third Party like me see through Obama and the double standard of you Democrats who lack the moral backbone to stand up against the corruption within your own party. You are the ones in power now so the corrutpion that is happening now is happening on your watch. I wanted to throw up when Republicans refused to do the morally right thing and I want to throw up when Democrats refuse to do the morally right thing and stand up and fight for truth, justice, and honor. All of those which Obama has spit in the face of. Obama the man you Democrats say is a man of truth, lies all the time. Justice, that is another principle that Obama continues to ignore because if he did believe in justice he wouldn't be taking spying on American citizens further then Bush did, would he? Now the government can use gps to spy on us without having an warrant. Honor, is another principle that Obama knows nothing about, because if he did he would not be the President who tells the most lies to the American people, would fight for the Consitution instead of stripping our rights away by his spying on us without warrents.
If we have any hope to save this country from the self destructive, and sucidal path we are on; it will take us Americans to be honest with ourselves and maybe even have to make the hard choice of leaving both the corrupted parties of Democrat and Republican. We must get off the two party merry go round that does NOTHING. It is insane to believe that we can continue to do the same thing with different results. Our two parties are beyond repair and the solution will not be found by voting Democrat or Republican because they both are corrupted and serve their corporate masters and not the American people. They can say they care about the American people, but that too turns out to be just another lie they parrot around election time.
I am not attacking you or trying to bully you, so please do not accuse me of that, just because I state my opinion. I just get tired of the misconception put out by Democrats that anyone who dares to think Obama is not a good President is racist and hates him because he is half Black. That is a lie. I wanted Obama to succeed. He comes from Hawaii. Anyone who has connections to Hawaii wanted him to succeed. Yet, time and time again he shows that he has very little regard for truth, justice or honor. I oppose him because I think he is a man with very little moral character. Lying may not mean anything to the Democrats who continue to support him, because they justify it by saying everyone lies; yet to this Catholic woman if you have a President who you do not know if he is telling the truth when speaking then he is not a good President.
Lying is a major problem and I will oppose anyone in public office who LIES. Whites lie, Blacks lie, Mexicans lie too. My oppositon isn't because he is half Black because I have met some of the most finest people in this world who are Black and have a strong moral backbone. It was my joy to pray and stand beside them because they had a deep Christian faith. They valued truth, justice, and honor; unlike Obama. My oppostion is because Obama LIES and shows me he has no regard for truth.
Again I am sorry if I upset you with my remarks. We must as a nation start to value honesty again. If we continue to allow people who LIE, disregard JUSTICE, and have no real HONOR then we will continue to see our nation sprial to its destruction.
You will be old and grey before you find a politician who does not lie. I don't think that Diogenese ever did. I think it was I.F. Stone who said that all governments lie.
I would just like to find one who does some good, for whatever reason.
"I see the performance of the Obama administration to be quite professional, they have done a good job."
I would have to agree with this, He shows the same level of professionalism as the girls I see getting rounded up by the cops late nights. He has done a very good job acting as a spokesman for BP throughout this.
You ask the original author to provide hard facts and figures about the extent of the damage, yet how could such hard data be available when the US military was turning away journalists at the point of a gun when they tried to gather some of this data.
To braulioherrera and others :
What you are hearing in the media is not always the truth!
The oil is NOT gone! The beaches are NOT clean and safe! And....President Obama DID NOT swim in the Gulf!!! Now...if HE won't swim in it with his daughter....should we?
I just returned from Grand Isle,La. last night. The beaches are riddled with oil and dispersant along the shoreline....frothy, bubbly, yellowy, oil stranded , toxic YUCK! I witnessed two small children swimming in that mess! Yet....the Mayor is keeping the zones 1-6 open to the public. I have pictures I took in the 'open to the public" zone posted on Dr. Riki Ott's facebook page. Go check them out....then tell me if all is well on the Gulf! I wouldn't let my dog swim in that mess....much less one of my family members.
I have spent several days in Grand Isle doing some community out-reach work...and what I can tell you is....Ann's article is right on the money...or perhaps a bit worse!
My story: As I was driving down to Grand Isle...and after crossing the toll bridge and driving a little way...I felt the air in my vehicle change...it got sorta heavy. Weird. Wondering what was up I rolled down my window.....immediatetly the membranes in my sinuses began to swell and there was a burning sensation. Like I had sniffed tiny particles of black pepper. Since I could no longer breathe through my nose I began to breathe through my mouth and my throat began a slow burn...a slow dry burn....and....my tongue began to tingle aand I had an odd taste on it. It was as though I had touched my tongue to the posts of a 9 volt battery...same after tingle...and same after taste. My voice became slighty hoarse. The hoarseness was noticable, but not bad. That was on August 25, 2010. Throughout my stay my throat had that burn and my sinuses were blocked...my voice stayed hoarse and the tingle stayed on my tongue. Curiously...on my way out of Grand Isle to head home on the 27th.. I went to the beach. An 'open to the public" zone of beach. (Laura Ln) There are still some zones closed. But this zone was open. I was appauled at what I saw there... and more appauled to witness children swimming there. What I saw is mentioned above. I took countless pictures and emailed them to various public officials as well as posting to various news media FB pages.
Before my return home last night I stopped by the same beach location and took more pictures. Although not quite as bad as the pics taken on the 27th...the shoreline was still a toxic mess! On Monday (Labor day) children and their families will be swimming in that toxic soup!!! I would assume that many coastal beaches are experiencing the same.
Ann reported that the beaches are being cleaned ....but the shoreline is not! There is still much embedded tar covering the shoreline.
Our President keeps saying the Gulf is safe...the Gulf is clean....sadly...it is NOT! :(
The bottom line is: Our Government is putting economic impact ahead of the impact on human health! They have misled John Q Public, they have lied....they have covered-up...they have lost credibiliy. From the President on down to the EPA...NOAA...FDA...USCG...LWLF..and the list goes on. WE, the Gulf Coast residents have been failed and decieved! We are growing sicker by the day and it seems our cries are falling on deaf bureaucratic ears!!!! God help us all!
It's not a republican thing...it's not a democratic thing...it's a money thing...and we.....the Gulf Coast have been sacrificed to the oil gods!!!
I know you're wanting to see numbers...but....one life lost or injured by this catastrophy is one life too many!
Feel free to email me for the pics @ susanprice@charter.net
Remember: It ain't over till the last oiled bird flies....even the dead ones. SFP
I agree that this not a political partisan issue, more the result predatory oil industry practices and environmental health indifference. This isn't an isolated incident, it happens all over the world. Even the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge that had national protective status and took an act of congress to change to allow a private company to extract national resources. This is just another example of a destructive industry that operates globally with impunity. Protect yourself and your loved ones because industry standards don't. Ann Wright is one person that will tell the truth and she attracts a lot of disinformation trolls.
Please let me add that I voted for President Obama. I supported him heart and soul. Stood patiently waiting on the side of the road in Grand Isle on his second visit...just to get a glimpse of him.....my President...the one I cast my treasured vote for! Even argued with friends on his behalf. But that's changed now...it changed the day I saw his Florida vacation Photo-Op! It all changed when he said "Come to the Gulf Coast! It's safe...it's clean!
........He lied! And now I feel betrayed!
Check out Fox's outrageous propaganda regarding oil shale production:
http://video.foxnews.com/v/3918546/untapped-resource
A fantastic specimen of modern Corporatist propaganda masquerading as news. Share this one.
And here's a link to a report by the Rand Corp, (no bunch of wild-eyed environmentalist, socialist liberals, them guys):
http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/2005/RAND_MG414.pdf
You can find information in this peer-reviewed report that disproves nearly every fact, undermines nearly every argument, and demonstrates that oil shale at best is a dirty, expensive, inefficient way to pull oil out of the earth.
By the way, I'm not pointing this out because it's news to anyone that FOX is a right-wing corporate propaganda machine, but folks should know why it is that so few Americans understand what the hell is going on with the fossil fuel situation or anything else for that matter.
"You can find information in this peer-reviewed report that disproves nearly every fact, undermines nearly every argument, and demonstrates that oil shale at best is a dirty, expensive, inefficient way to pull oil out of the earth. "
I agree with what you say here about Oil Shale, but you have to dig very deep into the Rand report to find suppor for your statements. Looking at the thing, I find just another report that says what the people who paid for it want to hear: that there are problems but nothing that cannot be overcome with time and effort, and that the effort is worthwhile because of the extent of the resource base in oil shales.
Having worked for a consulting firm once, I know that these guys say exactly what they are paid to say.