May, 14 2010, 12:45pm EDT
Burgeoning Oil Disaster Exposes Need for Immediate Halt to New Offshore Oil
Despite unfolding catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico, Shell Oil plans for new offshore drilling in Alaskan Arctic move forward
VENICE, LA
While news reports reveal
official estimates may be underestimating the quantity of oil spreading
into the Gulf of Mexico, Greenpeace is on the Gulf Coast conducting
independent assessment of the environmental impacts and calling for an
immediate stop to new offshore oil drilling. Yesterday, Shell Oil moved
closer to begin exploratory drilling in the Alaskan Arctic this July as
a federal appeals court rejected efforts to block the plan.
"As countless millions of gallons of
crude oil continue to spread into the Gulf of Mexico with no end in
sight, it is outrageous that plans for Shell to move forward with
offshore oil drilling in pristine waters of the Alaskan Arctic have not
been stopped," said John Hocevar, Greenpeace Oceans Campaign Director,
"The courts have failed to protect the Arctic from the oil industry's
continued assault, so now it's up to Secretary of the Interior Ken
Salazar to pull the plug on this risky and potentially disastrous plan."
On the Gulf Coast, Greenpeace oil expert Paul Horsman is providing
independent assessment of the impacts of the ongoing disaster,
including aerial surveys, documentation, and monitoring in the
Mississippi Delta and Gulf of Mexico on Greenpeace's boat, the "Billy
Greene."
"The Deepwater Horizon tragedy shows that BP is conducting a massive
experiment both by drilling so deep and by it's attempts to stop the
spill," said Paul Horsman, Greenpeace oil spill expert, "Unfortunately
these experiments, with unknown consequences have so far proved
disastrous, and could have grave implications for the people who live
around the Gulf of Mexico, the economy, and the environment. Allowing
drilling to move forward in the Polar region in the face of the tragedy
unfolding in the Gulf is at best foolhardy."
Today, citing reports questioning the credibility of BP's estimates of
the magnitude of the spill, Rep. Edward Markey-D MA sent an
investigatory letter to BP to gauge the true amount of oil flowing into
the Gulf.
"It is hard to find credible what we are hearing from BP and the
government considering that some reports show conservatively the spill
could be 10 times larger than what BP is saying," said Damon Moglen,
Greenpeace Climate and Energy Campaign Director, "Greenpeace commends
Rep. Markey for his inquiry and we demand that the government take
control of providing credible information to the pubic."
Related news stories
- Gulf oil spill
Notes to Editor
To
arrange an interview with Greenpeace oil experts on the Gulf Coast, in
Washington DC, or Alaska, please contact Joe Smyth, Greenpeace Media
Officer, joe.smyth@greenpeace.org, 831-566-5647
Paul Horsman is a marine biologist with over 25 years experience at
the forefront of campaigning on environmental and peace issues in many
countries across the globe. Paul's first oil spill encounter was in
1979 as a marine biologist working in the UK, and since then he has
responded to oil spills all over the world including the Exxon Valdez.
Video, photos and more are available at https://www.greenpeace.org/stopdrilling
Greenpeace is a global, independent campaigning organization that uses peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future.
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