GULF COAST, NATION RECOVER FROM OIL SPILL by Paul Harmon
August 30, 2010
Filed under News, Top Stories
GULF OF MEXICO– Many are hoping that the end of the worst oil spill in the history of the United States is imminent after British Petroleum, BP, installed a cap on the damaged well that gushed oil since springtime. Now, political leaders, oil-industry executives, and consumers are all asking the same question.
What now?
The spill began at the Deepwater Horizon well on April 20 after an explosion that killed 11 and opened up the floodgates for incomprehensible amounts of oil to spew into the Gulf.
Oil spilled at a rate of somewhere between 35 to 60 thousand barrels a day until July 15, when a temporary cap was placed on the damaged well.
As a result of the mess, Americans can expect to see the Obama administration lead a push towards more stringent oil rig safety regulations after investigations have found that both BP and the Government played a role in creating the problem.
The Deepwater Horizon rig was allowed to be managed unsafely, an investigative report by the Associated Press says.
The report alleges that “the federal Minerals Management Service conducted at least 16 fewer inspections aboard the Deepwater Horizon than it should have,” and also points out that “the rig was allowed to operate without safety documentation.”
Political fallout has only just begun.
The MMS was reorganized into the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement, or BOEMRE in June in order to more effectively manage oil drilling operations. However, more regulatory measures can be expected on Capitol Hill’s docket.
“In a perfect world, the feds would be able to regulate oil rigs,” Senior Joey Frampton said. “People in charge of domestic drilling need to be held accountable.”
Investigations into the causes of the spill have only begun, and controversy is now rampant over the President’s role in the process.
Junior Caden Gaurmer wasn’t impressed.
“It took so long for the federal government to do anything about the oil spill,” he said. “[They didn’t] allow the Louisiana Governor to put up barriers in the ocean to stop the oil from spreading to the coast.”
Whatever happens will be sure to ignite controversy in Washington as Democrats expect to push for more regulatory measures to bar such problems against a strong GOP resistance.
“A lot of Republicans have their hands deep in oil money,” Frampton said. “It’s clear that Republicans don’t want to [work] with Dems and vice-versa.”
However, Washington D.C. is not the only area in the limelight. Aside from this largely political drama is the tragic plight of Gulf Coast’s people, many of whom have suffered economically.
Oil has infiltrated nearly the entire Gulf coast ranging from Texas to Florida, obscuring vast areas of seawater, washing up on beaches, and causing all sorts of trouble. The fishing industry, which plays a major role in the economy of the area, has been devastated.
Frampton visited the Eastern coast of Texas earlier this summer and saw the damage firsthand.
“I had a conversation with a shrimp salesman who said that it’s amazing how much the shrimp industry has been affected. A lot of fishermen have to find other jobs,” he said.
The commercial fishing industry was closed down by the Food and Drug administration in an endeavor to avoid contaminated seafood ending up on consumer’s plates. However, the agency has not given a timeline for re-opening the Gulf, and with each day that passes, the 600 million dollar industry employing thousands of people loses valuable revenue.
In response, BP has started a 20 billion dollar claims fund to repay Gulf-area workers whose incomes have been affected.
A press release by BP Chief Executive Tony Hayward states, “we have fully accepted our obligations as a responsible party…our top priority is to contain the spill, clean up the oil and mitigate the damage to the Gulf coast community. We will not rest until the job is done.”
“BP should step in and compensate these people,” Frampton said. “They need to be held responsible. That isn’t the [federal government’s] job.”
Junior Brandon Mills agreed, saying, “It should probably be paid by B.P. My tax money doesn’t deserve to get wasted because of [the spill].”
Regardless of what happens as the process of cleaning up ensues, the spill is sure to have long-lasting effects on American oil industry and on its people, including students at GJHS.
“It did not give oil a good reputation,” Gaurmer said. “I do think that this accident is going to be used as an example that oil should no longer be a part of the nation. I have faith in the American people that they won’t let that happen.”
