by: wilma subra & marylee orr louisiana environmental action network paul orr lower mississippi...
TRANSCRIPT
By:Wilma Subra & Marylee Orr
Louisiana Environmental Action NetworkPaul Orr
Lower Mississippi Riverkeeper
Washington, DCNovember 2, 2011
Wilma Subra
The following personal financial relationships with commercial interests relevant to this presentation existed during the past 12 months.
“No relationships to disclose”
Deepwater Horizon exploded and burned on April 20, 2010
◦ 11 workers were killed
◦ The Deepwater Horizon rig sank to the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico on Earth Day, April 22, 2010
◦ Crude Oil flowed into the Gulf of Mexico for 87 days from the well head 5,000 feet below the surface of the Gulf of Mexico
172 million gallons of crude oil were released into the environment
1.84 million gallons of Corexit 9500 and 9527 were applied to the BP crude oil
For every 93 gallons of crude oil released into the environment by the BP spill, one gallon of dispersant was applied.
In addition to the very large BP crude oil spill, a very large dispersant release occurred in the Gulf of Mexico.
BP Crude oil mixed with dispersants hit the wetlands of coastal Louisiana 9 days after the Deepwater Horizon exploded
BP Crude oil migrated into the wetlands, marshes, estuaries and beaches of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and the panhandle of Florida
BP Crude oil continues to be present and wash shore along the wetlands, marshes, estuaries and beaches of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and the panhandle of Florida
BP Crude oil continues to be present in the subsurface waters of the Gulf of Mexico
with crude oil and dispersants
with dispersed crude oil
crude oil dispersed as an aerosol in the air
crude oil contaminated media and materials
crude oil contaminated beaches, marshes, wetlands, and terrestrial and aquatic organisms
crude oil located in the subsurface waters and bottom areas of the Gulf of Mexico and estuary systems
washing of contaminated worker clothing
chemicals in the air from the crude anddispersants
chemicals dispersed into the air fromcontaminated beaches, marshes, and wetlands
crude oil and dispersant aerosols products of incomplete combustion from
◦ burning of the crude oil and natural gas near the well head
◦ burning of the crude oil and dispersants on the surface of the Gulf
◦ burning of the crude oil contaminated marshes along the coastal areas
of crude oil and/or dispersants of dispersed crude oil and dispersants of contaminated aquatic and terrestrial
organisms and vegetation eating and drinking in the presence of
crude contaminated media
All Pathways of Exposure continue to be completed pathways of exposure except those
◦ due to burning of the crude oil, dispersant andnatural gas in the offshore areas near the wellhead
◦ dispersed crude oil and dispersants due to thecrude oil slick
Coastal Community members from New Iberia, Louisiana eastward across Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and the panhandle of Florida exposed to the aerosol of crude oil and dispersants which blew on shore when the crude oil slick was in the Gulf of Mexico.
BP and BP contracted cleanup workers including a large population of the commercial fisher community
Offshore workers exposed to the BP crude oil, dispersants, and air emissions from the burning of the crude and natural gas
Community members along the coastal areas of the Gulf of Mexico coming in contact with the crude oil and dispersants
Tourist visiting the coastal areas along the northern Gulf of Mexico
Recreational hunters and fishermen
Commercial fishermen harvesting seafood
Divers coming in contact with the crude oil slick and crude oil plumes in the water columns of the Gulf of Mexico
Soil/Sediment/Vegetation/Seafood
Oil Range Organic Petroleum Hydrocarbons Alkylated Polynuclear Aromatic
Hydrocarbons Dispersants Heavy Metals Human Blood Volatile Organic Chemicals
Wetlands and Ecosystem Soil/Sediment
Soil/Sediment from Atchafalaya Bay eastward to the Louisiana/Mississippi state line contained:
◦ 6 to 89 individual Alkylated Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) which corresponded to the fingerprint of the BP Louisiana Sweet Crude
Oil Range Organic Petroleum Hydrocarbons (ORO) up to 11,600 mg/kg (1/16%)
Sixty percent of the soil/sediment samples had up to 18 PAHs in excess of the Marine Sediment Screening Levels
All of the areas sampled had soil/sediments contaminated with Alkylated PAHs and Oil Range Organic Petroleum Hydrocarbons
Blue Crab◦ Oil Range Organics 2,230 to 3,583 mg/kg◦ Up to 4 Alkylated PAHs, Fluoranthene,
Naphthalene, Phenanthrene and Pyrene in concentrations from 84.6 to 162 ug/kg
Shrimp◦ Oil Range Organics 8,356 mg/kg◦ 5 Alkylated PAHs, Anthracene, Fluoranthene,
Naphthalene, Phenanthrene and Pyrene up to 69.4 ug/kg
Oyster◦ Oil Range Organics 8,815 to 12,500 mg/kg◦ Up the 4 Alkylated PAHs, Fluoranthene,
Naphthalene, Phenanthrene, and Pyrene in concentrations of 1.4 to 63 ug/kg
Mussel◦ Oil Range Organics 6,900 mg/kg◦ Alkylated PAHs Anthracene, 2-Methylnaphthalene,
Naphthalene, and Phenanthrene at a total concentration of 386 ug/kg
LEAN LMRK E-Alerts Immediately issues when data and
information became available Distributed to more than 3,000
◦ Grass Roots Environmental Organizations◦ National and International Environmental Org.◦ Governmental Agencies◦ Businesses◦ Media
Organizations receiving the E-Alerts distribute to their constituents and other organizations
Testing Results Returning With High LevelsReport by: Wilma SubraResults of sampling performed by the Lower Mississippi River Keeper in the Lower Atchafalaya Bay area on August 2, 2010
The shore of the Gulf of Mexico east of Oyster Bayou, where the Atchafalaya Bay meets the Gulf of Mexico, contained visible oil on the vegetation along the shore line. Soil in this location contained Carbon Disulfide, 378 mg/kg Hydrocarbons and six Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) (0.222 mg/kg). The oiled vegetation contained 2.3% Hydrocarbons and 31 PAHs (0.554 mg/kg) that corresponded strongly to the PAHs in the Deepwater Horizon Crude Oil spill. Samples of Blue Crab and Fiddler Crab contained 2,230 mg/kg hydrocarbons.Oysters sampled from a reef on Oyster Bayou in Atchafalaya Bay contained 8,815 mg/kg Hydrocarbons.
At the mouth of Pass-a-Loutre, in the reed vegetation along the shore of an island, a sediment sample was collected. The sediment contained 71 mg/kg Hydrocarbons and 14 PAHs (0.8713 mg/kg). The PAHs in the sample weakly support that the contaminants in the sediment are associated with the crude oil from the Deepwater Horizon. A muscle sample collected at this location contained 6,900 mg/kg Hydrocarbons and seven PAHs (0.386 mg/kg).
A sample of oysters was collected from oysters growing on an abandoned crab trap between Pass-a-Loutre and Redfish Bay. The oysters contained 12,500 mg/kg (1.25%) Hydrocarbons and two PAHs (0.063 mg/kg).
Along a beach area near Redfish Bay, samples were collected from a stained area along a sandy beach area and from a vegetated area behind the beach. The beach area had clean-up waste materials and supplies left behind by cleanup crews. A small water body adjacent to the beach had a boom in the water and a small boat used to place the poles that secured the boom was stained with oil. The beach area contained a number of tar balls.
Workshops in the areas where samples were collected
Workshops throughout the entire northern Gulf Coast to provide desperately needed information
Workshops at state, regional and national meetings
Developed fact sheets on health impacts associated with the BP crude and dispersants used
Issued video programs Worked with print, audio, and video media to
distribute information to the public
Educated communities about the status of the seafood in their areas
Provided risk reduction measures communities could utilize
Alerted agencies as to locations where contamination had been verified
Worked with agencies to perform additional testing of contaminated areas
Informed local, state and federal environmental and human health agencies
and policy makers
Headaches Difficulty Breathing Nausea Respiratory Impacts Vomiting Asthma Attacks Diarrhea Chemical Pneumonia Dizziness Chest Pains Confusion Skin Irritation, Damage Loss of Balance Eye, Nose, Throat, Lung Irritation Damage to Liver, Lungs, Kidneys Damage to Respiratory System
Decreased Lung Function Central Nervous System Effects Depression Neurological/Nervous System Damage Blood Disorders Damage to Red Blood Cells Blood Cancer – Leukemia, Aplastic
Anemia Immune System Damage and
Suppression Cardiovascular System Stress and
Damage Increased Severity of Chronic Obstructive
Pulmonary Dis. Gastrointestinal Disturbance Endocrine Disruption Hormone Level Disruption Genetic Damage, Mutations and Birth
Defects Reproductive and Developmental Damage
Infertility
Chemicals Detected in Excess of NHANES 95th Percentile
◦ Benzene 36 times◦ Ethylbenzene 10.7 times◦ m,p-Xylene 5.7 times
Results provided to individual tested Evaluation of results provided to individual
tested Data summaries by occupation and
exposure routes provided in reports Results of health surveys provided in
reports and presentations Retesting results after medical treatment
provided to individual tested
Individuals consist of: ◦ current cleanup workers ◦ former cleanup worker◦ Fishermen◦ Divers◦ coastal residents
Most Prevalent Health Symptoms Recorded by a Physician◦ Psychological damage/memory loss◦ GI Problems◦ Chest Pains◦ Cough
Eye, Nose and Throat Irritation Blurred Vision and Loss of
Vision Ear Infections Sore Throat Severe Coughing for many
months Croup like Cough Hoarseness Difficulty Breathing Shortness of Breathe Respiratory Distress Pneumonia Lung Irritation Asthma Attacks Decreased Lung Function
Chest Pains and Tightness Pulmonary Edema Bleeding from Nose, Eyes
and Ears Internal Bleeding Blood in Urine Rectal Bleeding Blood in Stool Diarrhea Nausea Vomiting Dizziness Weakness Loss of Balance Headaches Kidney Pain
Lower Back Pain Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary
Disease Abdominal Pain Gastrointestinal Disturbance Joint and Muscle Pain Weakness and Fatigue Seizures Loss of Weight Skin Irritation Burning and Lesions Nerves on Edge Mental Confusion Confusion Psychological damage Short Term and Long Term Memory
Loss Damage to Liver and Kidneys
Immune System Damage and Suppression
Central Nervous System Impacts
Cardiovascular System Stress Neurological/Nervous System
Damage Blood Disorders Damage to Red Blood Cells Aplastic Anemia Leukemia Chest Pain Heart Palpitations Hypertension Endocrine Disruption Hormone Level Disruption Miscarriages Metal taste in mouth Depression
Educated coastal communities, cleanup workers, health care and other governmental agencies with information on the health impacts experienced along the northern Gulf of Mexico
Correlated the experienced health impacts with those known to be associated with BP crude and dispersants
Identified the desperate need for health care and educated health care agencies concerning the large number of individuals needing health care
Identified pathways of exposure and mechanisms to reduce exposure