8/9/2019 The 2010 Gulf of Mexico Disaster

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1. Inaailuretoappropriatelyweighcostandbenefts,theU.SMineralsManagementService(MMS)decidedseveralyearsagonottorequireoshoredrillingrigstoincluderemote-controlledshut-omechanismsbecausetheytendtobeverycostly.

2. Despitea2008reportbyInspectorGeneralEarlDevaneydetailingthelackoaccountabilityandethicalstandardsatMMS,theBushadministrationandCongressailedtoactonthereportandreormtheagency.

3. Ahistoryospillsandrigfres,includingasignifcantpollutionincidentin2005,ailedtoraiseredagsaboutoperationsaboardtheDeepwaterHorizon.

4. OnApril6,2009,MMSgrantedBritishPetroleum(BP)acategoricalexclusion,exemptingthemromsubmitting

anenvironmentalimpactanalysisotheDeepwaterHorizonrigbecauseamassiveoilspillwasunlikely.

5. MultipleailuresleadtomalunctionsinsaetydevicesontheDeepwaterHorizonrig.

6. Inacatastrophicailure,onApril20,BPsDeepwaterHorizonrigintheGuloMexicoexploded,killing11workersandinjuring17others.OnApril22,therigsank.

7. TransoceanandBPdeclinedtocommentontheirdecisionnottoinvestinaback-upsaetyvalveortheDeepwaterHorizonrig,whichwouldhavecosttheoilgiant$500,000.(Note:BPmakes$93millioninproftsinasingleday.)

8. Roughweatherrenderedcleanuptechnologyineective,andhighwavesandstiwindskeptoilskimmersandotherenvironmentalcleanupvesselsromleavingport.

9. Underwaterrobotsubmarinesailedtoactivateemergencyshut-ovalveonwellhead.

10. Controlledburnsandchemicaldispersantstargetedoilslickonthewaterssurace,butdidnoteectivelytackleoilplumesspreadingthroughoutGulwaters.

11. Giantdomeloweredoverleakingwellailedtocontainoil.

12.Gulclosuresmeanaailedfshingseason,andlettheseaoodindustryscramblingtogathertheseasonsharvest.Louisianasseaoodindustryalonebringsin$2.4billionperyear.

13. Failuretolearnalesson:ShellintendstomoveorwardasplannedwithexploratoryoilandgasdrillingintheArcticsBeauortandChuckchiseasthissummer.eadministrationreusedtoputaholdonShellsactivitiesorthesummeroruntilacomprehensiveassessmentowhatwentwrongintheGuliscompleteeventhoughspillcleanupwouldbeevenmoredicultinanArcticsetting.

THE 2010 GULF OF MEXICO DISASTER

A Month of FailuresAnd Plans for the Future

OIL RIG U.S. COAST GUARD

On the 30-day anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon rigexplosion that has led to what may be one of the worst

environmental disasters this country has ever seen,

Defenders of Wildlife takes a look at 20 ways the oil industry

and our federal government have failed to keep us safe

from the dangers that offshore oil and gas drilling poses to

wildlife and coastal habitats. We also recommend 10 ways

that Congress and the administration can make changes

that could help prevent future oil catastrophes and mitigate

the impacts of the current crisis.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704423504575212031417936798.htmlhttp://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2010/05/04/04greenwire-warnings-on-backup-systems-for-oil-rigs-sounde-30452.htmlhttp://news.remedy.org.ua/226d1ce7/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/04/AR2010050404118.htmlhttp://online.wsj.com/article/SB20001424052748703339304575240323493707434.htmlhttp://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE63L4UG20100422http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/04/23/national/main6424464.shtmlhttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/04/23/national/main6424464.shtmlhttp://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704423504575212031417936798.htmlhttp://thinkprogress.org/2010/05/11/bp-four-days-spill/http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g5gnWbqZ9SqBHvSYqJeE2AT5KebwD9F9FUV01http://www.chron.chttp/www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N07274234.htmhttp:/www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N07274234.htmhttp://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/16/us/16oil.htmlhttp://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/16/us/16oil.htmlhttp://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/05/08/93778/gulf-oil-spill-setback-first-effort.htmlhttp://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/05/18/us/AP-US-Gulf-Oil-Spill-Commercial-Fishing.htmlhttp://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE64C62R20100513http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE64C62R20100513http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE64C62R20100513http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE64C62R20100513http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/05/18/us/AP-US-Gulf-Oil-Spill-Commercial-Fishing.htmlhttp://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/05/08/93778/gulf-oil-spill-setback-first-effort.htmlhttp://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/16/us/16oil.htmlhttp://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/16/us/16oil.htmlhttp://www.chron.chttp/www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N07274234.htmhttp:/www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N07274234.htmhttp://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g5gnWbqZ9SqBHvSYqJeE2AT5KebwD9F9FUV01http://thinkprogress.org/2010/05/11/bp-four-days-spill/http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704423504575212031417936798.htmlhttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/04/23/national/main6424464.shtmlhttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/04/23/national/main6424464.shtmlhttp://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE63L4UG20100422http://online.wsj.com/article/SB20001424052748703339304575240323493707434.htmlhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/04/AR2010050404118.htmlhttp://news.remedy.org.ua/226d1ce7/http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2010/05/04/04greenwire-warnings-on-backup-systems-for-oil-rigs-sounde-30452.htmlhttp://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704423504575212031417936798.html

8/9/2019 The 2010 Gulf of Mexico Disaster

2/2For the latest information on the Gulf oil disaster, visit www.defendersblog.org

DeendersoWildlie|113017thStreet,N.W.|Washington,D.C.20036|202.682.9400www.deenders.org

TEN OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

1. Protectourcoastlinesromutureoshoredrillingdisastersthroughimmediatereinstatementothemoratoriumonoshoreleasing,whetherbyexecutiveorderorcongressionalaction.

2. Expand the oshore drilling moratorium to include Alaskas Arctic Ocean, an ecologically vital region where oilspillcleanuptechnologydoesnotexistandwhereCoastGuardresponsecapabilitiesareseverelylimited.Includeamoratoriumonseismicandexploratorydrilling,proventoberisky,dangerousoperations.

3. RescindgovernmentapprovaloexploratorydrillingbyShellOil,duetobeginintheArcticinlessthan60days.

4. Passacleanclimateandenergybillthatdoesnotincludeincentivesoroshoredrilling.

5. Fundexpandedresponsecapacityornationalwildliereuges,estuarinereservesandothersensitiveareasintheGul

sothatthoseareaswillbeprotectedandrestoredasoilcomesashoreinthecomingweeksandmonths.

6. ProtectendangeredseaturtlesintheGulbyprovidingsucientundingorNationalOceanicandAtmosphericAdministration(NOAA),U.S.FishandWildlieService(FWS)andthestatestoshepherdbeaches,protecteggsandhelpnewlyemergedhatchlingsmakeitsaelytosea.

7. Provide emergency unding or NOAA and FWS to monitor and assess the impacts o the oil spill and dispersantchemicalsonimperiledwildliesuchasseaturtles;sperm,humpbackandfnbackwhales;Gulsturgeon;leastandroseateterns;andMississippisandhillandwhoopingcranes.

8. ProvideundingortheFWSEnvironmentalContaminantsProgramandNaturalResourceDamageAssessmentprograms, at the oreront o agency response to the Deepwater Horizon spill and other natural resource disasters.

9. EnsurethatBPpaystheullcostsothespillbyundingaNationalAcademyoSciencesone-yearstudyothelong-termecosystemserviceimpactsothespillonGulnaturalresources.

10. Form a new Gul Marine Ecosystem Landscape Conservation Cooperative co-led by NOAA and FWS to ocus oneortsthatwillbetteridentiywherebiologicalresourcesareinrelationtooilandgasinrastructureandrisk.

14. Boomsailedtokeepthespreadingoilslickrommakinglandall,andoilwasheduponshoresoBretonNationalWildlieReugeandintoLouisianascoastalmarshes ;tarballswasheduponDauphinIsland,Alabama.

15. AtSenatehearings,executivesromthethreecompaniesinvolvedintheGuloildisaster-BP,TransoceanandHalliburtonallailedtoacceptresponsibilityortheongoingcrisis.

16. InvestigationsshowedBPisusingdispersantchemicalsprovidedbyacompanywithlinkstotheoilgiant,andthathaveprovenlesseectiveandmoretoxicthanalternatives,accordingtotheEPA.

17. Congressailedtomakeadecisivemoveawayromdirty,dangerousossiluelsandpromotedoshoredrillinginabillintendedtomoveAmericantowardacleanenergyuture.

18.Inaailuretoacknowledgethescopeothedisaster,theamountooilbeingspilledintoGulwatersmaybeatleasttentimestheamountsreportedbyBPandederalagencies.

19. AnotherBPoilrigintheGul,theAtlantis,wasoundtobeoperatingwithincompleteandinaccurateengineeringdocuments.ABPocialwarnedthisdefciencycouldleadtocatastrophicoperatingerror.

20.Congressailedtoexpedite legislationtoraiseliabilitycapsoroilcompanieswhoseoperationscausedamagingoilspillsrom$75millionto$10billion.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKN0314262220100506http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKN0314262220100506http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/18/AR2010051801676.html?hpid=topnewshttp://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2010/05/gulf-oil-spill-tar-balls-wash-up-on-alabama-island.htmlhttp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37079761/ns/us_news-gulf_oil_spill/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/13/business/energy-environment/13greenwire-less-toxic-dispersants-lose-out-in-bp-oil-spil-81183.htmlhttp://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2010/05/11/11greenwire-expanded-offshore-drilling-will-be-part-of-sen-80847.htmlhttp://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126809525&f=1001&sc=tw&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitterhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/15/AR2010051502163.html?hpid=topnewshttp://articles.latimes.com/2010/may/14/nation/la-na-oil-spill-new-20100514http://articles.latimes.com/2010/may/14/nation/la-na-oil-spill-new-20100514http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/15/AR2010051502163.html?hpid=topnewshttp://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126809525&f=1001&sc=tw&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitterhttp://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2010/05/11/11greenwire-expanded-offshore-drilling-will-be-part-of-sen-80847.htmlhttp://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/13/business/energy-environment/13greenwire-less-toxic-dispersants-lose-out-in-bp-oil-spil-81183.htmlhttp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37079761/ns/us_news-gulf_oil_spill/http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2010/05/gulf-oil-spill-tar-balls-wash-up-on-alabama-island.htmlhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/18/AR2010051801676.html?hpid=topnewshttp://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKN0314262220100506http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKN0314262220100506