by Carl Safina
APRIL
1 “leading the government response” C. Woodward, “A Containable Accident, Then Suddenly a Crisis,” Associated Press, April 30, 2010.
2 April 23 quotes from Obama, the Coast Guard (except Landry), BP, and Transocean, and the misreported amount of oil “Major Oil Spill as Rig Sinks off US Coast,” Agence France-Presse, April 23, 2010; http://www.physorg.com/news191218312.html.
3 Michael Brown quotes D. Sweet, “Michael Brown: Obama Let Oil Spill Get Worse on Purpose,” Raw Story, May 4, 2010; http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/05/michael-brown-obama-wanted-oil-spill.
4 Obama drilling decision A. Koppelman, “Is There Anyone Who Likes Obama’s Drilling Decision?” Salon.com, March 31, 2010; http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/03/31/drilling_reacts. See also J. M. Broder, “Obama to Open Offshore Areas to Oil Drilling for First Time,” New York Times, March 30, 2010; http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/31/sdence/earth/31energy.html.
5 Landry quotes about no apparent leak, plus Robert Gibb and sometimes accidents happen C. Woodward, “A Containable Accident, Then Suddenly a Crisis,” Associated Press, April 30, 2010; http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=10513415.
6 Manageable F. Grimm, “Vast Oil Spill May Alter Debate on Gulf Drilling,” Miami Herald, April 27, 2010; http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/04/26/1599498/vast-oil-spill-may-alter-debate.html.
7 Two to four weeks S. Mufson, “Oil Spill in Gulf of Mexico Creates Dilemmas in Nature and Politics,” Washington Post, April 27, 2010; http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2010/04/26/
AR2010042604308.html.
8 Relief well, 1,800 square miles, dome, “we have to be careful,” “far as the eye could see,” off-flavors, and Jindal asked for booms C. Burdeau, “Oil Leak from Sunken Rig off La. Could Foul Coast,” Associated Press, April 26, 2010; http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=10480828.
9 Relief wells could take two months and that the relief well will cost $100 million H. Mohr and Cain Burdeau, “Coast Guard Considers Lighting Oil Spill on Fire,” Associated Press, April 28, 2010; http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2010/04/28/oil-spill-gulf/.
10 Misreported: 4.2 million barrels could spill C. Burdeau, “La. Gov Declares Emergency over Gulf Oil Spill,” Associated Press, April 29, 2010; http://www.salon.com/news/2010/04/29/us_louisiana_oil_rig_explosion_5.
11 A BP executive agreed on 5,000 barrels a day “Shrimpers, Fishermen File Suit over US Oil Spill,” Agence France-Presse, April 30, 2010; http://www.mysinchew.com/node/38400.
12 Going from “manageable” to “emergency,” Landry’s “ample time” C. Woodward, “A Containable Accident, Then Suddenly a Crisis,” Associated Press, April 30, 2010; http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=10513415.
13 “Shrimpers sue” “Shrimpers, Fishermen File Suit over US Oil Spill,” Agence France-Presse, April 30, 2010; http://www.mysinchew.com/node/38400.
14 Administration might revisit president’s drilling announcement C. Woodward, “A Containable Accident, Then Suddenly a Crisis,” Associated Press, April 30, 2010; http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=10513415.
15 “Controlled burns,” and the relief well will cost $100 million H. Mohr and Cain Burdeau, “Coast Guard Considers Lighting Oil Spill on Fire,” Associated Press, April 28, 2010; http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2010/04/28/oil-spill-gulf/.
16 “Eventually, things will return to normal” H. Mohr and Cain Burdeau, “Gulf Businesses Wait as Oil Creeps Toward Coast,” Associated Press, April 29, 2010; http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/deepwaterhorizon/
6978731.html.
17 Ixtoc killed hundreds of million of crabs J. Achenbach and David Brown, “In Gulf Oil Spill’s Long Reach, Ecological Damage Could Last Decades,” Washington Post, June 6, 2010; http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2010/06/05/
AR2010060503987.html?hpid=topnews.
DÉJÀ VU, TO NAME BUT A FEW
1 Histories of antecedent oil spills, in part, from: Joanna Burger, Oil Spills, New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 1997.
2 Amoco Cadiz J. Achenbach and David Brown, “In Gulf Oil Spill’s Long Reach, Ecological Damage Could Last Decades,” Washington Post, June 6, 2010; http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/05/AR2010060503987.html?hpid=topnews.
3 “First the money dried up” A. Allen, “Prodigal Sun,” Mother Jones, March–April 2000; http://motherjones.com/politics/2000/03/prodigal-sun.
4 Exxon Valdez otter, bird, and seal deaths C. H. Peterson et al., “Long-Term Ecosystem Response to the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill,” Science 302, December 19, 2003: 2082–86.
5 Great Britain’s Health and Safety Executive warning to Transocean R. Mason, “Transocean Denies Bullying Oil Rig Workers over Safety Fears,” Daily Telegraph (London), September 8, 2010; http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/7987815/
Transocean-denies-staff-bullied-over-safety-fears-in-North-Sea.html.
6 September 14, 2007, letter L. Kaufman, “2010 Agency Is Faulted for Saying Oil-Spill Risk to Wildlife Was Low,” International Herald Tribune, July 6, 2010; http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-181710108.html.
7 October 2009 environmental assessment K. Sheppard, “License to Drill,” Mother Jones, June 2010; http://motherjones.com/environment/2010/06/new-drilling-leases-gulf-of-mexico.
8 Waxman and Stupak letter to BP B. Bohrer, “Congressmen Cite ‘Significant’ BP Issues in Alaska,” Associated Press, May 6, 2010; http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=10567540.
9 Obama’s coast plan and the Mississippi Delta “Obama Administration Officials Release Roadmap for Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Focused on Resiliency and Sustainability,” White House Press Release, March 4, 2010; http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ceq/Press_Releases/
March_4_2010.
10 The senators’ letter on energy efficiency and conservation R. Schoof, “10 Senate Democrats Oppose Climate Bill If It Expands Coastal Drilling,” McClatchy-Tribune News Service. March 25, 2010; http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/03/25/91107/10-senate-dems-oppose-climate.html.
11 Chinese-owned coal carrier Shen Neng 1 J. M. Glionna, Ju-min Park, and Kenneth R. Weiss, “Oil Leak Threatens Barrier Reef; Australia Rushes to Protect the Sensitive Ecosystem from a Stranded Chinese Ship Carrying Heavy Fuel,” Los Angeles Times, April 5, 2010.
12 Minerals Management Service’s Alaska office hasn’t developed any guidelines K. Murphy, “Agency Faulted over Alaska Oil Drilling Policy,” Los Angeles Times, April 7, 2010; http://articles.latimes.com/2010/apr/07/nation/la-na-alaska-drilling8-2010apr08.
13 Minerals Management Service approves permit changes J. Barry, “Oil Spill Disaster Marked by BP Mistakes from the Outset,” St. Petersburg Times, June 2, 2010; http://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/water/oil-spill-disaster-marked-by-bp-mistakes-from-the-outset/1099273.
14 “I’ve never seen this kind of attitude” “Blowout: The Deepwater Horizon Disaster,” CBSNews.com, May 16, 2010; http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/05/16/60minutes/
main6490197.shtml.
MAYDAY
1 “I am frightened for the country,” and Crist’s “bigger than we can fathom” C. Woodward, “A Containable Accident, Then Suddenly a Crisis,” Associated Press, April 30, 2010; http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=10513415.
2 “This is the worst possible thing” H. Mohr and Cain Burdeau, “Coast Guard Considers Lighting Oil Spill on Fire,” Associated Press, April 28, 2010; http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2010/04/28/oil-spill-gulf.
3 “I’d hate to think” and related quotes “Oil Leak Poses Risk of a Lost Generation on Louisiana Coast,” Agence France-Presse, May 3, 2010; http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Oil_leak_poses_risk_of_a_lost_generation
_on_Louisiana_coast_999.html.
4 Captain Doogie H. Allen G. Breed and Holbrook Mohr, “Another Week at Least of Unabated Gulf Oil Geyser,” Associated Press, May 3, 2010; http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory
?id=10531316
5 “When you kill that food chain,” and “We should be fine” K. McGill, “A Murky Picture as Seafood Industry Eyes Oil Slick,” Associated Press, May 3, 2010; http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=10536472.
6 Volume and value of Gulf catch “Mobile Baykeeper Says BP Spill Could Destroy Most Productive Fishery in the World,” Energy Weekly News, May 14, 2010; http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mobile-baykeeper-says-bp-spill-could-destroy-most-productive-fishery-in-the-world-92497804.html.
7 “What BP’s doing is throwing,” and “It’s probably easier to fly,” and “It’s not a spill, it’s a flow,” and twenty dead turtles H. Mohr and Allen G. Breed, “Another Week at Least of Unabated Gulf Oil Geyser,” Associated Press, May 3, 2010; http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=10531316.
8 The Economist argues, and statistics attributed to the Congressional Research Service and National Research Council “Deep Trouble: The Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico,” The Economist, May 8, 2010; http://www.economist.com/node/16059948.
9 Thomas Friedman writes T. Friedman, “No Fooling Mother Nature,” New York Times. May 4, 2010; http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/05/opinion/05friedman.html.
10 John Kerry quote and Republican governors withdrawing support C. Babington, “Bid to Enact Energy Bill Might Survive Gulf Spill,” Associated Press, May 6, 2010; http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=10569505.
11 Republican climate science denial, and Bob Inglis quoted “GOP Victory May Be Defeat for Climate Change Policy,” NPR’s All Things Considered, October 23, 2010; http://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=130776747.
12 History of tanker wrecks affecting birds Joanna Burger, Oil Spills, New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 1997.
13 Exxon’s CEO didn’t care if the booms contained the oil Countdown with Keith Olbermann, MSNBC, June 14, 2010.
14 “We may … lose dozens of vulnerable fish species” “Dozens of Fish Species in Danger in US Oil Leak,” Agence France-Presse, May 31, 2010; http://www.seeddaily.com/reports/Dozens_of_fish_species_in_danger_in
_US_oil_leak_expert_999.html.
15 “We’ll see dead bodies soon” E. Dugan, “Oil Spill Creates Huge Undersea ‘Dead Zones,’ ” Independent, May 30, 2010; http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/oil-spill-creates-huge-undersea-dead-zones-1987039.html.
16 Could affect rice and sugarcane R. School and Chris Adams, “Gulf’s Future Looks Grim,” Sun News, May 31, 2010; http://www.thesunnews.com/2010/05/31/1505058/gulfs-future-looks-grim.html.
17 Hurricane effects J. Masters, “What Would a Hurricane Do to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill?” Weather Underground, May 26, 2010; http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=1492.
18 The Christian Science Monitor asks P. Jonsson, “Gulf Oil Spill: Could ‘Toxic Storm’ Make Beach Towns Uninhabitable?,” Christian Science Monitor, June 26, 2010; http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2010/0626/Gulf-oil-spill-Could-toxic-storm-make-beach-towns-uninhabitable.
19 “Once it’s in the Loop Current” C. Burdeau and Harry R. Weber, “Deep Beneath the Gulf, Oil May Be Wreaking Havoc,” Associated Press, May 6, 2010; http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=10558496.
20 Senator Bill Nelson quoted “Disaster of a New Dimension Looms in Gulf of Mexico Spill,” Agence France-Presse, May 9, 2010; http://www.grist.org/article/2010-05-09-disaster-of-a-new-dimension-looms-in-gulf-of-mexico-spill.
21 “The threat to the deep-sea habitat” C. Burdeau and Harry R. Weber, “Deep Beneath the Gulf, Oil May Be Wreaking Havoc,” Associated Press, May 6, 2010; http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=10558496.
22 The Web begins amplifying T. Aym, “How BP Gulf Disaster May Have Triggered a ‘World-Killing’ Event,” Helium.com; http://www.helium.com/items/1882339-doomsday-how-bp-gulf-disaster-may-have-triggered-a-world-killing-event. See also T. Aym, “Why BP Is Readying a ‘Super Weapon’ to Avert Escalating Gulf Nightmare,” Helium.com; http://www.helium.com/items/1889648-bp-preparing-super-weapon-to-avert-escalating-gulf-nightmare.
23 Fears not materializing, things not so bad J. M. Broder and Tom Zeller Jr., “Bad. But an Apocalypse?” New York Times, May 4, 2010; http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A05E7DF113FF937A35756C0A9669D8B63.
24 Leak could reach 60,000 barrels J. M. Broder et al., “Amount of Spill Could Escalate, Company Admits,” New York Times, May 5, 2010; http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/05/us/05spill.html.
25 Louisiana’s coastal wetlands have lost 2,300 square miles C. Burdeau and Harry R. Weber, “Deep Beneath the Gulf, Oil May Be Wreaking Havoc,” Associated Press, May 6, 2010; http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=10558496.
26 “It’s the last thing in the world” B. Farrington, “Gulf Spill Gives Gov. Crist Pause over Drilling,” Associated Press, April 28, 2010; http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=10488587.
27 “The president is frustrated” H. J. Hebert and Harry R. Weber, “Political Patience Wanes as Gulf Oil Spill Grows,” Associated Press, May 12, 2010; http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/05/12/national/
main6475125.shtml.
28 In 2009 the Interior Department exempted BP’s Gulf of Mexico drilling J. Eilperin, “U.S. Exempted BP Rigs from Impact Analysis; Prior Reviews Concluded That a Large Oil Spill in the Area Was Unlikely,” Washington Post, May 5, 2010; http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/04/AR2010050404118.html.
29 “Boosterism breeds complacency” D. Usborne, “US Oil Regulator ‘Gave in to BP’ over Rig Safety,” Independent, May 7, 2010; http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-oil-regulator-gave-in-to-bp-over-rig-safety-1965611.html.
30 Salazar’s “very, very rare event” “Gulf Oil Spill: Interior Secretary Says Spill ‘Very, Very Rare Event,’ ” Los Angeles Times, May 2, 2010; http://bit.ly/buSoSo.
31 39 rig blowouts in the Gulf of Mexico R. Gold and Ben Casselman, “Drilling Process Attracts Scrutiny in Rig Explosion,” Wall Street Journal, April 30, 2010; http://online.wsj.com/article/SB100014240527487035725045752145
93564769072.html.
32 Sarah Palin N. Allen, “Foreign Oil Firms Not to Be Trusted, Says Sarah Palin,” Daily Telegraph, May 7, 2010; http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/world-news/northamerica/usa/7686978/Gulf-of-Mexico-oil-slick-Sarah-Palin-fuels-anti-British-sentiment.html.
33 “I think I have said all along” D. Usborne, “US Oil Regulator ‘Gave in to BP’ over Rig Safety,” Independent, May 7, 2010; http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-oil-regulator-gave-in-to-bp-over-rig-safety-1965611.html.
34 Transocean’s president, Halliburton’s spokesman H. J. Hebert and Harry R. Weber, “Political Patience Wanes as Gulf Oil Spill Grows,” Associated Press, May 12, 2010; http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/05/12/national/
main6475125.shtml.
35 Blame among BP, Transocean, and Halliburton CNN Wire Staff, “Congressman to Launch Inquiry on How Much Oil Is Gushing into Gulf,” CNN.com, May 14, 2010; http://articles.cnn.com/2010-05-14/us/gulf.oil.spill_1_bp-oil-spill-dispersants?_s=PM:US.
36 “People from around the world” “Hair, Fur, Nylons Join Fight to Hold Back US Oil Spill,” Agence France-Presse, May 9, 2010; http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Hair_fur_nylons_join_fight_to_hold
_back_US_oil_spill_999.html.
37 Activities in and around Grand Isle H. R. Weber and John Curran, “Oil Spill Swells to 4M Gallons,” Associated Press, May 11, 2010; http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/05/11/national/main6471488.shtml.
38 “The technology hasn’t changed that much” J. C. McKinley and Leslie Kaufman, “As Oil Spreads, a Call for Industry’s ‘Plan B,’ ” New York Times, May 11, 2010; http://www.boston.com/news/science/articles/2010/05/11/as_oil
_spreads_a_call_for_industrys_plan_b.
39 “This is the largest, most comprehensive” H. R. Weber and John Curran, “Oil Spill Swells to 4M Gallons,” Associated Press, May 11, 2010; http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/05/11/national/
ma
in6471488.shtml.
40 Workers diverting freshwater “More River Water Sent into Marshes to Fight Oil,” Associated Press, May 10, 2010; http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2010/05/more_fresh_river_water_sent_in.html.
41 The looming hurricane season J. C. Olivera, “Hurricane Could Worsen Huge US Oil Spill,” Agence France-Presse, May 12, 2010; http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jf8KgVCVcikao
ZArKPqnF1Rrbheg.
42 BP’s “Safety first” C. Krauss, “BP Tries Again to Divert Oil Leak with Dome,” New York Times, May 31, 2010; http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/01/us/01spill.html.
43 Purdue professor’s computer analysis “Congressman to Launch Inquiry on How Much Oil Is Gushing into Gulf,” CNN.com, May 14, 2010; http://articles.cnn.com/2010-05-14/us/gulf.oil.spill_1_bp-oil-spill-dispersants?_s=PM:US.
44 “If you don’t know the flow” S. Goldenberg, “Scientists Study Ocean Footage to Gauge Full Scale of Oil Leak: Independent Researchers Press BP to Telease Film,” Guardian, May 14, 2010; http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/may/13/bp-oil-spill-ocean-footage.
LATE MAY
1 “There’s a shocking amount” J. Gillis, “Giant Plumes of Oil Forming Under Gulf,” New York Times, May 15, 2010; http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/16/us/16oil.html.
2 She reports methane, and “the most bizarre-looking” M. Brown and Ramit Plushnick-Masti, “Gulf Oil Full of Methane, Adding New Concerns,” Associated Press, June 18, 2010; http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/06/18/national/
main6594500.shtml.
3 Deepwater corals J. Dearen and Matt Sedensky, “Deep Sea Oil Plumes, Dispersants Endanger Reefs,” Associated Press, May 17, 2010; http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=10665749.
4 Plumes and related discussion, “The answer is no to that,” and “It appears that the subsea dispersant is actually working” J. Gillis, “Giant Plumes of Oil Forming Under Gulf,” New York Times, May 15, 2010; http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/16/us/16oil.html.