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On BP Oil Disaster Anniversary, Groups Urge Congress to Use Fines to Restore Gulf Environment and Economy

On the first anniversary of the BP oil well blowout, regional and national leaders urged Congress to hold BP accountable by passing legislation to dedicate BP’s Clean Water Act (CWA) fines to restoring the Gulf’s damaged environment and economy.

Under current law, fines paid by BP and others responsible for the spill automatically will be deposited into the Federal Treasury, instead of being used to help restore the Gulf region.

U.S. Senators Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and David Vitter (R-La.), Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) and U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Fla.) have introduced four separate bills that would dedicate 80 percent of Clean Water Act fines to restore the Gulf Coast’s environment and economy.

“These members of Congress deserve credit for recognizing that BP’s fines for the oil spill should be invested in restoring the Gulf, where the damage was done, not in the Federal Treasury,” said Larry Schweiger, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation. “The environment and economy of the Gulf region rely on each other to be strong and vibrant. We’re calling on leaders in Congress, particularly from the Gulf region, to get together and get restoration done for the Gulf.”

Continue reading this story here.

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Gulf Restoration: Something Everyone Can Agree On

On the first anniversary of the start of the BP Gulf oil disaster, new polling released today shows that voters nationwide overwhelmingly support efforts to ensure that any fines paid by BP and others responsible for the spill are dedicated to restoring the region. Under the Clean Water Act (CWA), BP’s fines will be deposited into the Federal Treasury unless Congress takes specific action to direct the penalties to Gulf restoration.

The bipartisan polling, conducted by Democratic polling firm Lake Research Partners and GOP polling firm Bellwether Research and Consulting, showed that 83 percent of voters support efforts to dedicate the BP oil spill penalties toward restoration of the Mississippi River Delta and Gulf Coast, and 69 percent strongly support it.

The poll also showed that support for restoration is strong across party lines with 90 percent (76 percent strongly) of Democrats, 84 percent (69 percent strongly) of independents, 76 percent (60 percent strongly) of Republicans, and 78 percent (62 percent strongly) of those who say they agree with the Tea Party movement in favor of such a proposal.

Continue reading this story here. 

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In Light of BP Oil Spill Anniversary, Gulf Restoration Groups Laud Introduction of RESTORE Act

A coalition of environmental, economic and social equity organizations praised the Senate introduction of a bipartisan bill to ensure that 80 percent of the Clean Water Act (CWA) penalties to be paid by BP and others responsible for last year’s Gulf oil disaster will be used to restore the communities, economies and ecosystems of the Gulf region directly. Under current law, BP penalties for the oil spill will be deposited into the federal treasury instead of being used to help the people, environments and economies that suffered harm in the disaster.

The Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunity, and Revived Economies of the Gulf States Act of 2011 (RESTORE Act) was introduced April 14 — six days before the BP oil disaster anniversary next Wednesday (April 20) — by Sens. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and David Vitter (R-LA).

“The BP oil disaster was the latest assault in a long series of injuries to the environment and economy of the five Gulf states. Fines paid by BP and other parties responsible for this disaster belong in the Gulf, to help restore the environments and economies that were directly harmed,” said the joint statement by the eight organizations.

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Audubon Reports from the Gulf: Oil Persists, and So Do Concerns about Birds

One year after the BP oil disaster began in the Gulf of Mexico, Audubon experts report that oil can still be found in gulf marshes and beaches that provide critical habitat for at-risk birds. Recent trips through Louisiana’s Barataria Bay revealed tar balls on beaches and oil oozing through marsh grasses, a discouraging sight as the breeding season begins for dozens of Gulf Coast bird species.

“One thing I’m very concerned about now, as we begin a new breeding season, is that there’s still lots of oil in places where many species of birds nest and feed,” said Melanie Driscoll, Audubon’s Director of Bird Conservation for the Gulf. “As species like Wilson’s Plover and Least Tern return to their traditional breeding grounds, they are coming into contact with oil again, which poses many health risks to them and their young.”

Oil can also harm birds by affecting their food sources. Birds could go hungry if oil or cleanup activities reduce availability of prey such as fish, marine worms, oysters and crustaceans (including shrimp and crabs). Additionally, damaging compounds from oil work their way through the food web with potential impacts on birds’ overall health and reproductive success.

“Oil will continue to change form and affect these complex food webs in many different ways for years to come,” said Driscoll.

Continue reading this story here. 

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One Year After the Gulf Oil Spill, Report Finds Wildlife and Wetlands Still Vulnerable Without Restoration

The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) issued a new report examining the health of the Gulf’s wildlife and wetlands one year after the spill. The findings show that while some species hit hard by the Gulf oil disaster show signs of recovery, others will need the combined efforts of scientists, policymakers and regulators to recover.

The Long Road to Recovery: Wetlands and Wildlife One Year Into the Gulf Oil Disaster was written by NWF’s Senior Scientist Dr. Doug Inkley and reviewed by members of NWF’s Science Advisory Panel. The report determined that the status of sea turtles, tuna, and wetlands in the Gulf is “Poor” and in need of restoration. Other key findings include:

• The Gulf’s already-endangered sea turtle population has been dealt a severe blow by the oil disaster. Already strained bluefin tuna and Gulf wetlands and coastal habitats also were impacted.

• While this year’s spike in dolphin deaths is troubling, the Gulf’s large dolphin population should ensure long-term stability. Prospects for recovery also look promising for brown pelicans and shrimp.

“While the disaster response has focused on removing oil, little action has been taken to address the long-term species threats and wetlands habitat degradation exacerbated by the oil disaster. Much more needs to be done to ensure a complete recovery,” said NWF’s Dr. Doug Inkley. “It’s also important to remember what we don’t yet know. Previous catastrophes like the Exxon Valdez have shown that impacts of oil disasters last many years, or even decades.”

The report is available both in text (PDF) and as an interactive graphic at NWF.org/OilSpill.

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Cornell Lab of Ornithology Tells Story of the Mississippi River Delta in New Video

Guest post by Marc Dantzker, Multimedia Producer - Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Soon after the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded last year, I was part of a multimedia team from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology that spent nearly three months documenting the resulting spill’s effects on bird life. While many months have passed, the experience is still fresh: the sight of beach-bound pelicans struggling against a blanket of heavy oil, the smell of newly surfaced oil pressing into pristine salt marsh, the feel of crude on my skin.

We started our work documenting the oil effects on the gulf’s birds and ecosystems. But as our team spent more time in the marshes and talked to locals and experts, it became apparent that there can be no real recovery for coastal Louisiana without a concerted effort to heal the Mississippi River Delta itself.

With that in mind, we produced a short film called “Restoring America’s Delta”. In 24 minutes, we transport viewers to the Delta, to places few will ever see: the seabird colony of Raccoon Island, the engineering marvel of Old River Control, the shrinking marshes of Terrebonne Bay, and the fingers of new land forming in the Wax Lake Outlet. Through these images, computer graphics, and expert interviews, we examine the formation of the Delta, its importance to people and wildlife, and the reasons for its decline. We don’t tell people the answers, but rather provide information so people can form their own opinions.

Continue reading this story here.