rssMarkey Investigation Finds ‘Excessive’ Use of Chemical Dispersants in Gulf
Monday, August 02, 2010 at 10:46 am
- 15 Comments
Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass) released this weekend the findings of an investigation into the use of dispersants in the Gulf of Mexico. The investigation finds “excessive” use of the potentially harmful chemicals used to break up oil from the Deepwater Horizon spill, according to Markey.
The investigation found that the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Coast Guard approved more than 74 requests by BP and the Unified Command Center in Louisiana to deviate from requirements for dispersant use. And this is all after EPA and the Coast Guard issued a directive May 26 that told BP to eliminate the surface use of dispersant (except in “rare cases” that would require an exemption), reduce the overall volume of dispersant that is used and limit subsurface dispersant use, Markey notes.
According to a July 30 letter from Markey, the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s energy and environment subcommittee:
An analysis of the exemption request letters submitted by both BP and Houma Unified Command, as well as other documents provided to me by the [Coast Guard], reveals that since the Directive was issued on May 26, more than 74 exemption requests have been submitted and, usually within the same day, approved by the [Coast Guard]. On 5 separate occasions BP submitted requests for pre-authorized exemptions to deviate from EPA and [Coast Guard] intructions by applying 6,000 gallons of dispersant per day to the ocean surface for an entire week, amounting to 35 days of pre-approved continuous use.
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15 Comments
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Markey Investigation Finds ?Excessive? Use of Chemical Dispersants in Gulf…
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Pingback posted August 2, 2010 @ 11:58 am
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Pingback posted August 2, 2010 @ 3:42 pm
[...] may have concerns about the use of chemical dispersants to break apart oil in the Gulf, but testing from the [...]
Comment posted August 2, 2010 @ 6:27 pm
The residents of Massachusetts should demand that Massachusetts Representative Ed Markey get back to Massachusetts and resolve all the unresolved issues with the 2003 Bouchard B 120 oil spill in Buzzards Bay !
Lets look at a smaller oil spill in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts in 2003 . The Coast Guard and/or Unified Command had no boat skimmers, booms deployed were to small to handle the number six oil, only a few air guns were available to keep birds off the islands, there was no public involvement by private citizens, and after 90 days the Unified Command simply signed off and left the oiled beaches to the state! Sound familiar? Where was representative Ed Markey ?
The US Coast Guard after the 2003 oil spill fought the state of Massachusetts over the “2004 Oil Spill Prevention Act .” The Coast Guard through legal action stopped the act which would provide tug boat escorts through the bay. Whose interest does the Coast Guard have at heart? The Coast Guard actually prevented new laws to protect the bay.
Where was Rep Ed Markey ?
Since the 2003 Bouchard B 120 oil spill the federal government has denied a federal class action lawsuit against the oil company and the one Massachusetts property damage lawsuit has dragged on for eight years. Where was representative Ed Markey
How has the government stood with the people of Massachusetts? Where was Rep Ed Markey ?
Pingback posted August 2, 2010 @ 8:47 pm
[...] Markey Investigation Finds 'Excessive' Use of Chemical Dispersants … [...]
Pingback posted August 3, 2010 @ 2:17 am
[...] Markey Investigation Finds 'Excessive' Use of Chemical Dispersants … [...]
Pingback posted August 3, 2010 @ 5:56 pm
[...] Markey Investigation Finds 'Excessive' Use of Chemical Dispersants … [...]
Pingback posted August 4, 2010 @ 11:55 am
[...] administration’s comments come as Rep. Edward Markey and others have raised serious concerns about the use of dispersants in the Gulf of Mexico to respond to the oil spill, arguing that the [...]
Pingback posted August 4, 2010 @ 11:55 am
[...] administration’s comments come as Rep. Edward Markey and others have raised serious concerns about the use of dispersants in the Gulf of Mexico to respond to the oil spill, arguing that the [...]
Pingback posted August 7, 2010 @ 1:40 pm
[...] Natural Pool Cleaner Algae-free No chemicals | Chemical …Markey Investigation Finds 'Excessive' Use of Chemical Dispersants …Kowalko Addresses Toxic Chemical Reform : Delaware [...]
Pingback posted August 8, 2010 @ 4:40 pm
[...] the government would win out, so it was very disturbing to learn from Ed Markey that BP habitually sought and received exemptions to restrictions on the use of [...]
Pingback posted August 8, 2010 @ 5:01 pm
[...] the government would win out, so it was very disturbing to learn from Ed Markey that BP habitually sought and received exemptions to restrictions on the use of [...]
Pingback posted August 8, 2010 @ 6:06 pm
[...] the government would win out, so it was very disturbing to learn from Ed Markey that BP habitually sought and received exemptions to restrictions on the use of [...]
Pingback posted August 12, 2010 @ 2:19 pm
[...] use is of particular interest given ongoing concerns by environmentalists and some lawmakers like Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) about the long-term impacts of their use. The “decision tree” on dispersant use is one [...]
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