- Home
- News Grid
- Local News
- Green Hawk
- Business
- Politics
- School Zone
- Nonprofits
- Missing Pets
- Multimedia
- Arts
- Movies
- Outdoors
- Sports
- News Releases
- Columnists
- Blogs
- Opinions
- Classifieds
- Advertise
- Donate
- Partners
Karen Telleen-Lawton: Oil and Apples
When a friend and I were talking the other day about the Deepwater Horizon Incident (the Louisiana oil platform blowout), she told me that the buzz on the Internet is that the cause might be ecoterrorism. I was shocked.
Notwithstanding that we rely on mostly different media for our news, the inference appalled me. Not that terrorism wasn’t a possibility — and certainly some independent investigative journalists will rightly take up that pursuit — but that “bad apple” discussions should usurp discussion of whether a gargantuan oil spill is the result of “bad bushel” resource extraction policies.
The possibility of “bad apple” terrorism undoubtedly is a part of oil drilling emergency planning policy. Cost/benefit analysis of whether and how to allow any natural resource extraction on public lands (and seas) needs to include the potential cleanup costs from any disaster — nature- or human-caused. Current law already requires such a fund, but it’s not sufficiently large. BP most likely will get a free ride with millions of dollars of taxpayer money.
Not surprisingly, Californians are interested in learning how to prevent a four-peat (Santa Barbara in 1969, Alaska in 1989 and Louisiana in 2010). The perspective of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration is helpful. The NOAA is the leading scientific adviser for U.S. oil spills.
According to NOAA’s site, more than 460 vessels are involved in containment efforts including skimming and in-situ burning operations, as weather permits. Dozens of aircraft and remotely operated vehicles are involved. More than 1.5 million feet of boom and nearly 400,000 gallons of dispersant have been deployed to contain the spill, recovering about a million gallons of oil-water mix thus far. They are also making extra satellite observations to monitor the spill for their purposes, as well as for the U.S. Geological Survey and the Department of Homeland Security.
NOAA Fisheries has increased the area closed to fishing, but 93 percent of the Gulf’s federal waters are still open for fishing and tourism. They are assessing the impacts on coastal communities, marine protected areas, wetlands and beaches, and are “deeply concerned about the effects of this oil to Gulf fisheries and the marine ecosystems, which are nursery grounds for shrimp, crabs, oysters and hundreds of species of fish like red snapper and redfish.”
Steve Cochran, a director for the Environmental Defense Fund, is closely concerned. He who grew up on Lake Pontchartrain and spent his first post-college years working for the oil industry.
He says: “We have a saying where I grew up: If you continue to load the gun, God will provide the drunk or the fool who is going to pull the trigger. There are more than 3,000 operating wells in Gulf. I know firsthand how great the pressure is to produce at all costs, even at the expense of cutting corners on safety. Sad to say, it was only a matter of time before it caught up with us.”
Cochran suggests two solutions. 1) Requiring that the emergency response infrastructure, such as warehouses of booms and equipment, be in place to respond more quickly, and 2) make it more expensive for oil companies to cut back on safety. Hold oil companies accountable for the protections, the cleanup and the carbon pollution associated with these products.
“Making the polluter pay will do more than anything else we can do to reduce the risk of exposure to these pollutants,” Cochran asserts. “We can mandate it, we should, we can require it, and we should. But making them pay for it, making sure they know the dollars will come out of their pocket if they make a mistake, that’s the key.”
The bottom line is, it’s time for oil companies to stop spoiling the whole bushel — or barrel — of energy policy. Oil needs to pull its own weight.
— Karen Telleen-Lawton’s column is a mélange of observations supporting sustainability. Graze her writing and excerpts from Canyon Voices: The Nature of Rattlesnake Canyon at www.CanyonVoices.com.
Comments
Noozhawk's comments are moderated, but by posting here you accept your responsibility to follow our rules as part of Noozhawk's shared online community. Please keep your comments civil and helpful. Don't attack other readers personally, and do not use vulgar, abusive or discriminatory language. Use the "Report Abuse" link if a comment violates these standards or our Terms of Use.
» on 05.18.10 @ 05:19 AM
In a attempt to avoid another 1000 word scolding from AN50 , those of us who think tighter safety regulation of big oil
is needed must first admit we wont be getting off the black gold teat anytime soon .
There is an aspect of this Gulf disaster that even righties will find hard to justify . All three of the bigs involved are h.q.‘ed offshore or foreign entities, avoiding fair share taxation while despoiling our waters .Yeah , avoid paying “da gub-ment ” at any cost .
Halliburon disrespecting our troops efforts overseas with their no bid contracts and egregious overcharging while moving their h.q. to Dubai to avoid U.S. taxes . Thanks ,Dick , for your patriotism and all the great results of your crusade of deregulation .
You don't have permission to flag this entry.
» on 05.18.10 @ 06:30 AM
The Deepwater Horizon “accident” should be called “Cheney’s folly” because it stems directly from the GOP and Bush administration’s cozy relationship with the oil industry and their insistence on keeping secret talks they had with energy industry executives. I look forward to seeing Dick Cheney and George Bush held accountable with a full Congressional investigation.
You don't have permission to flag this entry.
» on 05.18.10 @ 09:54 AM
Yep, always Bush’s fault. When will you grow up?
You don't have permission to flag this entry.
» on 05.18.10 @ 09:59 AM
Oh, I forgot. Republicans don’t do “accountability” or “reality” well.
You don't have permission to flag this entry.
» on 05.19.10 @ 01:55 PM
I’m curious, so when will Oil spills be Obama’s fault?
The liberal answer is A) NEVER
Footnote- the Obama folks gave BP waivers for the Deep Water Horizon Platform to drill faster and with less oversight- Way to go OBAMA!! But somehow that will be Cheney’s fault.
By the way, where are all those “green” jobs? I’m a big fan of renewables and regulating the oil industry, but not a fan of nonsense and stupid faith-based mombo-jumbo economics. Spain spent the highest per capita of all European countries in the last 8 years on “green” jobs. Spain’s unemployment rate is now 20%. YES- 20%. Obama wants to do for the U.S. what liberals did for Spain. Something to look forward to.
You don't have permission to flag this entry.
» on 05.19.10 @ 02:18 PM
Uh, Commmonsense, President Obama is already on track to create more jobs in 2010 than unelected Bush did during his entire TWO TERMS. When will right wingers wake up to the fact that 1) The stock markets generally do better when Dems run the country, 2) The middle class is also typically better off and 3) Fiscally responsible governance is far more common under presidents such as Clinton, Carter, Kennedy and Johnson than big spenders like Reagan and the Bush Bandits. How about you and your fellow GOPers stick to social engineering and nation building and leave the business of running the nation to the professionals.
You don't have permission to flag this entry.
» on 05.19.10 @ 02:59 PM
What a joke! Emptynewsroom- I guess you didn’t get the memo- Obama has redefined “jobs” for the first time in US history to include “saved” jobs. I guess thats what they call it in Chicagoland. Explain how borrowing and spending $1.5 Trillion in debt to create a few hundred thousand jobs is a good deal for the taxpayers? I’d be alittle careful lumping Obama in with Clinton and Kennedy- frankly, conservative democrats mostly find that comparison moronic- Obama ain’t no Kennedy. Obama, Pelosi and Reid aren’t exactly what you’d call fiscally responsible. Bush’s deficit’s with a Republican Congress averaged less than 3% of GDP. After Pelosi and Reid took over Congress at the end of 2006, thats when the deficits started to explode. Congress creates budgets, not Presidents. Frankly, the GOP were pikers regarding spending compared to Pelosi and Reid. The DEM plan is to have the government spend its way to prosperity. Great plan. It’ll work out about as well as it did in Greece. Something to look forward to….
You don't have permission to flag this entry.
» on 05.19.10 @ 03:25 PM
We better get drilling… Looks like we’ll need the revenue. Most remaining U.S. oil resources are offshore….
Way to go Obama!! We can outspend Greece! Printing money ain’t so hard- whats all the fuss about….
May 18,2010
“The Hill”
Centrist House Democrats have been wary of voting for a budget resolution because it’s likely to project large deficits. Republicans have hammered Democrats over the budget deficit, which they blame on Democratic spending.
The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that Obama’s policies would lead to deficits averaging nearly $1 trillion over the next decade.
You don't have permission to flag this entry.
» on 05.19.10 @ 03:48 PM
Nobody, but nobody wastes money like the spend and bomb Repubs. The main difference is the Demos spend money at home where it benefits taxpayers and the next generation whereas the Reagans and Bushies dump it into a black hole called the defense industry. Guess which approach works best for the economy and the average citizen?
You don't have permission to flag this entry.
More Local News »
Karen Telleen-Lawton: A Day with a Chicken Farmer
From gleaning vegetables to butchering chickens, an unlikely birthday present proves to be a memorable adventure
Karen Telleen-Lawton: Environment Is Alive and (Pretty) Well in Santa Barbara
Environmental Defense Center's top 10 accomplishments in 2011 represent a breadth and depth expected from a larger organization
Karen Telleen-Lawton: Retirement Is for Baby Boomers, Part 2
A look at proposed changes to keep Social Security viable past 2037
Karen Telleen-Lawton: Backstage Bethlehem
Christianity’s 'living stones' can help ensure the early Christian culture survives
Karen Telleen-Lawton: California Murres Taking Flight Off San Miguel Island
After century hiatus, re-established colony takes up residence on islet of Prince Island
Weather: Fair 53.0º
Search Noozhawk »
