Six months ago, BP’s Deepwater Horizon oil rig blew up in the Gulf of Mexico, killing eleven workers and triggering the worst oil spill disaster in US history. More than 200 million gallons of oil spilled into the Gulf, polluting coastlines in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. To mark the six-month anniversary, we speak to acclaimed writer and environmentalist Terry Tempest Williams, who spent two weeks traveling the Gulf Coast this summer.
Digging in federal parks is illegal. Does this violate Section 2.1 of the Code of Federal Regulations?
From Project Gulf Impact:
Several volatile hydrocarbons found in crude oil were detected in the blood of several residents from the Orange Beach, AL area. Among the hydrocarbons tested, several were detected at abnormally high levels including ethylbenzene, xylene, hexane. These individuals were not directly involved in BP’s clean-up operations, nor had they been exposed to any industrial environment where the presence of these compounds would be of concern. Therefore, it can be assumed that residents living near the Gulf of Mexico shoreline are at risk of exposure to aerosolized VOC’s moving inland from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
The blood test performed on these individuals is called the Volatile Solvents Profile (Metametrix.com). The test can be obtained and administered by any physician with the ability to perform a simple blood draw. The test will be shipped to a laboratory for analysis and returned to your doctor for interpretation and treatment.
The Gulf of Mexico is facing a significant threat to human health, which needs to be documented in a stringent and concrete manner. A multitude of symptoms have been reported ranging from subtle to severe; these include skin rashes and infections, upper respiratory burning, congestion and cough, headaches, nausea, vomiting, and neurological symptoms such as short-term loss of memory and coordination.
Please report symptoms to the Project Gulf Impact health line: (504) 814-0283
Project Gulf Impact is currently raising funds to provide further testing to residents who cannot afford the associated costs. To provide assistance please donate at ProjectGulfImpact.org/donate. To send information or inquire on this effort please email ProjectGulfImpact@gmail.com.
Gavin Garrison, Matt Smith, and Heather Rally for Project Gulf Impact.
It appears that BP is continuing to lie to the people, particularly about the dispersant they used. I suppose we’ll have to wait and see if the anger and doubt of the people turns into health issues and a mass migration out of the area. It will be years before we truly know the impact on the gulf.
Meanwhile, NOAA Administrator, Dr. Jane Lubchenco, is telling us that the fish in the gulf are safe to eat. Apparently, Dr. Lubchenco needs to go back and crack open a biology textbook before she can even think that Americans will swallow this line of bunk.
