Tuesday, May 04, 2010

could it be any worse

The massive oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico is finally reaching the shores of the Gulf Coast, in what many have called the worst environmental disaster since the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska. Not only does it have the potential to threaten hundreds of species of fish, birds and other wildlife in the area, but more importantly the livelihood of many who make a living fishing in the nation's richest seafood region.

More than 200,000 gallons of oil a day have been spewing into the ocean since British Petroleum's Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded and sank off the Louisiana coast last week. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano stated that BP, is "the responsible party" according to U.S. law and is "required to fund the cost of cleanup operations." In fact, in a letter sent last year to the Department of the Interior, the oil giant objected to what it described as "extensive, prescriptive regulations" proposed for more rigorous safety standards stating. "We believe [the] industry's current safety and environmental statistics demonstrate that the voluntary programs … continue to be very successful."

Last year, BP made more than 40 billion in profits yet paid no taxes in the United States.

This oil spil could not have come at a more significant time given that just a few weeks ago President Obama asked Congress to lift a drilling ban in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, 125 miles from Florida beaches and called for new offshore drilling in the Atlantic Ocean from Delaware to central Florida.

President Barack Obama has pledged "every single available resource" to deal with the situation and called the leak a "spill of national significance,"


The real threat is to thousands of independent African American and small businesses in the region that make a living via fishing and tourism. If there is a significant reduction in the oyster, shrimp and fish populations, which has been in decline anyway over the past decade, it may signal an end to the livlihoods of many.

In Louisiana for example, 12 percent of all businesses are owned by African Americans with coastal cities like Baton Rouge having 17 percent black-owned business, most in the fishing and tourism industries. The same can be said of Mobile, Ala., where 14.8 percent of business are black-owned compared to 9 percent for the state of Alabama. If this problem is not under control soon, many family owned and small African American businesses in the Gulf region may not survive.

11 comments:

Clifton said...

I'm sitting in New Orleans watching these helpless fishermen do whatever they can to stop the oil from spreading but the worst part about it is that BP hasn't closed the leak yet. I'm really afraid they are going to do something out of desperation that's going to make it worse.

Kit (Keep It Trill) said...

This is an environmental disaster of epic proportions that is only in the early stage. I can still barely put words to my feelings about this.

Ms. TDB said...

Once again an informative post. There has been minium coverage of what the effects of this spill will do to the businesses. The collateral damage of this spill can and will reach the entire country. It seems like BP was allowed to take a dump on the US and they can get back to London just in time for tea.

Philip at Thavage said...

While an oil spill is always bad, this is horrendous and both our government and BP need to address it now. Pointing the finger at BP misses the point and increases the danger to our environment, businesses and food supplies. Remember the ocean is really another type of farmland and is used more and more this way each year.

Monroe Anderson said...

Right now, BP is busy buying off the fishermen with $5000 checks. Talk about an evil empire.

Faith Bravo said...

Dr. Stephens:
I'm a freelance with the NY Times and I'm looking for an African American owned business to do a photo essay about how this Gulf disaster has affecting their personal and professional lives! Any suggestions? Thanks a lot!

~Dr. Cheers

Tia's Real Talk said...

Hey Dawg...long time no hear!!! Yes it is a sad situation, but I'm hopeful that we can stop the spread. I'm with a company called evolvhealth LLC and we have an ingredient with 15 yr research at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Dallas. It's called Archaea Active. It was used for the gold spill before and now we are using it again! Doing all we can!! We have currently started a new healthy bottled water off the ingredient. Check it out..
www.evolvwithme.net Hope to see you around sometimes.

Anonymous said...

We are extremely pleased to discover your blog we had been browsing for hours on end just for this info regarding yorkshire photographers. It isn't regularly you see this quality of knowledge online I cannot thank you sufficiently. Jose - california car insurance

oakleyses said...

chi flat iron, ugg, ugg outlet, uggs on sale, asics shoes, p90x workout, vans outlet, herve leger, celine handbags, valentino shoes, replica watches, lululemon outlet, giuseppe zanotti, ugg boots, nike trainers, ferragamo shoes, jimmy choo shoes, soccer jerseys, wedding dresses, mont blanc pens, soccer shoes, mcm handbags, beats headphones, north face jackets, ugg boots clearance, reebok shoes, canada goose, abercrombie and fitch, north face jackets, instyler ionic styler, mac cosmetics, ugg soldes, nfl jerseys, ugg outlet, insanity workout, babyliss, canada goose outlet, canada goose outlet, birkin bag, bottega veneta, new balance outlet, canada goose outlet, longchamp, nike huarache, ghd, hollister, uggs outlet, marc jacobs outlet, nike roshe

oakleyses said...

swarovski uk, thomas sabo uk, gucci, vans, baseball bats, air max, moncler, pandora uk, pandora charms, louboutin, swarovski jewelry, replica watches, converse, juicy couture outlet, converse shoes, moncler outlet, karen millen, ugg, canada goose pas cher, canada goose, montre femme, louis vuitton canada, wedding dress, lancel, ralph lauren, parajumpers outlet, iphone 6 case, uggs canada, juicy couture outlet, hollister clothing, oakley, supra shoes, canada goose, moncler outlet, moncler, pandora jewelry, coach outlet, timberland shoes, nike air max, moncler, moncler, hollister canada, moncler, hollister, canada goose, toms outlet, ray ban, links of london uk

Unknown said...

zhengjx20160819
washington wizards jerseys
ray bans
coach factory outlet online
michael kors outlet online
coach factory outlet online
nhl jerseys
uggs on sale
timberland boots
oakley vault
cheap toms shoes
ralph lauren polo
coach outlet online
oakley sunglasses
vans outlet
christian louboutin pas cher
cheap ray ban sunglasses
michael kors outlet online
louis vuitton purses
nike air max uk
kate spade outlet
tory burch outlet online
louis vuitton
jordan concords
mont blanc pen
asics shoes for men
michael kors handbags
longchamp sac
canada goose pas cher
jordan retro 11
cheap jerseys
uggs for men
seattle seahawks jerseys
gucci belts
longchamp outlet
moncler uk
michael kors outlet
gucci belts
ghd hair straighteners
coach outlet canada
cheap uggs