Help the Gulf Restoration Network Tell Our Leaders: Mission Not Even Close to Accomplished

BP’s crude may not be gushing into the Gulf anymore, but as much as 80% of the oil is still out there, lurking below the surface. Even the most conservative government estimate says that up to 8 times the Exxon-Valdez remains! This is no time for BP and the federal government to declare victory.

As Gulf communities, and the dolphins, whale sharks, and other marine life that call this region home, begin the long road to recovery, it’s essential that the federal government make a commitment to this effort not just today, but for many years to come.

Please use the form below to tell the Federal response leaders that the disaster is not over, and:

BP must be held accountable for all the dolphins, sea turtles, and other wildlife that have died, and are still dying, at their hands.
The federal government, with BP's money, must commit to long-term monitoring of the impacts of BP’s crude on marine life.
Fisherfolk, indigenous peoples, and other impacted communities must have a say in how the restoration of the Gulf moves forward.

Subject:

Your Letter:

Since the Deepwater Horizon well was capped, many government officials and media pundits have rushed to declare an end to BP’s drilling disaster while minimizing its potential long-term impacts. I think that the dolphins, whale sharks, and other marine life that inhabit the Gulf of Mexico would beg to differ.

One recent independent study suggests that seventy-nine percent of the oil released from BP’s well still remains in the Gulf of Mexico. Even if you stick with the National Ocean and Atmospheric Association’s (NOAA) estimate that fifty percent of the oil has been skimmed, burned, or evaporated, that still leaves the equivalent of up to 8 Exxon-Valdez spills out there fouling the Gulf of Mexico along with 1.8 million gallons of dispersants. This is no time for the federal government, or BP, to declare mission accomplished.

Thousands of animals have perished from BP’s crude. Sadly we cannot bring them back, but NOAA and other federal officials can make sure that BP is held accountable for each and every dolphin, pelican and sea turtle that has died at their hands. Some toxicologists are afraid NOAA isn’t testing for the right contaminants. Specifically, tests should include polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons’ metabolites that would more accurately determine the role that BP’s oil has played in wildlife deaths. Plus, NOAA should be releasing all data related to the kind of tests they are conducting and the final results of wildlife necropsies.

Equally important is a long-term commitment to monitoring the impacts of BP’s crude on Gulf marine life. The Exxon-Valdez disaster made it clear that even the marine life that survives the event itself, could still suffer severe long-term harm. For example, Prince William Sound’s red herring population remained relatively robust for four years after their spill, then the population mysteriously collapsed and still hasn’t recovered.

For a truly effective restoration effort, Gulf citizens from impacted communities must have a formal seat at the table, and restoration projects should quickly get the funding they need from BP to start moving forward immediately. Finally, the federal government, with BP’s money, must make a commitment to monitoring the health of Gulf wildlife over the long haul.

No one truly knows what the full impacts of this disaster will be, but if the Exxon-Valdez is any example, it’s going to be a long road to recovery for Gulf ecosystems and communities. The Gulf needs your commitment to this effort not just today, but for many years to come.

President Barack Obama

Phone:(202) 456-1111

Fax:(202) 456-2461

Dr. Jane Lubchenco

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Ray Mabus

United States Navy

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