We’ll, here we are… much like the Iraq War- the Oil Spill has been declared over. Although permits will not be issued for some time and new safety changes will not be considered until after elections, the moratorium has been lifted. And while some fishermen have to drag their catch through oil to get em in the boat, fisheries have been declared safe. The Coast Guard now calls oil slicks algae while BP workers bury dead fish washing up on Grand Isle.
For all my rants and calls to action I am finally able to help give coastal residents what they should have had since the beginning.. A voice. If you want to hear the real concerns of people who live and work in the Gulf please consider taking the trip to the state capitol. The truth will be heard. Lets hope the American people and our elected officials care enough to change things.
I just wanted to let people know I’m shifting gears back to playing music. Leaders like Karen Hopkins, Cherri Foytlin, and Kindra Arnesen have organized support groups for fishermen, citizens living on the coast, and oil workers. I am proud to announce that Warner Brothers has agreed to release the BP BLUES as a itunes single. It will hit radio in Mid November & 75% of the proceeds will go to saveourgulf.org for future testing.
I also have the honor of teaming up with Dockside studio and Mac Rebennack to start a long term enviornmental musical project that was the legacy of the late great Bobby Charles. More info will soon follow on this. Thanks to my friends and family who helped me spiritually & financially make it through the summer to document the plight of the Gulf Coast.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 30, 2010
Baton Rouge, LA
The Gulf Change Rally, Town hall, and Concert is slated for this Saturday October 30th in Baton Rouge. This will be an opportunity for anyone who has questions or concerns about the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster to hear the truth from Gulf Coast residents, documentary film makers, non- profits, oil workers, conservationist, environmentalist, and those who have been directly affected by the tragedy. Federal officials, representatives & candidates are also invited to address the concerns of coastal citizens
The Louisiana State Capitol 1PM
One voice- Citizens gather at to tell the rest of the country, the media, and those that represent us the scope of this spill and share the concerns of Coastal communities
The Manship Theater 5PM
Making the Case for Coast- Revealing testing from various gulf waters, oiled areas, and the testimony of oil workers, fishermen, and coastal citizen.
The panel will discuss:
Policy Changes
Independent test results of oiled areas
Human & Seafood Safety
What was Industry Leaders addressed Clean Gulf Conference
A review of how the disaster was handled
Recommendations on what should be done for future spills
A road map for Keeping Citizens involved in decisions involving their communities
The establishment of a Bipartisan Citizens Advisory Council for dealing with future spills
The Spanish Moon 9PM
Benefit concert w/ Drew Landry (Baton Rouge Born Warner Brothers recording Artist) , Abe Manuel Jr. (Merle Haggard’s former fiddle player & “Suire from Grand Chenier”) and other special guest TBA. Your $10 contribution will send a coalition of coastal citizens to Washington
Nearly 200 years ago, Andrew Jackson joined forces with Jean Lafitte and organized a volunteer force of Native Americans, Baratarian pirates, Southern militia, and free men of color. Defending their homeland, this diverse group of out numbered citizen warriors defeated the British Army in one of the most decisive victories in our nations history. Our country is now fighting a man made disaster. But this is not only about the Citizens of the Gulf Coast. Our fight is to preserve the human right to clean air and water. This is not just a fight for the Gulf and the Coastal states, but for the entire planet.
Issues that divided us in the past became trivial compared to losing our way of life. Citizens shot video, organized town hall meetings, showed up at public hearings while others posted their interviews on the Internet and came together on social networking sites. Scientists and film makers have spent their own money to get down here and many did without the necessities of life to make sure the debacle was documented.
It’s been a real struggle for people who live on the coast. Not only a fight for their own health or that of the creatures of the Gulf, but there is another battle raging. This is simply for the truth. How can we find a solution if we don’t know the severity of the problem? Tests that the EPA, NOAA, and the feds are responsible for show it’s safe out there, but those toxicity tests not paid for by our federal government or British Petroleum tell a much different story…. Here’s some footage from a trip we took a few weeks ago near Biloxi, Ms.. Does this water look safe? Do these people deserve to be sick? If the seafood is safe, why do fishermen bear the liability of their contaminated catch?
Last Saturday was September 11th. WTC first responder Richard Skinner, Alaskan fishermen, offshore workers, and Coastal warriors from Florida, Mississippi, & Alabama met in New Orleans to share their concerns about seafood safety, public health, the ecosystem, wildlife, the federal government, and the future. After sharing our stories, scientific research, and varying opinions at Tulane University we set out for the Chalmette Battle Field. Once the boat trip was done we prayed together (with my Mama) for those that lost their lives on that ominous day and the 11 that died on April 20th .
Finally, it was time to enjoy ourselves. Clarence “Tadpole” Henry, Sassafrass, Bruce Dagrepont, The Frishberg Family Band, MJ NUNEZ, Mike Dean, Kevin Sehkani, CJ Armstrong, and the Drew Landry band put on a show at Tipitina’s in the Quarter. It was nice to cut lose after such a serious gathering… But a few days after New Orleans many of the scientist and labs that conducted testing for our friends received threatening calls from the Federal Government asking if they had permits to gather samples (water & wildlife). Also, doctors were discouraged from giving tests that would link oil and dispersant to human health issues.
The truth is that some places are better, but some are much worse. A podnuh of mine from Empire, La. reported a 7 mile long slick a few days back while unprecedented fish kills hit that same area… Wildlife and Fisheries have already said the fish died of natural causes , but the fish (evidence) were immediately removed – worse, hermit crabs and worms (that’s fish food) are no longer alive on Grand Terre Island. Many other places out of the public eye have never been cleaned and share the same fate.
Off Horn Island, Mississippi (see Gulf of Toxicovideo above) - another group of concerned citizens were arrested for taking samples of dead oysters on board. Their camera was confiscated and they were treated like criminals. And now those who dig in public beaches are also subject to arrest while fishermen are left without jobs local clean-up crews are being replaced by out of state contractors. I’ve talked to folks who have had cameras taken by authorities and seen fish kills, dispersed oil, and tar balls collected as far north as New Jersey. When will BP and the Government tell the American Public what we are faced with? How long will it take the Gulf to recover? What will be the lingering effect of dispersed oil with Hurricane season ramping up? The Gulf is still a no fly zone, a production rig blew a few weeks ago, they haven’t proven that the well was ever capped, it was never proven the seafloor stopped leaking, and reports of planes spraying COREXIT still come in daily from fishermen. Oil is still all over the Gulf, in the marsh, and on the seafloor. Why are they not out there with barges pumping that toxic waste off of underwater canyons? Why is it not the burden of BP to prove to us that it safe? What real effort has government made to ensure the health of it’s citizens?
Could it be our once great republic is now for the Corporations by the Corporations? After a summer of BP using the federal government to lie to the American people, the Obama Administration is being sued by a group claiming the feds hid oil spill flow rates. Their concern is ,”the administration took, and is still taking, steps to falsely minimize public perception about the extent and severity of the BP spill.”. After 3.45 miles Louisiana doesn’t make a dime off of the oil that fuels our nations economy, yet our state bears most of the environmental risk with a myriad of pipelines while BP holds the cards with 60% of the jobs in the Gulf and most of the oil that fuels our military. Worse, this is about cheap labor, not safety, and surely not the environment. The moratorium aimed at deep water drilling has stopped permits for all depths in the Gulf while our country lends Mexico a Billion dollars a year to drill in Gulf waters. Also, China will soon have fisheries on our abandoned rigs and oil wells in Cuban waters.
What we lost here is not just the integrity of our Government, and faith in our leaders, but our ability to be self sufficient. A fisherman could feed his family and pay his bills with his catch, and when the seasons were fruitless go to work offshore. In November, we have the power to change things. Not merely to jump on the other side of the political isle, and let the powers that be continue to divide us. This is a chance to decide where we want our country to go and look for a way to get there.
Thanks to the folks that gave up their lives to let others know what was happening in the Gulf… and checked their Politics at the door. From Conservative right wingers, hippies, lesbian liberal leftists, independents, bird watchers, Native American fishermen, oil rig workers, blue hairs, broke musicians, cattlemen, activists, half-breed commies, NRA members, ogars, housewives, hunchbacks, and environmental wackos. It is evident that this country is not divided by it’s own people, but by those that profit from our existence.
Our goal is to preserve our Gulf and assure this never happens again, anywhere. The way this has been handled is disrespectful to the 11 men that died on April 20th. We owe it to them to make it a safer place to work and a healthy place to live. Never again should we let any corporation put profit over safety. The fishermen that spent this summer cleaning the mess also deserve their lives back. Also, the creatures that died didn’t deserve this. As Dr. John said “Shellfish ain’t selfish, they Shellfish”.
So this is where we are… BP and the federal government would have us believe the oil is gone & we have been saved. Because Gulf Coast seafood passes the controversial sniff test it’s safe and healthy. The truth is- no matter what it smells like – most consumers, seafood buyers, and restaurants will not deal with it. Also, declaring seafood safe helps to limit BP’s liability for those who get sick eating the stuff. In terms of common sense, it is still unsafe to go to most of the beaches on the Gulf Coast & if a contracted employee dips his toe in the water they must be decontaminated, but somehow we are supposed to believe that our fisheries not only thrived in the oil, but are now a healthy dining option. This week I saw dispersed oil bubbling to the surface in our estuaries where we assume BP sprayed COREXIT. While a great number of fish & birds look healthy and are free of oil- hermit crabs & worms on oiled beaches are nearly all dead. Many worry about our fragile ecosystem & future generations of sea life on the coast. The bottom line is that fishermen will not be able to sell their product and very few people I know would feed Gulf Seafood to their children.
Photo by Ocean Springs, Ms. Crabber Lorrie Williams
Flight times & airspace are still restricted over the Gulf so there is no way to accurately tell what is still at sea. From the beginning BP bought up ads in most major newspapers and took reporters to places where oil had already been cleaned. Why would they now take reporters over oily areas of the Gulf? State and federal employees from the EPA, USGS, major universities, and other agencies still have a gag order and daily conditions of air and water safety are being withheld from the public. Now- scientists that do research for BP are kept from making their discoveries public for 3 years. The people of the Gulf feel they have been ignored and lied to since the well blew and nobody has much faith in anything reported in the news. It seems the media and the rest of the world is ready to move on and forget this ever happened. Well, it’s not just business as usual. It may look okay, but decreasing oxygen levels and massive fish kills still haunt the Gulf. They don’t have to live here and this does not have to happen again.
Let us remember it took almost a month for this stuff to roll in, and weeks ago there was a 200 mile “blob” of oil in the Gulf. I am assuming that we either have another month of oil coming to us, or record amounts of dispersants were sprayed when the Coast Guard and clean up crews left the Gulf for tropical storm Bonnie. Just as disturbing are several reports from fishermen that COREXIT was sprayed in and around estuaries. Boats cleaning oiled areas were called off of sites and returned to white bubbles where the oil had been dispersed. The good news is that the summer heat is great for breaking down the dispersed oil that floats on the surface, and storms will help the mess, but hurricane season may bring a tidal surge pushing whatever lies beneath past costal communities. What is scarier is we have no way of knowing how much dispersed oil is in our marshes and on the seafloor. This latest report about the loop current appears to be credible and may shed some light on the situation.
Let’s look at our problems before the storm and where we are now:
Coastal Restoration: If we only have 6 or 7 years to save our estuaries from washing into the sea let’s get the job done now. Without our estuaries the marine life in the Gulf cannot reproduce. Big Oil needs to redeem itself and show it has the best interest of the people. Have them pay for costal restoration if they are going to continue to make billions on what is underneath. And though politicians may profit from oil legislation and we need jobs – the state of Louisiana gets nothing for oil rigs after they are 3.45 miles out in the Gulf.
The Dead Zone in the Gulf from the waste and runoff of the entire country is a huge problem and should be addressed. But how did that become a national talking point and justification for the use of COREXIT? Because the Gulf is already a toxic dump it’s somehow justified to finish off the ecosystem? And please forgive me if I can’t give credence to reports paid for by the company that assumed responsibility for the leak.
Planning for the next spill: Simply put, there was no plan for this one. Drilling for oil is a risk we take to supply energy to an overcrowded planet. Right now our choices are to drill in the Gulf or send our jobs and money overseas. I believe moving rigs out of the Gulf only fixes symptoms of our problem. We need to see additional safety measures like relief wells, acoustic switches, and revised plans for dealing with future disasters. We have the right to safe water and clean air. Regulations for deep water drilling – and enforcement of these – should be stringent and universal throughout the world. While we continue to drill we must also actively peruse new clean energy technologies and consume less while conserving the oil we pull out of the earth.
This man made disaster has united folks from all walks of life. Those who work offshore also hunt and fish. They care about the environment as much as the volunteers who came here from all over the country to care for the wildlife. The one thing we want to ensure is that this never happens again. It ‘s apparent that our country is not divided by its own people, but by the media and politicians that run it. We give those who control us our money every time we fill up at the gas station, eat at a fast food restaurant, or turn on the television. Voting has become an exercise in choosing the lesser of evils and I’ve come to realize no matter who is in the Oval office we have little control over our own destiny. It’s time to unite the people of our state and take it back.
Oil drilling v. the Environment: Why should it be a competition?
I’m going to quote song lyrics by a podnuh who is currently a fireman in southeast Louisiana, and an essay written by a police officer from southeast Louisiana who for years has been taking photos on the Gulf Coast. Both men spend a lot of time on the coast and sincerely care about our state but have different political views. Both are sincere and tell reality of what we face.
lyrics from LIFT THE BAN by Mike Dean
“When you talk about banning drilling, you taking bout banning jobs
you mine as well starve us all, you mine as well drop the bomb
When a coal mine caves in you don’t shut em all down
You don’t ban airplanes every time one hits the ground
you see it on TV, and don’t it look like hell
give us the tools and the time & we’ll fix it ourselves
You turn your back just like you did
a few years ago when hurricane Rita hit
We looked around and all we saw was hell
we didn’t need government then and we don’t need it now”- MD
part of Henry Cancienne’s essay on the iconic photo of the Brown Pelican
“The photo of this distressed Pelican was taken by Charlie Riedel on June 3, 2010 on the eastern end of Grand Terre Island. The photo burns an image in my mind that will last until I take my last breath. Fingers are pointed in every direction as to whom is responsible for this ghastly photo and the events leading up to the ultimate fate of this bird. In my mind the answer is simple. We can view the responsible party each time we look in every mirror including mine.
We do not have a shortage of petroleum…What we have is a surplus of people consuming the limited resources of planet earth…Contrary to some popular teachings humans are not the most important form of life on the planet. This pelican and every other animal are equal forms of life to us. So as long as we think we are superior to the Pelican, we will continue to cause destruction to planet earth and all its life forms…. The ultimate and final casualty to our ignorance will be us.” – HC
So, what can we do? Well, unity is the theme, but preservation is the call. I’ve recorded the BP Blues with a major label that promises to give most of the money to nonprofits of my choice. I want to ensure history does not repeat itself. The plan is to help citizens set up independent air, water, and health monitoring in their own communities. We hope to join forces with the other Gulf states. Goals include long term health studies, restoring coastal habitat, and letting the world know what happened here. We are no different than people affected by the Exxon Valdez spill, the September 11 workers, or Indigenous peoples in the rainforest who no longer have safe drinking water at the hands of Chevron. We’re teaming up with documentary film makers and combining footage taken all over the coast to tell the story. Until we find another viable energy source the plan is to bring awareness & unite citizens who will push the oil industry to standardize safety measures for deep water drilling and preserve the Gulf Coast for future generations.
Last week a few key folks got together in Grand Isle and met with BP rep Jason French on the 100th day of the Oil Leak. After the meeting, many residents joined in prayer with the Houma Nation. Though it was reported the day before that the“Oil had Vanished”, we found plenty in the water off Hwy 1, on Grand Terre Island, & near the dock at Bridge Side Marina. Thanks to Eric Breaux for filming the meeting and posting this video.
This is just one village on the coast. The story is the same from Texas to Tampa, folks who fly over tell me there’s still plenty of oil out there. BP is starting to scale back the use of fishermen and in the eyes of costal residents they are depending more on the use of COREXIT. What scares me the most is that most of the hermit crabs that use to reside on the beaches are gone. The concern is worms and smaller organisms that provide life for fish & birds have suffered the same fate.
Either way, it’s encouraging that people from all walks of life are coming together to salvage our fragile ecosystem and tell the truth. Like one fisherman said, ” It don’t make a difference how much money they pay us to clean this. It won’t buy back what we’ve already lost.”
Plenty of folks are writing songs, gathering in public places, and coming together to help the people & creatures of the Gulf Coast…. Here’s a few songs I thought were worth a look. Some are haunting & heartfelt while others are just plain silly… Either way, It’s gonna take folks from all walks of life coming together to make something happen. divided we fall.
On a serious note.. Here’s a buddy of mine playing a pretty cool guitar & telling his side of the story.
Thank you for your invitation to sing the BP Blues, at the rally against the moratorium on July 21 here in Lafayette. I really want to help the people of Louisiana. My main main concern is for the safety of fishermen, oil workers, and citizens along the Gulf Coast. We are in a state of emergency…. after almost 3 month of oil spilling into the Gulf, clean-up workers are still not allowed to use respirators. Citizens are moving out of the lower parishes with breathing problems. I’ve been on the coast since BP showed up, and I know from my own experience that sometimes I have trouble breathing while on the water – oil is burning, dispersants are being sprayed, and there’s no way to know way to know to what effect. We don’t know if the air we are breathing is safe.
Simply put, Divided we fall- It’s time to unite.. I will play free of charge if one of the rally’s sponsors will fund the rental air quality testing machines for Venice & Grand Isle for the next two months – machines to be operated and monitored independently by local citizens. This first step will show a good faith commitment on the part of oil companies and our State government – giving citizens more information toward informed decisions about their health.
When I’m not playing music, I also enjoy spending time in the Atchafalaya Basin. Currently, my crawfish co-op is in litigation with oil companies that dug canals across the Basin. The spoil banks keep the water from flowing through and leave us with traps full of dead crawfish. On the other hand, much of my family works in the oil field. As you well know our state economy is facing the same fate as our fragile ecosystem.
Much like Katrina, the White House & the Governors Mansion are on opposite sides of the political spectrum, My old National Guard Unit is deployed, and more scary the state emergency fund is tapped. Without cooperation with the federal government I fear our citizens will again suffer the brunt of partisanship.
After playing a gig in New Orleans in late April, I went to Venice to volunteer. I got there the first day BP set foot on our soil. Since then I have documented the plight of fishermen from Cameron Parish to Florida. In my eyes, it’s the burden of oil companies to ensure the safety of employees and the job of our state to ensure the safety of our people on the coast. That’s why I want these air monitoring machines. As important as jobs are to our people, their health and safety is more important.
I look forward to hearing from you soon. Like I told the members of the Presidential Commission last week- Do the right damn thing.
Town Hall meeting 6 PM Thursday, July 1st followed by a National Gulf Coast Fundraiser -
Acadiana Venues and artists donating their services for Fishermen & Wildlife
In an effort to unite the citizens of Southwest Louisiana and help those in need on our coast a Town hall meeting with experts and those affected by the BP Deepwater Horizon spill will take place Thursday. We will discuss the effects of the oil leak on our way of life and how to deal with a toxic Hurricane season. The panel will include Dr.Paul Klerks from ULL, Warren Perrin (working on behalf of the fishermen in district court & the president of CODOIFIL), Chris Gilbeaux- From the Louisiana state HAZMAT RESPONSE TEAM, state senator Nick Gautreaux, Kindra Arnesen and many other community leaders. We are waiting for word from BP & Coast Guard Reps and have more fishermen & residents from the affected areas.
*Final word on guest speakers will be updated thursday morning @ www.dirtycajuns.com
MUSICIANS and VENUES in ACADIANA – Suggested donation is $10 and money collected will go to Gulf Restoration Network & other worthy non-profits
10:30 Keith Blair/Eric Adcock/MJ NUNEZ w/ Carol Fran
12:30 all- star Jam w/guest *TBA
*Final word on bands TBA will be updated thursday morning @ www.dirtycajuns.com
06.21.2010 – Nationwide Benefit Concerts July 1st benefiting the Fishermen & Wildlife affected by the Gulf Coast Oil Spill
June 25, 2010 — In the spirit of Independence Day, nationwide concerts will be hosted by music venues on July 1st, 2010 to benefit those directly impacted by the Gulf Coast Oil Spill.
The organizers have created an ambitious goal: Gather music venues around the country to donate ticket sales on July 1st and create an online giving platform that encourages donations to the relief efforts. The fundraising goal is set to $500,000, which will be directed to our nonprofit partner the Gulf Restoration Network, (http://www.healthygulf.org/), which provides assistance to the people, wildlife and wetlands affected as well as advocacy work throughout the Gulf Coast.
The organizers of the event include: Nic Adler, owner of The Roxy on the Sunset Strip; Megan Jacobs of The Roxy, Casey Phillips, talent buyer for venues including Tipitina’s in New Orleans and Viper Room & The Mint in Los Angeles, and Sloane Berrent, founder of Answer With Action and creator of The Causemopolitan.
Revenues from ticket sales will be donated to help the fishermen and their families along the Gulf Coast cope with this disaster in addition to wildlife and wetlands restoration for the Gulf Coast. Over 25 venues have been confirmed and more are being added every day. Artists performing include national as well as local acts across the US.
“We know through music and the generosity of people that we can help make a difference in the Gulf Coast.” Adler says. “We hope this inspires others to make a donation, attend an event and get involved.”
The wetlands and wildlife are in desperate need of our attention now and can’t wait for BP to take care of those in need. Many of our fellow Americans in the foreseeable future will have no livelihood, are preparing to leave their homes and are now lining up for food handouts. With hurricane season on the horizon, there is reason for great concern and it’s crucial the affected communities be prepared for the worst.
Details on how to make a donation or find an event to attend in your area can be found under the URL: www.GulfCoastBenefit.com. Both the online giving platform and an online auction is going to coincide with the benefit concerts.
Confirmed venues include:
The Roxy (Los Angeles, CA)
Viper Room (Los Angeles, CA)
Echoplex (Los Angeles, CA)
The Mint (Los Angeles, CA)
Fais Do Do (Los Angeles, CA)
The Comedy Store (Los Angeles, CA)
Saint Rocke (Hermosa Beach, CA)
SoHo (Santa Barbara, CA)
Mojito (San Francisco, CA)
Fox Theatre (Boulder, CO)
Belly Up (Aspen, CO)
Eddie’s Trackside (Monroe, WA)
Tipitina’s (New Orleans, LA)
The Blue Nile (New Orleans, LA)
The Shed BBQ, Bourques SSC, Blue Moon, Somewhere’s else (Lafayette, LA)
Josehph Edgar Bar (Montreal, Canada)
50 days after the Deepwater Horizon explosion, Louisiana Sweet Crude is still bleeding into the Gulf of Mexico. The President is talking about “kicking somebodys ass” and claims he would fire BP CEO Tony Hayward if… Well, do it. Get the perpetrators off the clean up site and let them focus on getting the toxic waste out of our ocean. Kick Hayward’s ass for lying aboutthe existence of oil plumes and making his friends at Goldman Sachs richer by using half of the world’s supply of COREXIT. Then beat him down again for sending teams of people into communities along the Gulf Coast with no rhyme or reason (only the intension of limiting his company’s liability). Hold him to the “clean every drop of oil” speech, and once you finish mopping the floor with the Brit, figure out how you’re gonna keep your “boot on the Neck of BP“. The way this thing is being handled is disrespectful to the 11 men that died on the Deepwater Horizon. Right now, do something about the fishermen & poor people who are forced to work without respirators (they’re getting sick everyday). Next, give local and state agencies what they need to take care of themselves. 50 days is too long to keep pissing in the wind!
BP BOATS SIT AT THE STATE DOCKS IN BAYOU LA BATRE, AL
PEOPLE BRAVE TAR BALLS FOR A LAST DAY @ PENSACOLA BEACH
CONTRACTS KEEP FISHERMEN & THOSE EMPLOYED BY BP QUIET
I just got back from Mississippi, Florida, & Alabama. Let me tell you, it don’t look good for the rest of the Gulf Coast. Do they really think they are hiding anything by keeping the media out of areas where fisheries and wildlife are being decimated? OPA 90 gives Britishpetroleum full reign and responsibility over the clean-up, but has minimal provisions for oversight and enforcement of environmental laws. The truth is by keeping federal employees from talking about the spill our government has enabled BP to control the media. The Coast Guard & MMS are Militant about anyone (including oilfield employees, the USGS, and clean-up crews) taking pictures or video offshore, fly overs are largely prohibited, many public beaches are blocked off, and I don’t see current satellite images anywhere. BP has done a less than honorable job of helping fishermen and is still using archaic techniques to clean the mess. After this MAN MADE DISASTER- that is poisoning our people, decimating our wetlands and crushing our economy is over, where will British Petroleum be? Since BP showed up in Venice, I’ve been watching folks lose everything. How much longer will we allow BP to keep us from protecting ourselves and our homeland? Once they shut down the oilfield and nobody has a job down here, people will be throwing photos and footage of this mess out like candy. In Vermilion parish alone 1,000 oilfield employees are already out of work. Like I said in April- the time is now to prepare for Hurricane season & block off inlets to the marshes.
System of Helplessness
Instead of aggressively preventing oil from hitting beach heads and marshes, BP hires a few local people who make the most noise. These upstanding citizens and community leaders are legally bound by contract not to talk to the media and in most cases sit on a dock where they can’t fight the spill. Sure they train local fishermen with HAZMAT classes and boast about those numbers, but only deploy a small percentage of them. This keeps the folks who know the waters best from taking action. I was hoping the rest of our Southeastern Conference brethren would learn from our mistakes as the oil headed east, but now I realize that BP may soon have to deal with another SEC.
GET LOCAL PEOPLE THE MEANS AND PROTECTION TO DEFEND THEIR HOME LAND NOW AND BILL BP FOR IT. Each state has a list of folks that have commercial fishing licenses. Instead of making this a gold rush for anybody with a boat, they should start by employing local fishermen.
Dauphin Island
The beach at Ft. Gaines was well prepared with a trench of hay at the tide line. More susceptible beaches on Dauphin Island were protected by 2 layers of sand berm. Until I asked local people what was going on it looked like this was the best response yet. Like Louisiana a month ago, the good people of South Alabama don’t know much about the spill and just hope to spend a few more days fishing in the waters they love.
Alabama natives fear that contractors are cashing in on the spill with illegal Immigrants and convict labor. Families on vacations were scared to let there kids go near the water or near the employees working there. The people think this is another big money grab for contractors and multinational companies. I will say I talked with 3 groups of folks doing cleanup on the beach; the first (nearest to the roadblock) was mostly native Bama boys, the second spoke only Spanish and had a translator. At City Hall I heard a contractor ask another employee about background checks for buses full of mostly African Americans from faith based organizations in Houston, TX. Again, no one could tell me where local people could volunteer.
BAYOU LaBATRIE
At a town hall meeting the Fire Chief of Bayou La Batre linked BP to COREXIT through a safety fact sheet (claimed they manufactured the dispercent). What is being posted on the web is that 3 weeks before the explosion our friends a Goldman Sachs sold 44% of their BP stock. They also went short on Transocean stock just before the well plummeted to the sea and share ownership in NALCO (the company that makes COREXIT). Even BP CEO Tony Hayward dropped a third of his holdings in BP a few weeks before this mess started.
An official at Bayou La Batre city hall let me know BP money was drying up and they were going to run out of funds while prepare for the oil to hit. He also gave me directions to where the fishermen had blocked off vessels contracted with BP from leaving the state docks.
I went down to the docks and talked to fisherman, William Moroux. A host of airboats and other vessels were sitting at the dock while people in white suits congregated under a sizeable white tent in a makeshift BP compound. He’s got plenty to be mad about. It’s funny how the stories that matter get so little media attention.
ORANGE BEACH
In Orange Beach local businesses were already feeling the affects of the spill as they wait for the oil to hit. We visited the legendary Florida-Bama and Silver Slipper for open mic night.
The next morning we went down to Zeke’s Marina. Much like Venice a month ago- the only way they can make a buck is to take reporters out to see the oil. Thanks to Captain Ed Sims.
Captain Thad Stewart says he witnessed various species of fish eating off the mattress sized rafts of the toxic oil laden dispersants. He then fought off tears as he explained that the only Boat Captain working in the oil was very ill. Orange Beach Mayor Tony Kennon reacts to the BP response below
PENSACOLA
Pensacola/Navarre was the most puzzling. While tar balls hit the sand the beach was packed with locals and tourists wanting to surf, fish, walk the pier, or just get a last breath of fresh of air in their sacred place. I walked from Navarre a few miles back toward Pensacola and found a vast number of fresh tar balls baking in the sun near a bird sanctuary.
COL. BADASS
We passed by the USS ALABAMA for a few pictures of the battleship and ran into war hero Glenn D. Frazier. He shed some light on where we are in history and made me appreciate my freedom. People as diverse as Frazier and Doctor John are saying the same thing, “It’s time to let go of the anger & ego and come together as a country before it’s too late.” Taking our country back will not be an easy fight. We can start by helping each other clean this mess.
MOST ALARMING are the moves made prior to the explosion. I’m simply not buying the submarine story for several reasons, but here’s an article written by Matt Savoy that made me sicker than any oil I may have inhaled over the last month. It may connect some dots and give people a place to go fishing for the truth.
on the way back, through Ocean Springs, Ms. I talked to a surgeon who was walking his dog. His thoughts were, “They’d never let me cut somebody open unless I could stop the bleeding”. It was dark and the beach was groomed like a horse track . I saw no oil, but who knows? If they shut down the casinos it will be tough for the local economy.
Last, I called a podnuh in Pascagoula working for BP on Barrier Islands. He said the place pretty is well blocked off and no one there could talk about the situation. At least he was working.
Cajun Conspiracy Theory- (Hear say and Rubbish)
From what I understand you can blow a well by pumping the wrong grade of mud below. A family member of one of the survivors told me the Rig was “circulating seawater”…. So, there was no mud, the Halliburton cement job did not hold, and Transoceans blowout preventor (made by Cameron) failed. Now they point the finger at one another.
What we know is they were trying to cap the well when it blew. People told me on the road that the force and pressure of water and oil below the Deepwater Horizon Rig is beyond human comprehension. Rumors persist that BP got the rights to drill from Exxon and will lose them if they don’t drill the relief well. Who really knows?
It was reported weeks ago that there were numerous leaks (3) from the explosion. Just because we are only being shown footage of one pipe don’t mean the other leaks went away. Sen. Bill Nelson had the balls to go on television and confirm that oil is leaking from the sea floor. The Coast Guard is readying itself to defend the leak for the entire summer and it’s questionable if a relief well will stop the Gusher.
My crystal ball says it’s more likely that the sea floor had been a problem before the well blew. The Deepwater Horizion was the Titanic of Rigs in the Gulf. It stood as the model for safety and was the poster child for Deep Sea Drilling. From what I gather they started having issues long before the explosion and the warning signs are well documented. Maybe folks who knew the well was a time bomb were also privy to conditions on the Horizon. Either way, it’s not hard figure out who sold off their shares of BP, shorted Transocean holdings, and made numerous other moves that can be found on paper. Personally, I’d rather get to the bottom of this mess now than watch some hearing in four years once the gulf is a dead zone.
*The progress of Louisiana fishermen will help their brothers along the coast. I will post an interview with Warren Perrin tomorrow about what legal steps have been taken on behalf of the fishermen.
*AC Cooper (rep for the fishermen in Venice) says Oil is almost to Empire, La
* from wikipedia- On March 10, 2010, a BP executive emailed MMS that there was a stuck pipe and well control situation at the drilling site, and that Halliburton said it had finished cementing 20 hours before the fire, but had not yet set the final cement plug. A special nitrogen-foamed cement was used which is more difficult to handle than standard cement
Sunday, a group of Louisiana Natives left Lafayette to inspect the beaches west of Marsh Island. We came across some oil and had an enjoyable day walking beaches.
Because the currents and winds have shifted there is still time to prepare in Southwest Louisiana, but Alabama will reportedly see oil in the near future.
I got a call from the BP about my inquiry for work on May 2nd. They simply wanted to send me another email about volunteering. I followed up and am still waiting for a way to help. Cpt. Richard Blink called to let me know that most of the fishermen in Venice are out of work and that many of those employed by BP are already having health problems from dealing with the toxic fumes. I asked him to keep us posted this was his response;
Drew,
I still haven’t been called to go to work by BP after completion of their hazmat and safety training nearly a month ago. Only a few boats are working, this massive number that they give to the press is false. Some fishing boats are getting standby pay tied to the dock. Not much progress is really happening.
I quit my job for this. I was already doing environmental work before the leak started. I resigned from a great job so I could be the more useful. I feel so stupid now. The responsible party does not seem to want any help. They look at us like we’re some backward bayou people but we know this place good and without our help this disaster is going to be even worse.
BP needs to put a bounty on the oil. If you bring in a barrel then you get your daily pay plus a few dollars per gallon. If they just cut some boats loose we could get so much done. I can’t get my head around this inaction? The fishermen here are at the point where we’re about to go out on our own, picking up oil, bring it back to the dock and show the world. These people are fishermen, catching things is what they do!
It breaks my heart to sit at the dock wishing I could go to work to protect this place but can’t. Its almost to the point where I’m going to do it anyway. A cattle rancher has some boom from a spill years ago on his property that I’m about to put out in front of a little bay. If I can save just that one little area it will help me sleep a little better at night.
Thats just the boom situation. Boom doesn’t work in bad weather. What we need is the barrier island plan because It’s harder to clean oil out of the canes and marsh than scrape it off an artificial beach. BP is sitting on a public relations gold mine. They can look like heros and fix this or they can keep doing what they’re doing: nothing. I’m tired of being promised the world and not seeing results.
The school aged kids around here are nervous. They remember the instability they felt after Katrina. They’re worried that they might have to move. Its sad. Even they know that our entire way of life is threatened.
Drew, whenever you come back to south Plaquemines give me a call, we’ll go out in the bayou one last time.
I started off the day hoping to get back to Grand Isle, but fate and a broken truck would not allow it. After looking for answers last week from the USGS, I realized government employes are not allowed to speak publicly about the leak. So, I spent Friday morning in Baton Rouge. Professor Andy Nyman shared details about a LSU study on the effects of COREXIT and Louisiana crude oil on marine life.
Big props to Governor Jindal for not calling out the President. Obama obviously does not have much oilfield experience. So, whether BP bussed in fake workers to deceive the president or just wanted to look good for the cameras they didn’t help the cause. Also, a fake BP rep on twitter announced they would be,”sponsoring the New Orleans Blues Festival this summer w/special tribute to Muddy Waters,”. I promise they could use another 400 people out there.
Politics as usual will not work for this catastrophe. We have to be smart and fiscally responsible. Remember 2007 when democrats gave republicans got a tax break to raise the minimum wage ? Irresponsible compromises that don’t have the best interest of our citizens will not be tolerated. While demanding swift action and criticizing the White House our homeboy David Vitter is already trying to limit BP’s liability for the leak.
On the other hand, suspending drilling would be the knockout blow for our economy. Sure, we need to start finding clean energy and curb our demand for Black Gold, but until you can put anything else in you gas tank don’t depend on the rest of the world for oil.
I went to BP headquarters and saw a lot more military folks. A Louisiana National Guardsmen I served with confirmed that 1000 of our troops were working. I also confirmed that the cleanup is not a 24 hour operation yet. Every morning they get up and have to start all over with an oily beach.
I met Marc Gauthier, a biologist/film maker last week in Grand Isle. Since then the place has become toxic. Hopefully the tragic lessons learned there will help us protect the rest of the Gulf Coast.
As we make our way down Hwy 23 the air is smokey and unsettling. While some of this is from Louisiana sweet crude burning off our shores the distinct smell of dispersant treated oil baking in the sun is enough to make Gauthier put on a respirator. We laughed as I made fun of him, but what will this place be like in the coming years? Is the air safe to breathe?
I’m not sure when Oil Companies started controlling the actions of our government or had the power to keep our citizens from defending the homeland, but that is where we are at today. There is little time left to prevent this mess from getting through the marshes. Watching BP respond to keeping their mess off our coast is much like watching the clock run out on Les Miles during the LSU – Ole Miss Game. This time our lives are at stake and no apologies for their lack of competence and preparation will suffice. Worse, because the quarterback is telling the media the reality of this ugly situation they are kickin him off the team.
The Battle of New Orleans
Well, the only thing that people can agree on is the impact of the oil on our environment and economy.
Justice?…
Rumor has it that this may be the biggest oil strike in history. Word on the street is that BP did not close the hole sooner because of fear they would not get another permit to drill. Theorists on the other side would have you believe this accident was created to end offshore drilling. Shutting down oil wells in the Gulf will be devastating to our economy and give our fishermen no other way to earn a living. The truth is nobody has dealt with anything quite like this before and BP is working closely with the White House.
Now that this has been declared the biggest oil disaster in history why not make BP give all the oil under the well to those affected by the leak? They can prove how safe deep water drilling is, and once the coast is restored, have it back. We can’t afford to quit drilling anytime soon and this would be a great PR move (a chance to show the world what new safety measures have been put into place).
If BP refuses to help Nunguesser & the State of Louisiana deal with their disaster we got friends all over the world that will never buy another drop of their gas… and maybe get em out of Gulf Completely this time
We fired our guns and the British kept a’comin.
There wasn’t nigh as many as there was a while ago.
We fired once more and they began to runnin’ on
Down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico.
I haven’t been back to the old BVHS Gym since BP finished saftey training and presented fishermen with at least two different legal documents. Many of these people are still waiting for a call. So far, all I have seen is more, “don’t call us we’ll call you”; incompetent infrastructure for two way communication, no way apparent way to guide or hire the hundreds of thousands of volunteers trying to help, and varying technologies are being ignored. This lack of preparation and apparent misuse of resources comes off as a lack of respect for our people and our State.
The Fall Guy
I first ran into Cpt Edwin Stanton almost a month ago. After a frustrating 3 days of trying to volunteer in Venice I had a heated discussion with members of the Coast Guard about the apparent, “lack of a plan”. Not realizing I was talking to the Commander of the clean up, he offered me a chance to see the plan. Two days later we visited BP headquarters and saw the expansive operation. He answered every question I had with candor, warned us about the ineffectiveness of boom, introduced us to the worlds leading experts, and let us know the plan from day one was to use COREXIT. Now that the effect of this chemical can be seen on our shores and BP has still not capped the well he is being thrown under the bus. A qualified man who worked through countless oil spills in the gulf and lost his home in Katrina and is being relieved of his duty.
*Grim new estimates are that a million gallons may be pouring into the gulf each day.
*Because of pressure from the media and new reports on the scope of the spill the Nunguesser/Plaquermines berm plan is a go
*Fishermen and anyone employed by BP or contracted to clean the spill must sign a gag order
* The President ordered a 6 month ban on offshore drilling and expansion
*Liz Birnbaum quit the Mineral Management Services (they oversee US offshore drilling).. Later CNN reported the administration said she was fired?
*Most fishermen are still out of work and a only a few hundred are working for BP
*Dr. John demands the Government use NASA scientist to aid with the response. Work is still on going for The Solution to Pollution Tour. His comments about BP’s part in the clean-up “Get the Perpetrators off the scene”… he prays nightly with the people of Mother earth
*Folks are in Baton Rouge making plans for an oily Hurricane Season
*BP has still not put me and most of the fishermen to work… I volunteered in May
*Thanks to Marc Gauthier for his service to our state and use of footage from his upcoming documentary
*Even if the Top Kill Method works we must not sit around and rejoice while our wetlands are being decimated. Swift, Competent, Effective Action must be Taken now.
*Because of OPA 90 BP (the primary owner of the well) assumes responsibility, but this is a Global Suit. Switzerland-based Transocean, which provided most of the rig workers. Halliburton provided the cement, M-I SWACO the drilling mud, Schlumberger had a team on the rig to run tests, and Cameron supplied the Blow out preventer.
