E-Mails Reveal BP's Attempts to Control Independent Gulf Research
Below by way of sheilagh.
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E-Mails Reveal BP's Attempts to Control Independent Gulf Research
by FishOutofWater for Ocean Advocates
BP e-mails, FOIA'd by Greenpeace and published by the Guardian, reveal attempts by BP to control the 500 million dollar "independent" monitoring and research programs on the extent and effects of the BP oil spill in the Gulf. The e-mails show that BP management wanted to direct research money to specific "independent" investigators favored by BP. Moreover, they wanted to influence which vessels had access to the area affected by the spill.
Can we direct GRI funding to a specific study (as we now see the Governor's office trying to do?
What influence do we have over the vessels/equipment driving the studies vs the questions?
The results of these investigations will be used to determine the fines BP pays. By controlling access to the Gulf around the blow out and exerting influence to direct money to preferred "independent" investigators, BP attempted to minimize financial losses.
The documents are expected to reinforce fears voiced by scientists that BP has too much leverage over studies into the impact of last year's oil disaster.
Those concerns go far beyond academic interest into the impact of the spill. BP faces billions in fines and penalties, and possible criminal charges arising from the disaster. Its total liability will depend in part on a final account produced by scientists on how much oil entered the gulf from its blown-out well, and the damage done to marine life and coastal areas in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. The oil company disputes the government estimate that 4.1m barrels of oil entered the gulf.
A second e-mail confirms that BP wanted to exert control over monitoring, research and sampling of the spill in the Gulf.
BP wanted to direct money to be spent on "restoration research" instead of research to determine the full extent of environmental damage caused by the spill.
The final paragraphs of the e-mail show that BP demanded to review NOAA's research plans. BP would not allow NOAA's research vessels access to the spill without prior review and approval of NOAA's research and monitoring plans by BP. Because BP was able to control access, they were able to control when and where NOAA sampled. NOAA's sampling, therefore, may have not discovered the full extent of environmental damage. For example, access control gave BP the power to hide the deaths of endangered Kemps Ridley turtles to avoid large fines.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/04/15/967221/-E-Mails-Reveal-BPs-Attempts-to-Control-Independent-Gulf-Research