Post by editorialist12 on Jul 18, 2015 2:46:39 GMT -8
In a petition being circulated by the Care2petitionsite it states the AP (Associated Press) has just revealed that Taylor Energy paid Capitol Hill lobbyists $212,000 over the past year to cover up their involvement with an oil spill over 10 years ago still polluting the Gulf of Mexico. Here is the complete story quoted directly from the petition.
“In 2004, Hurricane Ivan damaged a group of oil wells just 10 miles off of the coast of Louisiana, triggering a steady, uncontrolled flow of oil into the Gulf of Mexico that has continued for eleven years. It's the longest-running commercial oil spill ever to pollute the Gulf of Mexico - and if nothing is done, experts warn that the leak will continue for another century or more.
“Shockingly, there are still no plans to stop the pollution!
“For the past decade, Taylor Energy Co., which owns the wells, and the U.S. government, which should be holding them accountable, have been downplaying the extent and environmental impact of the leak - while engaging in secretive deals that the public hasn't been allowed to see
.
“Ian MacDonald, a Florida State University oceanography professor, warns that the leak "presents a substantial threat to the environment" and is capable of harming birds, fish and other marine life. But last year, when Taylor Energy presented federal officials with plans for a "final resolution" of the spill, they claimed that the "best course of action ... is to not take any affirmative action".
“Shockingly, the U.S. Government appears to agree. While they claim to have ordered additional work from Taylor to stop the leak, there is no evidence showing what - if anything - has been done.
“Executives and officials may be able to ignore oil spills, but the people and wildlife of the Gulf don't have that luxury. Just ask Jonathan Henderson, Coastal Resiliency Organizer with the Gulf Restoration Network in New Orleans. In an interview, he said, "I’ve been on the water in the sheen in a boat, and my eyes burned, the fumes were heavy and I became light headed. It’s hard to imagine that wildlife, birds or fish that came into contact with it wouldn’t be affected.”
“Taylor Energy and the U.S. Government have shown that they're willing to allow their "dirty little secret" to poison the Gulf for the next 100 years - leaving our grandchildren to clean up the toxic soup.
This isn't just appalling - it's criminal. The Gulf doesn't need bureaucracy, secret deals, or corporate promises. It needs action. Taylor Energy must be held accountable for this leak, and the pollution must be stopped now”
Those wishing to stop this allegedly unconscionable situation need to either sign the petition can be done by clicking on this link:
www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/759/352/833/?z00m=25198338&redirectID=1743404615
You could also personally contact Sally Jewell, Secretary, U.S. Department of the Interior; Brian Salerno, Director, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE). Go to their websites for contact information.