01 May 2010

Reader Supported News | Perspective

An absolute environmental catastrophe is unfolding in the Gulf of Mexico right now. British Petroleum (BP), with their “international headquarters” listed as 1 St James’s Square London, has opened up the sea floor 40 miles off the Louisiana coast allowing millions of gallons of crude oil to erupt into the Gulf. The scope of the discharge is far worse than being reported in the main-stream-media.

The Gulf of Mexico is not a petroleum production facility, it is one of the most significant life-sustaining ecosystems on earth. The impact on wildlife there is unimaginable. This disaster threatens to destroy not only the vast, complex, life-sustaining ecosystem that exists there, but all of the human industries that thrive in the region as well. What that means is the conversion of everything environmentally, economically and socially to an oil production-based paradigm.

This is not just an oil spill or a cleanup – this is a disaster. No different than Hurricane Katrina or the earthquake that leveled Port-au-Prince, Haiti. It must be declared a Disaster Area by the Federal Government, and there must be an immediate Emergency Declaration. It is by every measure an emergency and a disaster.

British Petroleum must be removed immediately from the process, and held fully responsible for everything that follows. If that means freezing their US assets, then they must be frozen and if necessary, subject to seizure.

Let the Army Corps of Engineers bury the damaged and spewing spout under granite boulders and concrete, or whatever other effective emergency measure is needed to bring a stop to this madness at once. BP is buying time in an attempt to find a solution that does not derail their production. That needs to be shut down now.

A massive environmental rescue effort must be undertaken under the Disaster Declaration and it must happen quickly. This is a big problem that requires a big response. Show BP the door now and get busy with serious disaster relief.