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Kari Huus writes:The use of chemical dispersants in the wake of the massive BP oil spill ended on July 15, when the broken Deepwater Horizon well was capped, with only one exception four days later, according to federal agencies. But photos and chemical lab results obtained by msnbc.com suggest that the controversial chemicals have been sprayed much more recently than that.
The photos and tests lend credence to persistent but unsubstantiated reports by Gulf Coast residents that the spraying of dispersants has continued well beyond the cutoff date acknowledged by the Deepwater Horizon response team.
The image above — time stamped and embedded with geographical coordinates — was captured by New Orleans photographer Jerry Moran off the coast of Mississippi when he was out with scientists on Aug. 9
“We were on our way back to Ocean Springs from Horn Island, about a mile or two off the coast … (and) we ran into these hundreds of yards long swaths of that cauliflower stuff,” said Moran.
Moran said the foamy substance on the water’s surface looked just like what he encountered while covering the oil spill response when dispersant — a product with the brand name Corexit — was being applied daily to oil slicks. The smell was unmistakable, he said.
“I almost passed out from the fumes,” he said. “It smelled like a gas station.”
An environmental technician who was present took water samples, which were then sent to a certified lab -- ALS Laboratory Group in Fort Collins.
The results, according to environmental investigator and engineer Marco Kaltofen, president of Boston Chemical Data Corp.: “Definitively Corexit and BP petroleum.”
Kaltofen is among the scientists retained by New Orleans attorney Stuart Smith to conduct independent environmental testing data from the Gulf on behalf of clients who are seeking damages from BP. (Click here to read about their effort.)
An independent marine chemist who reviewed the data said that their conclusion stands up.
“The analytical techniques are correct and well accepted,” said Ted Van Vleet, a professor at the College of Marine Science at the University of South Florida. “Based on their data, it does appear that dispersant is present.”
Why responders would continue to use chemical dispersants after the government announced a halt is a mystery. If the oil was gone or already dispersed, as the federal government and BP have said, what would be the point? And, because dispersants don’t work very well on oil that has been “weathered” by the elements over long periods of times, there would be little point in spraying it that situation.
Doug Myers, science director for People with Puget Sound, a nonprofit marine restoration group in Olympia, Wash., has a theory: Oil emerging from the wellhead — about a mile beneath the surface — may have been prevented from rising to the surface by the high pressure and low temperatures of the waters at that depth.
“The depth stratification of the ocean is possibly the reason that pockets of oil could be hovering off the bottom but far below the surface for a fairly long time,” he said. “If it’s been at depth and … at those temperatures, it’s likely it stayed in liquid form.”
But if an upwelling current or other changes in conditions forced that oil to the surface, cleanup crews still working for BP would encounter fresh oil on the surface, he said.
If dispersant has in fact been sprayed in substantial quantities since July 15, an explanation will probably not be forthcoming from the federal government.
According to the official Deepwater Horizon response website, the EPA approved BP’s use of 1.84 million gallons, about two-thirds of the total for subsea use up to July 15, when the broken well was capped.
“Use of dispersant stopped when the well was capped” on July 15, said Coast Guard Petty Officer Susan Blake, a spokeswoman at Unified Command Center for the ongoing spill response. “The only exception was on July 19th, when they used 200 gallons.”
EPA communications officer Alisha Johnson requested and received copies of the photographs and chemical analysis of the water samples for review, but the agency did not respond to msnbc.com’s request for comment.
The use of chemical dispersants in unprecedented volume and in an unprecedented manner at the bottom of the sea has stirred controversy.
The dispersants — though nowhere near as toxic to humans as crude oil — are still toxic. And some scientists remain concerned about how dispersants might change the “fate” of oil. By breaking up the crude into tiny particles that sink into the water, they fear the contaminants could be more easily ingested by marine life and thus enter the food chain.
On May 14, the EPA told BP to find a less-toxic type of dispersant than Corexit, but BP continued using the dispersant, arguing that it was the best option available. On May 26, 2010, EPA and the Coast Guard issued a directive to BP requiring them to decrease overall volume of dispersant by 75 percent and to cease use of dispersant on the surface of the water altogether unless provided prior written authorization from the Coast Guard.
Response to the Deepwater Horizon disaster, which began with an explosion on the BP drilling rig on April 20, continues into the New Year. About 6,000 personnel, nearly 400 vessels, along with heavy equipment, skimmers and other machinery are still employed in daily cleanup operations.
Do you have any information about recent use of dispersants in the gulf? If so, click below to send a tip to Open Channel:
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The lawyers do not want this to end, and I wouldn't be surprised if it was found out that they and the environmentalist groups were responsible for the dispersant.
well sad part all groups , goverment ,Lawyers,enviro guys and BP all have been know too lie so you can't rule any of them out.
unfortunately it wont end for centuries. and no one is more willing to lie about it than bp.
You should work for Fox News. Blaming the dispersant on environmental groups stinks of Glenn Beck.
Here is more information on Corexit, the dispersant widely used during the Macondo blowout:
http://viableopposition.blogspot.com/2010/05/gulf-of-mexico-now-squeaky-clean.html
@Ron, I do agree that something doesnt add up, but I doubt Lawyers and Enviromentalists are to blame.
Since the GCCF is starving out gulf coast workers and businesses, why then are govenors not calling for a federal disaster area designation?
This is no longer an "Incident of National Significance"
The CBS Evening News (6/9, story 4, :35, Couric) reported, “Another viewer wants to know: Why hasn’t the President declared the Gulf states a Federal disaster area releasing Federal assistance to governors?” CBS (Reid) added, “If this had been a natural disaster like a hurricane, that’s exactly what would have happened. The states would be declared disaster areas and they would then be eligible for federal reimbursement. But in this case, BP is the responsible party so the governors aren’t even asking the Federal Government for money, they’re going straight to that deep pocket – BP.”
and The GCCF has denied over half the claims.
It's time for the feds to step in and save the businesses and environment.
Kevin Matovina
starve out thre gulf coast worker and there wont be anyone to vote off offshore drilling. or coastal processing. bp has already taken over the whole area and someone has told the government to back out.
You know you always have to watch these Jessie Ventura episodes with a grain of salt...
BUT
There are some VERY interesting points made.
Decide for yourself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWVQvVSeRdA
As the high weather front moved out and the now in place low came in there was a bad stink in the air here in Tampa. Just like the smell when that well blew. Hey, have you noticed the gas prices going up? They have to pay for the lawsuits and penalties somehow. Do you think that they will not pass these costs onto the consumers? We need to get off oil and move on to a renewable energy source. Let those guys in the mid-east have their sand AND the oil under it.
Let them have their sand and EAT IT, too. And when these nations are no longer raking in obscene profits from oil, they'll be dependent on the goodwill of the rest of the world in order to keep eating.
people have said they hear the aircraft at night, military planes flying low in the gulf . these people live in the area so I'm sure they know what their talking about. bp wants the oil sunk so they don't have to deal with it or pay for it.if it's true anyone involved should be put in prison for their crimes. company's like bp and halaburton own this country and they do what they want ,when they want! this is a sick world and its only getting worse. what makes me sick is washington is a part of it.
bp and halliburton are now considered people, until it comes to paying a price for murder and ecocide. they will not do a day in jail.
if anything good comes from this disaster, hopefully it is that we as a nation have woken up to the fact that we have a VERY corrupt government. and when it comes to corporate-owned parties, there is little difference between the dems and gop. one thing is for sure: the corporate bottom line - profit - is usually detrimental to human and environmental health. we are doomed if we continue to let corporate interests rule.
and, hopefully it is obvious, we need to embrace the electric car and solar, wind, geothermal...
Revelation 11:16-18 (New International Version, ©2010)
16 And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying:
“We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty,
the One who is and who was,
because you have taken your great power
and have begun to reign.
18 The nations were angry,
and your wrath has come.
The time has come for judging the dead,
and for rewarding your servants the prophets
and your people who revere your name,
both great and small—
and for destroying those who destroy the earth.”
GET A ROPE !
They are still spraying the dispersants, there is still a lot of oil out there, and the seafood is NOT 'safe to eat'!!! I drive down the beach in Mississippi every day going to and from work and the easiest place to see a LOT OF OIL is going over the bay bridges in Ocean Springs or Bay St. Louis just after sunrise in the early a.m. while the water is still flat and you will see sheen everywhere pretty much every single day. As the time passes and the water roughens up it is obscured and harder to see. This is probably the single biggest whitewash in American history bc it covers the entire gulf of Mexico from Texas to Louisiana to Mississippi to Alabama, and Florida! It will be decades before the long term effects are known therefore it is impossible for anyone to know if the seafood is safe.
I see the "boat trails" when the water is calm too. I was told that it is because there is a film on top of the water and the boats seperate it as they go.
i love the epa's officail seafood smell test. no lab just it smells ok.
WAKE-UP AMERICA ! WAKE-UP !! Again Our Government is Lying To Us. When Will the People of This Great Country finally become Fed-Up with the indiviluals that Make Up this Present Government ?? AND REPLACE EACH AND EVERYONE. Revo. People, Revo ! ALSO GO WEAKILEAK GO ! R.
I have lived most of my life on the Coast. Nothing is "normal" here anymore. Hundreds of dead jellyfish don't just wash up dead like the did last week, surrounded by "The Foam." Birds didn't use to just appear to fall dead out of the sky either. If they only used Corexit out by the well sight back in July, why was I able to get pictures from two BP staging sites with 330 gallon corexit tanks. The sites weren't by any airports or large ship canals. Do I beleive they are still spraying? Of course I do. Why else would spotter planes continue to go out by the islands and over the sound during the day. Also, why would you be able to see planes going back and forth by the islands at night. They sure wouldn't be able to see anything in the dark. The foam and other dispersed oil crap washes up here on a daily basis. If you don't believe me, come on down and see for yourself!
Line up 100 different Americans from 100 different parts of the country and different ways of life and I would venture to guess 95 of them would readily admit lawyers are little more than green algae on stagnant water and that they would lie to their own mothers for a buck. Trust me, lawyers know it too. That is why they hire people, so called experts, to say anything they need said, not in the best interest of clients but in the best interest of generating more fees.
Dispersant was injected into the blow out flow at the top of the BOP and there is no more blow out flow; it was sprayed via airplanes in the open ocean on oil slicks and there is no more visible oil slicks, has not been for months. If airplanes were still spraying dispersant MSNBC would be all over it and unless BPis secretly puttering around out there in little submarines hosing down suspended layers of oil that sunk (?!?) this weeks lame attempt at chasing the BP ambulance is a joke.
The well is buried in cement, BP is exiting North America as fast as they can sell their assets, Hayward is exiled to Russia and the whole shabang has cost them 40 billion and counting. If Americans accept these kind of fabricated scientific stories and refuse to buy Gulf seafood you will not be punishing BP and big oil, at this point you will only be punishing the good people of the Gulf who have suffered enough already.
Get a grip, America; anything to do with a caged chicken, from it beak to its feet, will kill you a lot faster than a steamy bowl of delicious Louisiana shrimp gumbo.
Spot on.
do they race yachts in russia, and the smuck that was formerly in russia is now the head of bp.
Those of us that live on the Coast can choose not to eat the seafood. However, we have no choice when it comes to breathing the toxins in the air...........
Actually the spill was WAY overblown by the media and a bunch of jobless, GED toting hippies (see liberal democrats).. Its over done and contained with extremely minimal damage other than media scares and now MSNBC makes up yet another media lie... No wonder NO ONE with a job an IQ and an education watches or listens to these douchrockets
since the voters have voted out offshore drilling, the oil companies ( i will throw in the halliburton-dick cheney-exxon ties) have destroyed the gulf and now the gulf is no longer a safe place to live. but its just right for drillling and processing. and with no one to vote against it we can rename it the dick cheney memorial gulf.
WAY overblown! I live on the Coast. I have seen the dispersed oil, dead wildlife and fish wash up for months now. BP has admitted to using 1.8 million gallons of Corexit, that has been banned in 18 countries. I can only imagine what the real total is. Also, I guess you must be so over-educated, that you have no common sense.............
http://www.facebook.com/notes.php?id=1556173379¬es_tab=app_2347471856#!/note.php?note_id=10150094007703278
This is the truth. Read it and understand that we ARE being continually sprayed. I am now a displaced person from the Gulf. This is the Truth. Read it and understand it. This is happening everyday below the radar and it will NOT be tolerated.
Here we go again just like "Agent Orange" that was sprayed on the jungles as a defoliant to help our soldiers turns out it did more harm than good. But we were told it won't hurt you.
Of course they are still dispersing that crap...but YOU...the general public will NEVER EVER know.
There are several problems with the above story. First of all the dispersants are far more toxic than the oil and the toxicity tests on the EPA's own web site prove this fact. In fact the dispersants are neuro toxins and do not kill people immediately, however in 3 to 5 years the health problems in the Gulf will start being realized, and in 10 to 15 years millions of people will have died from complications associated with the use of Exxon's dispersants. The MSDS sheets will alert one to the fate of humans that have been exposed to the dispersants.
Secondly, it seems troubling that there is any argument in regards to the application of dispersants after July 15 or 19 or any other date, since the Coast Guard was flying out of Stennis applying the dispersants for BP, and there are videos of these unmarked flights predominately in the early mornings before the sun comes up. So one of the CO Chairs of the RRT (EPA) is stating stop the dispersants one can only assume with a wink, while the other the other CO Chair (Coast Guard) is actually carrying out the logistics of applying the dispersants. Someone should find out who ordered the use of Government military aircraft to apply dispersants long after the EPA stated they wanted dispersant application stopped. There is photo graphic evidence as late as last week dispersants were applied in December.
One additional aspect is the seafood misinformation, the EPA and the CDC published a report in 1999 establishing the thresholds for what level of light end hydrocarbons, PAH's and long chain hydrocarbons would adversely effect a humans health. The report found that light end hydrocarbons of 0.01 ppm, PAH's of 0.06ppm, and long chain hydrocarbons of 10 ppm would adversely affect a humans health. 9%5 of all the reports coming out of the Gulf for water and seafood has breached these limits. So the water and seafood are not safe and their own report establishes this. So why would they revert to an anectodotal sniff test that is absolutely meaningless and non scientific, for such a life threatening potential, when they have the thresholds at their disposal?
The EPA, Coast Guard, and BP all new of a non toxic clean up product that a human can ingest small amounts of with out any adverse effects, that has a substantiated end point of CO2 and water, of which tests are on the EPA"s web site and listed on the EPA National Contingency Plan list so it could be legally used to address the spill. The product is Oil Spill Eater II (OSE II). OSE II has been requested by the Gulf states, and or Senators, cities, and even BP and been denied by the EPA over 14 times for this spill. The EPA went with a product they have given an illegal monopoly for for 21 years Exxons highly toxic correxit. A product that can cause kidney failure and death if it gets on a humans skin is not in line with the EPA's own charter or the Presidents Oath of office for protecting the US natural resources and the health of humans. There was and is a way to return the Gulf to pre spill conditions safely, and the EPA, Coast Guard and now BP refuse to access this 21 year experienced, virtually non toxic safe for responders clean up product OSE II which has cleaned up over 14,000 spill since 1989.
"The truth is dead, long live The Truth."
http://www.myspace.com/texhexman
Of course it's being sprayed! They have no other way of hiding the oil that continually floats up,there are no skimmers working now. Just wait until there's a big SE wind or a storm. You should have seen Terrebonne Bay the day shrimping was reopened. I personally saw a dolphin swimming sick who died later that day(the skimmers were finding dolphins and turtles dead well after this day) There was white dispersant lines all through the bay and the water bubbled behind our vessel like dishwater from the time we entered the bay from Dulac all the way to 5 miles offshore. We turned around and headed back in after that. The shrimpers were working right on through that water. Anyone want 5lbs. of 21-25 tails from Terrebonne Bay?...never again.
Here you go, December 30th, 2010.
We're being poisoned down here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1LGt9OM4p0
The ball is in your court MSNBC, should you decide to really cover this, you'll be the only one of the mainstream news that does.