BP withholds oil spill facts — and government lets it

[IndianaGreen]

BP withholds oil spill facts — and government lets it

By Marisa Taylor and Renee Schoof | McClatchy Newspapers

WASHINGTON — BP, the company in charge of the rig that exploded last month in the Gulf of Mexico, hasn't publicly divulged the results of tests on the extent of workers' exposure to evaporating oil or from the burning of crude over the gulf, even though researchers say that data is crucial in determining whether the conditions are safe.

Moreover, the company isn't monitoring the extent of the spill and only reluctantly released videos of the spill site that could give scientists a clue to the amount of the oil in gulf.

BP's role as the primary source of information has raised questions about whether the government should intervene to gather such data and to publicize it and whether an adequate cleanup can be accomplished without the details of crude oil spreading across the gulf.

Under pressure from senators, BP released four videos Tuesday, but it hasn't agreed to better monitoring.

The company also hasn't publicly released air sampling for oil spill workers although Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the agency in charge of monitoring compliance with worker safety regulations, is relying on the information and has urged it to do so.

Read more: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/05/18/94415/bps-secrecy-keep-facts-on-gulf.html#ixzz0oLE37DkH

[BrklynLiberal]

1. Excellent visual.

[Alcibiades]

2. How much of this will wind up on Mexico & Cuba?

The real estate is worth more in Florida, but I bet courts in other countries don't have a $75 million cap on damages.

[jimlup]

3. Apparently the unrec freep-trolls work the night shift

Sorry I could only counter one of them. Despite other news this is the most important story right now. Nice graphic - thanks!

[readmoreoften]

4. K&R. I can't believe that some Pro-BP people unrec'd this thread. Unreal.

Why the Coast Guard and Administration refuse to listen to non-BP, university scientists or let them near the slick is beyond bizarre. Such blatant coziness between the government and military-industrial complex and the media in the face of such an industry-created disaster wouldn't've been acceptable even to conservatives 25 years ago.

I simply don't understand why Obama is merely "scolding" these folks, why the AP is regurgitating the BP/CoastGuard "party line" about 5,000 barrels even after NPR, the Christian Science Monitor, et. al have debunked their official numbers with calculations from non-BP, public university scientists.

The Coast Guard should be working with public university scientists, not BP industrial cronies. This is a fine example of the capitalist state: where the government exists to protect moneyed interests. I'm glad that Obama is scolding these folks, but the fact that his censure is not taken seriously by the military or the media, and that BP hardly seems shaken by this...well, I'm kind of shaken by that.

[flamingdem]

5. Any Freeper unreccing is a subhuman, we will all be hurt yeesh nt

[Scuba]

7. +1

[amborin]

6. NOAA supressing data, too:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/may/18/oil-spill-threatens-atlantic-coast