Good News: Rep. Markey gets BP to agree to publish LIVE Video of Leak

[berni_mccoy]

http://www.globalwarming.house.gov/mediacenter/pressreleases_2008?id=0245#main_content

Markey to Get Live Feed of BP Oil Spill on Website
BP Acquiesces to Markey’s Request, Will Release Video Stream Tonight to Chairman

May 19, 2010 – Following a demand from Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) for a live feed of the BP oil spill to be made publicly available on the web, BP said they would release the feed and it will be shown on Rep. Markey’s committee website at www.globalwarming.house.gov. The release of the live link to Rep. Markey is expected tonight.

“This may be BP’s footage, but it’s America’s ocean. Now anyone will be able to see the real-time effects the BP spill is having on our ocean,” said Rep. Markey, who conducted a briefing today with independent scientists where he reiterated the call for a video feed. “This footage will aid analysis by independent scientists blocked by BP from coming to see the spill.”

Markey sent letters earlier today to BP America’s CEO Lamar McKay asking for the footage to be made public on BP’s website. If BP could not host the footage, Rep. Markey offered to host it on his website free of charge.

“BP is going to have to pay for the cleanup of this spill and the long-term damage. Hosting this video on our website is the only freebie they’re going to get,” Rep. Markey said.

The letter sent to McKay today can be found here (http://globalwarming.house.gov/files/LTTR/051910_LamarMcKay.pdf).

Rep. Markey has frequently queried BP for more information on the exact size of the spill and on their refusal to engage with outside scientists. Independent scientists have examined video, satellite photos and other aspects of the spill and determined that it may be much bigger than estimated. Today at a briefing Rep. Markey held in his Energy and Environment Subcommittee, independent scientists from Purdue University and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution said that the estimate of a 5,000 barrel per day leak was an underestimation of the flow. The scientists said with more data, they could better calculate the flow of oil from the sea floor.

"This is 4th grade math. We know the numerator here—the couple thousand barrels a day BP is siphoning out of the sunken pipe. But we still don’t know the denominator," said Rep. Markey. "BP is capturing a fraction of the oil, but they don’t know what that fraction is. By releasing this video, we’ve taken the first step towards allowing better access to the information BP has about this spill."

This is the kind of behind-the-scenes work that is being done by Democrats and the Obama Administration to get BP to do the right thing.

[lonestarnot]

1. so a 24-7 feed. Scientifically a good thing,

Not for the faint of heart. I'm already sleeping eating and consumed by this tragedy.

[barbtries]

2. i'm sorry to hear that

and sympathize with the feeling of helplessness. are you the person who posted a link to a message board for the industry? i wish i'd bookmarked the thread.

[lonestarnot]

5. You mean this crap?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8365755

[berni_mccoy]

7. No, I think they mean another poster who had uncovered the conflict

that occurred just before the rig exploded. Apparently, Schlumberger, the company contracted to cement the well head, would not move forward unless certain saftey protocols were followed. The rig captain denied their request. Shortly after, they left and the rig exploded 2-3 hours later.

[jtrockville]

3. Expected to be released last night? WHERE's the link?

Nothing to be found at http://www.globalwarming.house.gov/

[berni_mccoy]

6. Right here, sheesh

http://globalwarming.house.gov/spillcam

[ljm2002]

4. That is excellent news...

...and a big step in the right direction. Thanks for posting.

[berni_mccoy]

8. Yep it is..

unfortunately, it's being overlooked by DU.

[ljm2002]

9. Well there have been a couple of other posts on it this morning...

...so I don't think it's being totally ignored.

Also the EPA has made BP stop using the toxic dispersant they started out with. So in terms of the government taking some control, it appears they are starting to do just that.

Thank goodness, and not a moment too soon.

I'd still like to see President Obama appear more engaged on this issue -- it may be a matter of "optics", as they say, but that is part of leadership too.