BP disaster was obama's 3 A.M. emergency phone call discussed in the campaign. How's he doing?

To add more context, a freep-mail exchange:

“Have you heard any reports of people in the coastal areas complaining of health ailments (sinus/eye irritation, breathing problems, inflammation from toxic vapors)?
Some blogs have claimed that. (just curious for the perspective of someone closer to the scene)”

My Freep response:

Oh hell yes.

Everything you mentioned is discussed on local radio. One report noted that at least 3 toxic airborn chemicals were several thousand times above safe levels along the coast.

IMO everyone on the coast will have long term health effects and/or die younger than they would have.

A friend in my area (2+ hour drive North of the Mississippi delta - Gulf outlet) swears he can smell a faint petroleum odor some mornings. I mentioned it to a relative and they can sometimes as well. So I suspect people on the Gulf coast where the oil is heavy are doomed healthwise.

I’m convinced if it were Dubya in office most of the oil would have been skimmed and very little would have made it to shore.

There are many safe organic treatments that could absorb the oil and convert it into a non toxic byproduct.

One company has that type product. http://www.supremesorb.com/

It is USDA and Coast Guard approved for oil clean up and has been used in several spills for many years. They are based less than 20 min from the Gulf and MORE THAN A MONTH AGO the CEO said he has more than what is needed. Last I checked he got no response from the Feds or BP.

It’s TREASON IMO.

The president should have been on the phone tracking down every skimmer ship or barge that could have been used to clean up that oil. It's basic arithmetic. How many gallons of oil per day leaking out, how much each skimmer ship can suction up, ergo, how many ships are needed. There shouldn't have been any vacation, parties or schmooze events until that was accomplished and they were at sea. The presidency is NOT a part-time or just 9-to-5 job. Here we are seventy days and hundreds of thousands of gallons of oil later, untold destruction to coastline, beaches, wetlands, aquatic life, fisheries, and coastal economies, and still most of those ships are not there yet. Did we mention dolphins, pelicans, and sea turtles? Or damage to human health from toxic gases.

Regarding volume of spill: No one is certain but the estimates keep going up.

Lately containment estimates are scheduled to reach 50,000 barrel per day capacity. Then in July as much as 80,000 barrell per day capacity.

I heard that it realistically could be releasing 75,000 barrels everyday.

75,000 x 42 gallons per barrel = 3,150,000 gallons per day x 70 days = 220,500,000 gallons since the blowout. 220 MILLION GALLONS.

The A Whale skimmer ship -- the length of 3 1/2 football fields and 10 stories high -- is designed to collect up to 500,000 barrels of oily water a day through 12 vents on either side of its bow. LINK

Just that one ship!

IF no dispersents were used and the oil surfaced then was skimmed by an armada of skimmers VERY LITTLE oil would have ever made it to the shores, then bioremediation could easily have cleaned up the residue See http://www.supremesorb.com/

Largest skimmer in the world must be deemed ‘effective’ by the federal government before it’s allowed to help with oil clean-up

http://dailycaller.com/2010/06/30/largest-skimmer-in-the-world-must-be-deemed-effective-by-the-federal-government-before-its-allowed-to-help-with-oil-clean-up/

By Jon Ward - The Daily Caller | Published: 1:51 AM 06/30/2010 | Updated: 2:18 PM 06/30/2010

The largest skimming ship in the world — known as an “A Whale” — is expected to arrive in the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday, but will be prevented from contracting with BP to help clean up the oil spill until the federal government decides that the vessel is “effective.”

The Coast Guard will not clear the Taiwan-owned ship – which is reportedly the length of 3 football fields and 10 stories high – to join the clean-up until it undergoes a test.

“The Coast Guard research and development center has a team of personnel that are ready to observe the tests to test the efficacy of the vessels systems, as well as its ability to safely operate in that area down there,” Coast Guard spokesman Ron LaBrec told The Daily Caller.

LaBrec said that the Coast Guard does not have concerns about the environmental impact of the ship’s operations. Some reports have said that the Environmental Protection Agency is worried that some of the 500,000 barrels of oily water sucked up each day by the vessel may contain some traces of oil when placed back in the Gulf.

An EPA spokesman did not return a request for comment by press time.

The Coast Guard spokesman said that there are no legal concerns holding up the “A Whale” skimmer. The Jones Act, which prohibits foreign ships from operating in or near U.S. ports in many circumstances, does not apply to skimmers.

LaBrec said that the holdup for the super skimmer was required only because the government is required to give it the green light, even though BP would be the one paying for the skimmer and on the hook if it was not effective.

“There are standards for oil spill response vessels, testing standards,” LaBrec said. “The federal on-scene coordinator is involved in approving the different technologies that are used in the response to make sure there are no issues with that.”

A BP spokesman said the oil company had not asked the skimmer to come help with the cleanup.

“They’ve just turned up hoping to help out. We haven’t contracted with them,” the BP spokesman said.

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