Oil Slick (transport, plumbers, best)

[Col.W.Deering]

The Alaska forum posters seem very interested in the size of this spill in comparison to the Exxon Valdez. So I got this from their thread Calculations of Gulf Spill Volume Are Questioned - NYTimes.com about BP not attempting to get an accurate measurement of the size of the spill.

[FauxPas]

Some success plugging the leak: Update on Riser Insertion Tube Tool progress

[dsc526]

We're all going to be paying for the spill for a long time. Hopefully, the Gulf states will file an action against BP (for clean up, lost revenue, short and long-term, etc.) and let BP recoup from its sub-contractors.

[Col.W.Deering]

Originally Posted by dsc526

We're all going to be paying for the spill for a long time. Hopefully, the Gulf states will file an action against BP (for clean up, lost revenue, short and long-term, etc.) and let BP recoup from its sub-contractors.

I'm not going to hold my breath that BP will do the best for the people effected by this spill. In fact, there is a bit of talk that BP is going to make it difficult for fishermen, shrimpers, hoteliers to recoup any loses by making them jump through hoops. When the president of a company refers to the oil spill as a tiny drop in the ocean, I have little faith that this will be handled in a responsible manner.

[Rushmore]

I could barely believe what I was hearing in this 60 Minutes piece, aired last night. I mean, the guy's story alone was riveting, but the sheer disregard for safety that BP officials seems to have, well, that's another story altogether.

Here is the story:

Deepwater Horizon's Blowout, Part 1 - 60 Minutes - CBS News (http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6490348n&tag=related;photovideo - broken link)

[Col.W.Deering]

Since tar balls are showing up as far south as Key West... here is an update of information from the local Sarasota Audubon Society.

Sarasota Audubon, Save Our Seabirds, Wildlife Center of Venice, and Wildlife Inc ( Manatee County ) among other environmental groups attended a Sarasota County Emergency Management Services meeting last week to figure out what we could all do in case oil shows up on our beaches. Here is some basic information:

Log onto www.scgov.net the primary source for all information related to the spill. The site is comprehensive and updated daily.

BP is conducting training sessions throughout the state with regard to hazardous materials and for booming. There is a link through the County site for that training. There is no oiled-bird training via BP.

Save Our Seabirds had over 2000 emails from volunteers, so they have closed off any further volunteer opportunities for now. To log on as a volunteer for the oil spill or any bird-related projects, contact beachvolunteer@ sarasotaaudubon. org

Tri-state Bird Rescue will coordinate any and all bird rescue operations. The three rescue operations in our area will take their lead from them. Here's what you do if you see an oiled-bird:

1) Do not pick it up or touch it; only trained hazmat personnel are allowed to touch the bird. Note its location and ID if possible.

2) Call one of these numbers: for south county and Charlotte County , Wildlife Center of Venice 484-9657; for north county, Save Our Seabirds 388-3010; for Manatee County, Wildlife Inc. 778-6324. After letting them know where the bird is, they will in turn contact BP's 800 number, Tri-state and Sarasota County 's emergency line at 861-5000 to get the bird logged into the system. Since BP is picking up the tab, they have to know about each and every bird rescued.

On Friday, May 21 from 2 until 6pm, Save Our Seabirds and Sarasota Audubon is having a fundraising event at the Nokomis jetty. Come visit and get more information about donating and volunteering and about the oil spill.

Supplies and donations: We are in the midst of setting up a drop off point for donated supplies. Even if the oil does not reach our beaches, supplies can be stored for future use or for deployment to other Gulf areas. More info on Friday and in subsequent announcements.

[Sue in Ohio]

Col.W.Deering,
Thanks for all the updates. Glad to know the area groups are coming together to plan their strategy. Continue to keep us posted!

[Big House]

Enough is enough! BP is doing very little! Why are they the only ones trying to do anything!?!?!? This needs to be a concerted effort. This country, and other companies with the expertise should be engaged in stopping this oil spill. I've seen plumbers stop leaks in a hundred different ways. I have never seen one stop a leak buy building a house and putting it on it, or sticking a smaller pipe into a bigger pipe and syphoning off 10th of what it will spew, and say "Success!!!" That is just plain DUMB!!

Put a hydraulic clamp on it and squeeze the pipe down and close it! Crush it! Do something to stop it! Stop being idiotic! And, the government can't sit buy and do nothing, and point the finger at a moronic bunch of class dunces!! They have the national interest at stake, and can take over! Forming a committee - what-a-buncha-hoooweee!

[04JETTA]

BP needs to go, the gov't should send in thier own experts, or contract apple, w/e do whatever needs to be done, then tally up the cost, not only of the cleanup efforts, but for all the money the fisherman, resteraunts, and any other buisnesses along the golf coast have lost, send BP a bill, then either tighten offshore drilling restrictions (who the heck has only ONE backup plan? seriously) or ban it entirely, and for the love of god, change the law so oil companies are liable for w/e the cost is, not $75m, not $14b, UNLIMITED

/rant

[davery5872]

Originally Posted by Big House

I've seen plumbers stop leaks in a hundred different ways. I have never seen one stop a leak buy building a house and putting it on it, or sticking a smaller pipe into a bigger pipe and syphoning off 10th of what it will spew, and say "Success!!!"

I understand your frustration and I am in no way defending BP. But, most plumbers do not work 5000 feet underwater with robots.

I do wish we were not just sitting around and waiting for BP to stop the leak. So we can not send in the Army Corps of Engineers? How about getting NASA involved? I hate to think we are at the mercy of BP.