Thursday, April 26, 2012

BP Oil Continuing to Pollute "Cleaned" Areas

http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2012/03/photos_document_bp_oil_still_c.html

Wetland habitats found at the mouth of the Mississippi River are still showing signs of the BP oil spill.  It is said that warm weather is causing oil to bubble up in previously cleaned areas.  In many areas, the oil clean up was stopped for net environmental benefit, and now the oil is getting loose again.  One question, what is the net environmental benefit?  I think the cleaning was stopped because it became too expensive and infeasible to continue over time.  Wetland habitats are some of the most productive habitats on Earth, but in these areas they have become dead zones with little life.  The oil covers the wetlands like a black tarp, preventing light penetration and gas exchange.  It is so thick, that natural processes such as light degradation and bacteria processes are not breaking down the hydrocarbons as efficiently as it should.  The federal trial against BP has yet to be conducted, but it's news like this that really ticks me off.  The BP oil spill was a different type of spill because the oil was dispersed through the entire water column in the Gulf of Mexico, not just an oil tanker spill where oil stays on the surface.  It is unknown exactly how many species is and will continue to be affected by this tragic event, and the amount of individuals is definitely in the millions.  I hope BP goes bankrupt because they have to pay all their remaining money to conservation.

No comments:

Post a Comment