Gulf Coast Disaster - Wednesday, October 20

Highlights in this issue

- Where’s the money?
- Feinberg lays out fund plans through 2013
- Greenpeace sub dives to investigate 6 months out
- BP to drill in deeper water
- BP campaign contributions are toxic

Today’s summary
The sixth month anniversary of the Gulf oil spill lands on the calendar today with many unanswered questions and unresolved issues. One of the biggest is what is happening to BP’s $20 billion claims process and the scattered way that critics say it is being distributed to victims. "You will always find constructive criticism" when so many claims are being processed and so much money is being paid out and "the claims are coming fast and furious," claims administrator Kenneth Feinberg says. "You will always be able to find the claimant who has been misled or misunderstood or given the runaround. It's inevitable." But the numbers are looking good on the surface at least. As of Monday, 209,723 claims have been filed, with 73,346 having been approved for payment, according to the fund's website. About one-third of the claims - 72,056 - require additional documentation. So far, $1.49 billion has been paid out. If this were just about the numbers, it could be smoothed out easily. But it is about the rape of the Gulf of Mexico, the big guy versus the little ones, the feeling of helplessness in the wake of a manmade tragedy. The bottom line is that it is essential for government and for BP to make sure the people of the Gulf know they are not alone.

Quotable Quote
“This is a somber anniversary, and one that should remind the American people that the work to restore the Gulf is far from over” – Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass.

National News

Wall Street Journal: Where’s the money?
The Wall Street Journal takes a close look at the BP $20 billion fund that is supposed to ease the pain for Gulf coast residents. Despite claims czar Ken Feinberg’s promise to make it fast and get it in the hands of the victims easily, it has had many bumpy starts. Some Gulf businesses were paid in full right away, while their neighbors received nothing or only part of what they requested, without explanation, sparking complaints about inequity.

Read more
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703673604575549970587948384.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_LEFTTopStories

Also see
Washington Post: BP’s money is changing the Gulf as much as the oil did
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2010/10/19/ST2010101907510.html?sid=ST2010101907510


AP: Six months later, much is unknown
It could be years before the Gulf oil spill is understood. Six months after the April 20 Deepwater Horizon explosion, the environment and economy of the entire northern Gulf of Mexico region remain in a state of uncertainty, with overturned livelihoods, out-of-work fishermen, reluctant tourists, widespread emotional anguish and untold damage to the sea and its shores.

Read more
http://www.nola.com/newsflash/index.ssf/story/6-months-after-oil-spill-much-remains-unknown/1f5fc86663014a0799dcae77815a2abe


Fox10tv.com: Feinberg lays out plans for fund through 2013
In a letter to Ala. Sen. Jeff Sessions, claims czar Ken Feinberg lays out the timetable for his work. The Gulf Coast Claims Facility (“GCCF”) will remain up and running through August 2013, with the goal of compensating eligible claimants for future financial harm that may today be uncertain and unpredictable., Feinberg said.

Read more
http://www.fox10tv.com/dpp/news/gulf_oil_spill/feinberg-responds-to-sessions


Los Angeles Times: Greenpeace sub dives to investigate 6 months out
This is no anniversary to celebrate but Greenpeace is marking the six-month occasion of the Gulf oil spill by sending a two-person submarine down in the vicinity of the BP well that blew out April 20, nearly a mile below the Gulf of Mexico's surface. What will they find? And will it help their movement to stop further deepwater drilling?

Read more
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2010/10/gulf-oil-spill-six-month-anniversary-brings-disaster-back-in-focus.html


AP: BP to drill in deeper water
BP has no plans to stop deepwater drilling despite the devastating oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. A BP executive said Tuesday that BP and the oil industry will drill in deeper waters and go farther in their search for oil reserves, and must understand the risks so they can mitigate them in the future.

Read more
http://www.wishtv.com/dpps/green_living/national_green/bp-says-company-to-drill-in-deeper-water-assess-risk-nt10-jgr_3615955


Tampa Tribune: No way worst is over
The government and oil industry executives told the annual Clean Gulf Conference in Tampa Tuesday that the worst of the oil spill is past. But Billy Nungesser, president of Plaquemines Parish, went livid and said there is no way the disaster has passed.

Read more
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/oct/20/201027/at-tampa-conference-la-official-disputes-bp-claims/news-breaking/


Editorial

Baltimore Sun: Don’t let industry and the government fool us again
Now that the spill is no longer on the national news every night, let's not forget how bad this one was. More than 600 miles of Gulf Coast were hit with oil, thousands of birds died, 1,000 rare sea turtles either died or were severely oiled and hundreds of square miles of sensitive marsh were covered in oil. Tens of thousands of fishermen and tourism workers were put out of work, writes Jon Wong for Environment Maryland.

Read more
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bs-ed-oil-spill-20101019,0,2981379.story


Huffington Post: Keep on top of the Gulf
It could take decades before we fully understand the Gulf oil spill.  But we have to aggressively pursue answers to the harm caused by the spill and clearly define what a healthy Gulf should look like, writes Vikki Spruill.

Read more
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/vikki-n-spruill/six-months-later-keeping-_b_768990.html


Feature

Center for Responsive Politics: BP campaign contributions are toxic
Just about everything related to BP is soiled these days, and the oil giant knows it. So it is no surprise that BP avoided giving many campaign contributions in the latest cycle as the Gulf oil spill unfolded in the Gulf. An analysis by the Center for Responsive Politics, a watchdog group, finds that BP did not write a single check to federal lawmakers in September, according to the center’s review of campaign finance documents filed on Tuesday. In fact, the PAC has not donated a dime to any federal lawmakers since May. Instead, the PAC has focused its attention during the past several months on state-level candidates.

Read more
http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2010/10/bp-campaign-cash-still-toxic.html


Graphics

CNN Video: Crude remains beneath the sand six months later
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/20/gulf-oil-spill-crude-rema_n_768258.html

Video: Oil spill crew hides dead fish on public beaches
http://www.care2.com/causes/environment/blog/crews-try-to-hide-dead-fish/