Oil Spill Washing Ashore Angers Gulf Residents

(CBS)  Twenty five days after the drilling rig explosion, BP says it's trying again Saturday evening to siphon oil to the surface of the Gulf of Mexico through a mile-long tube. The company already tried once Friday night.

A misalignment issue set back Saturday's operation for hours, CBS News Correspondent Mark Strassmann reports.

By Sunday morning, BP hopes its latest deep-sea fix is in place.

Special Section: Disaster in the Gulf
Gulf Oil Spill by the Numbers

It's a narrow tube threaded a mile down to the sea floor and inserted into the gushing pipeline. That tube would act like a straw, sucking leaking oil to a surface ship, but BP's trying to keep expectations in check.

"This doesn't stop the flow, but it contains the flow," said executive Doug Suttles. "We hope to have that tube inserted by some time late tonight."

In Port Fourchon, La., southwest of New Orleans, clean-up crews had to scrape beaches and hauled away 300 trash bags filled with tarballs that had washed ashore.

"It kind of gave you a pit in your stomach - oh lord here we go," said LaFource Parish resident Chett Chiasson.

As more oil spills onto the coast, many people here grow more frustrated, more angry. They're afraid waves of oil coming ashore could soon kill their livelihoods.

"BP did this," said one fisherman. "They destroyed us."

With a fishing ban in place, many local fishermen are out of the water and out of patience, hoping BP will hire them for clean-up work but frustrated by BP's red-tape.

"They want us to jump through hoops like puppy dogs," the fisherman said. "We're not puppy dogs. We are commercial fishermen."

For southern Louisiana, life changed April 20, when the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded, and its crew scrambled for their lives.

Michael Williams was the Horizon's chief electronic technician and had to jump from the rig to save his life, he told CBS' "60 Minutes" in an interview to be broadcast Sunday night.

"I heard this awful hissing noise, this sssssssssss," Williams said. "I remember closing my eyes and saying a prayer and asking God to tell my wife and little girl that daddy did everything he could, and if I survive this, it's for a reason."

Now many people along Louisiana's coast worry about their community's survival.

"I like the way we live here," one Louisianan said. "I hope it doesn't have to change."

More Oil Spill Coverage

BP Was Told of Safety Issues on Another Rig
BP Hits Snag in Attempt to Siphon Oil at Leak
BP Attitude on Spill Size Called "Scandalous"
Report: Feds OK'd Oil Drilling without Permits
Oil Flow Rate Questioned as BP Tries 2nd Fix
Oil Leak Stop At Least a Week Away, BP Exec Says

[mmsavage1]

Article from Las Vegas Review Journal:
http://www.lvrj.com/news/exxon-valdez-oil-risks-spur-warning-for-gulf-cleanup-crews-93258964.html

More on the Subject:
The workers who are cleaning up the oil in the Gulf need to be aware of the chemicals that will be used for the cleaning. I am one of the 11,000+ cleanup workers from the Exxon Valdez oil spill, who is suffering from health issues from that toxic cleanup, without compensation from Exxon.

My name is Merle Savage; a female general foreman during the EVOS beach cleanup in 1989, which turned into 21 years of extensive health deterioration for me, and many other workers. Dr. Riki Ott visited me in 2007 to explain about the toxic spraying on the beaches. She also informed me that Exxon's medical records and the reports that surfaced in litigation brought by sick workers in 1994, had been sealed from the public, making it impossible to hold Exxon responsible for their actions.
http://www.rikiott.com

Dr. Riki Ott has devoted her life to taking control from corporations and giving it back to We The People. If corporations continue to control our legal system, then We The People become victims. http://www.MovetoAmend.org
Dr. Riki Ott has written two books; Sound Truth & Corporate Myth$ and Not One Drop. Dr. Ott has investigated and studied the oil spill spraying, and quotes numerous reports in her books, on the toxic chemicals that were used during the 1989 Prince William Sound oily beach cleanup. Black Wave the Film is based on Not One Drop, with interviews of EVOS victims; my interview was featured in the section; Like a War Zone.
http://www.blackwavethefilm.com

Exxon developed the toxic spraying; OSHA, the Coast Guard, and the state of Alaska authorized the procedure; VECO and other Exxon contractors implemented it. Beach crews breathed in crude oil that splashed off the rocks and into the air -- the toxic exposure turned into chronic breathing conditions and central nervous system problems, along with other massive health issues. Some of the illnesses include neurological impairment, chronic respiratory disease, leukemia, lymphoma, brain tumors, liver damage, and blood disease.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5632208859935499100

My web site is devoted to searching for EVOS cleanup workers who were exposed to the toxic spraying, and are suffering from the same illnesses that I have. Our summer employment turned into a death sentence for many -- and a life of unending medical conditions for the rest of us.
http://www.silenceinthesound.com/stories.shtml
http://www.silenceinthesound.com/gallery.shtml

[Rumple_Stiltskin]

This problem is VERY simple to fix. All that needs to be done is to dump a few hundred tons of hay, (yes, regular old hay) all over the spill area. The oil will cling to the hay and wash up wherever it will. However, it will be very simple to pick up the hay after it washes ashore because the oil-saturated-hay will stop at the high-tide mark on all the beaches, just like regular old seaweed does now. Come on, we've ALL seen a band of high-tide seaweed along any beach in the World. Now the oil will be simple to clean up because all that needs to be done is to pick up the hay along the beaches. The hay will hold the oil and prevent the oil from penetrating the sandy beaches. Hay on oil, oil clings to hay, hay washes ashore, hay and oil are easily picked up by using normal beach cleaning equipment that every beach-town has to clean its sandy beaches. Simple. Problem solved. OR
you'all can continue to whine and cry about your lost livelyhood and become just another facet of the problem instead of working smart to affect the solution. As more oil is spilt into the water, just keep adding more hay until the water becomes crystal clear. Because it WILL become crystal clear again if this suggestion is applied and followed.
Not a TOTAL fix however. The birds will still have to be washed, etc. to save them. Git?er DONE !!

[Rumple_Stiltskin]

This problem is VERY simple to fix. All that needs to be done is to dump a few hundred tons of hay, (yes, regular old hay) all over the spill area. The oil will cling to the hay and wash up wherever it will. However, it will be very simple to pick up the hay after it washes ashore because the oil-saturated-hay will stop at the high-tide mark on all the beaches, just like regular old seaweed does now. Come on, we've ALL seen a band of high-tide seaweed along any beach in the World. Now the oil will be simple to clean up because all that needs to be done is to pick up the hay along the beaches. The hay will hold the oil and prevent the oil from penetrating the sandy beaches. Hay on oil, oil clings to hay, hay washes ashore, hay and oil are easily picked up by using normal beach cleaning equipment that every beach-town has to clean its sandy beaches. Simple. Problem solved. OR
you'all can continue to whine and cry about your lost livelyhood and become just another facet of the problem instead of working smart to affect the solution. As more oil is spilt into the water, just keep adding more hay until the water becomes crystal clear. Because it WILL become crystal clear again if this suggestion is applied and followed.
Not a TOTAL fix however. The birds will still have to be washed, etc. to save them. Git?er DONE !!

[Rumple_Stiltskin]

See above comment. As more oil is spilt into the water, just keep adding more hay until the water becomes crystal clear. Because it WILL become crystal clear again if this suggestion is applied and followed.

[Rumple_Stiltskin]

Get'er DONE !!

[Rumple_Stiltskin]

This problem is VERY simple to fix. All that needs to be done is to dump a few hundred tons of hay, (yes, regular old hay) all over the spill area. The oil will cling to the hay and wash up wherever it will. However, it will be very simple to pick up the hay after it washes ashore because the oil-saturated hay will stop at the high-tide mark on all the beaches, just like regular old seaweed does now. Come on, we've ALL seen a band of high-tide seaweed along any beach in the World. Now the oil will be simple to clean up because all that needs to be done is to pick up the hay along the beaches. The hay will hold the oil and prevent the oil from penetrating the sandy beaches. Hay on oil, oil clings to hay, hay washes ashore, hay and oil are easily picked up by using normal beach cleaning equipment that every beach-town has to clean its sandy beaches. Simple. Problem solved. OR
you'all can continue to whine and cry about your lost livelyhood and become just another facet of the problem instead of working smart to affect the solution.

[noloyalisti]

It's fine to investigate but I am STILL waiting for rich white guys to go to jail for ANYTHING. Look literally at the murder and treason that the Bushoccio Crime Family got a way with.

In America we have the criminal justice system: the criminal system for the poor and the justice system for the rich.

When we get over our infatuation with the rich and with big corporations, I will know we have entered the civilized world.

[greco99-2009]

Enron - Jail. Madoff - Jail. Goldman Sachs - SEC investigation ongoing. Massey - criminal probe ongoing.

[Empire-George-]

by noloyalisti May 17, 2010 3:45 PM EDT

Why do you automatically assume everyone is "white guys" ?

is it because whites make up 75% of the population, that you fault them ? Wouldn't logic tell you that there are good white guys among those bad ones ? Rich people are going to jail all the time, for fraud, murder, etc.

You have suggested that we should only have small businesses in America.....how could someone mass produce a product, with less then 50 employees ? don't you think SOME items need to be massively produced requiring a larger corporation ? (computers, electronics) you never considered that ?

[greco99-2009]

Alternative energy is important as a positive alternative to the current unregulated drill and spill approach.

But, given the enormity of the current disaster, there is a current need for justice. Both to provide remedy for the tens of thousands of people whose property and businesses are damages. And, as a way to stop the current ongoing harm and prevent future harm.

It is a primary responsibility of government to protect the lives and property of its citizens.

Glad to see the criminal investigation of Massey Energy, where 29 miners died.

If BP had knowledge that there was going to be an explosion and did not take steps to evacuate...and if 11 people died as a direct result of BP's willful misconduct...that would be murder would it not ?

Seems BP has 'lost' a bunch of data from close to the time of the initial explosion. Willful cover-up ?

My reading of the language that Obama used indicating the US government 'will not tolerate irresponsible behavior' is a wake-up call. It means a criminal probe is coming.

Yes the Gulf residents are angry - tens of thousands are seeing their property and businesses destroyed, possibly be willful acts or reckless negligence. And, there seem to have been bald lies by BP as well. 1000 barrels per day out of a high-pressure 21 inch pile (a 1/2 inch garden hose is about 400 barrels per day).

Maybe the States Attorneys General will take the lead? It should be their duty to protect their citizens from the ongoing harm...

The fallout from this disaster -- where we see the true cost of deregulation, corruption and a lack of forward thinking - will be both a call for justice and a renewed focus on alternatives.

[bhappy2-2]

by greco99-2009 May 17, 2010 1:05 PM EDT
Oil use will end in this century - that is certain.

by greco99-2009 May 17, 2010 1:50 PM EDT
To be sure, gas will be used for more than the next century.

So, which is it? I do not care which team you play on, but pick a team, put on their jersey and play to win. It can't be both ways. Either it will end this century or it won't. Do I need to resort to facts and logic? I only ask because making statements that contradict themselves is illogical; it tends to make people doubt your true intentions and cloaks your intelligence is shades of gray. Step out of the shadows and say what you really mean. For example, I am all for a cleaner environment and alternative fuels but, until they are available and economically feasible, I have no choice but to continue to use oil and oil derivatives as my main means of transportation. When the other sources are available, dependable and economically feasible I will make the change. Your turn...

[greco99-2009]

Rephrase:

1. Oil dominance will end in this century.

2. Some relatively minor use of gasoline will persist (for example biodiesel).

I don't think anyone can argue against the basic premise of the above two statements.

Thanks for the corrections. There are also a few minor typos as well.

[greco99-2009]

What will be interesting will be the next 2-3 decades will be *how* the transition from oil and fossil fuels will happen.

My take (in somewhat simplified terms): There will be those who support the transition, both in government and industry. They will have to work very hard, but they will be the winners. And, there will be those nattering nabobs or negativity who say it can't or should not be done. They will keep subsidizing big oil with tax breaks and disaster bailouts, and throw up road blocks to real progress toward renewable energy that will truly benefit the US.

I believe that those politicians who continue to chant Drill, Baby, Drill will have about as much chance for retaining office in the southern gulf states as an oil covered pelican...

[noloyalisti]

We should have listened to Jimmy Carter. We would not be in the same energy crisis as we were 30 years ago. Except worse because we have caused sever damage to our environment and are even more dependent on antiquated technology.

[stormerF3]

The Banks did and look what happened to them.