Report: BP Looks To Buy Up Gulf Coast Scientists

(CBS)  BP has been trying to hire marine scientists from universities around the Gulf Coast in an apparent move to bolster the company's legal defense against anticipated lawsuits related to the Gulf oil spill, according to a report from The Press-Register in Mobile, Ala.

Scientists from Louisiana State University, Mississippi State University and Texas A&M have reportedly accepted BP's offer, according to the paper.

The federal government is expected to file a massive Natural Resources Damage Assessment lawsuit against BP, and it'll have to draw on large amounts of scientific research to build its case.

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Robert Wiygul, an Ocean Springs lawyer who specializes in environmental law, said BP is in effect denying the government access to valuable information by hiring the scientists and adding them to its legal team. "It also buys silence," Wiygul told the Press-Register, "thanks to confidentiality clauses in the contracts."

Scientists who sign the contract to work for BP will be subject to a strict confidentiality agreement. They will be barred from publishing, sharing or even speaking about data they collected for at least three years.

George Crozier, director of the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, who was approached by BP, told the paper: "It makes me feel like they were more interested in making sure we couldn't testify against them than in having us testify for them."

BP even tried to hire the entire marine sciences department at the University of South Alabama, according to the report. Bob Shipp, the head of the department, said he declined the offer because of the confidentiality clause.

The National Resources Defense Council has also claimed that BP is seeking to obstruct scientific research. BP earlier announced it had earmarked $500 million to scientists to study the oil spill. But the NRDC said the oil company is simply buying the cooperation of the scientists who collect valuable data.

In a letter to BP's CEO Tony Hayward, NRDC director Peter Lehner said the company should give the money to an independent entity like the National Academy of Sciences, which would then dole out the sums to other scientists. "Anything less must be construed as BP's attempt to control the study," NRDC blogger Sarah Chasis said.

But according to the Press-Register, Shipp can't prevent his colleagues from signing on with BP because staff members are allowed to do outside consultation for up to eight hours a week.

"More than one scientist interviewed by the Press-Register described being offered $250 an hour through BP lawyers," the article said. "At eight hours a week, that amounts to $104,000 a year."

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[doctajim]

BP has already been obstructing justice by having BP crews removing dead and injured wildlife from the beaches so they can't be counted - minimizing the true "ecological impact" of the spill. I've worked as a scientist in industry and it is motivated by profit and profit alone - egregious profit, obscene profit. What is needed is a Federal Judge overturning the confidentiality clause of their employment and giving the scientists immunity. Scientists need to eat and pay bills - but the illegal objectives of BP are clear - as is the second well they drilled - so they can keep tapping the same pool of oil. And they'll keep buying off legislators (like Dan Lungren) to obstruct Congress from passing laws to block justice.

[Skruffy1]

It's a fact of life that, in disputes, both sides hire experts to try to prove their side of the case. And plenty of "academics" work for oil companies already. There'd BETTER be some smart people working for the oil industry, and some of them also teach at colleges and universities. That's a given. What's important is that science (engineering, environmental stuff) isn't diluted, twisted, and otherwise compromised by the lure of fat paychecks from BP. So far, BP does not have a good record in environmental stewardship, safety, or, as we've seen every step of the way regarding Deepwater Horizon, truth-telling. They'll do their best to find scientific prostitutes or to turn good scientists into prostitutes for them. Count on it.

[thy-only_king]

I think it's great that BP is hiring scientist to study the effects of the spill. With the corrupt Obama regime trying to destroy them, they will need American scientist to keep things honest.

[bobnjersey]

[I think it's great that BP is hiring scientist to study the effects of the spill. With the corrupt Obama regime trying to destroy them, they will need American scientist to keep things honest. ]

an interesting allegance you have there ... you appear to be a completely clueless defender of 'the arrogant'.

the obama admin did not cause the largest ecological disaster in american history by poisoning the gulf of mexico ... and the wetlands at it's shores. bp did that.

bp is not 'studying the effects of the spill' ... it's mounting a defense against being held liable for their complete incompetence.

businesses that are incapable of taking responsibility for their actions should be destroyed ... via the appropriate means within a market system ... so that another one can enter the market that will take that responsibility seriously.

[democracy5]

Bob, _king's only raison d'?tre is to bash Obama. It's what he lives for.

[cubscout09]

Well, that explains BP's parting of ways with Woods Hole/Scripps early on in the crisis. WHOI/SIO couldn't be bought. Dirty bums.

[BeckiC]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCTn9tqU-mE&feature=channel

Sorry Aint Enough No More (bp oil spill song) Enjoy

[BeckiC]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCTn9tqU-mE&feature=channel

Sorry Aint Enough No More (bp oil spill song) Enjoy

[bobnjersey]

[Scientists who sign the contract to work for BP will be subject to a strict confidentiality agreement. They will be barred from publishing, sharing or even speaking about data they collected for at least three years. ]

although this likely doesn't technically (legally) qualify ... this is ... for all intent and purpose ... obstruction of justice.

[borgward17]

OK. That does it. I was sticking with BP as long as they were showing good will. Now I WILL stop buying BP gas.

[us_1776]

I hope those scientists that take up with BP are turned away when they return to academia.



.

[nolapearl]

No surprise and no they won't be turned away because they probably have tenure. Not very American of them!

[Skruffy1]

Gee, why am I not suprised. Besides, a LOT of Gulf Coast academics already DO work for the industry.