From the The Huffington Post:
BP is preparing a system never tried nearly a mile under water to siphon away the geyser of crude from a blown-out well a mile under Gulf of Mexico waters. However, the plan to lower 74-ton, concrete-and-metal boxes being built to capture the oil and siphon it to a barge waiting at the surface will need at least another six to eight days to get it in place.
Crews continued to lay boom in what increasingly feels like a futile effort to slow down the spill, with all ideas to contain the flow failing so far.
....
Fishermen from the mouth of the Mississippi River to the Florida Panhandle got the news that more than 6,800 square miles of federal fishing areas were closed, fracturing their livelihood for at least 10 days and likely more just as the prime spring season was kicking in. The slick also was precariously close to a key shipping lane that feeds goods and materials to the interior of the U.S. by the Mississippi River.
Even if the well is shut off in a week, fishermen and wildlife officials wonder how long it will take for the Gulf to recover. Some compare it to Hurricane Katrina, which Louisiana is still recovering from after nearly five years.
"My kids will be talking about the effect of this when they're my age," said 41-year-old Venice charter boat captain Bob Kenney.
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Besides the immediate impact on Gulf industries, shipping along the Mississippi River could soon be limited. Ships carrying food, oil, rubber and much more come through the Southwest Pass to enter the vital waterway.
Shipment delays - either because oil-splattered ships need to be cleaned off at sea before docking or because water lanes are shut down for a time - would raise the cost of transporting those goods.
Posted without commentary, because I don't know what to say.
Likewise, I have not said anything but please know you are in my daily prayers.
ReplyDeleteCaminante, thank you.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to send you the link to this but as it is a bank holiday here it's not gone up yet. Have a look at the BBC religion and ethics section and look out for Saturday's thought for the day ( when they get around to it). You should be able to read and to listen again.
ReplyDeleteThinking of you all.
Sorry - that's BBC Radio 4.
ReplyDeleteDP, we can lay blame on the oil companies, the governments, and here and there, but those of us in developed countries need look no further than the mirror, because we are not truly serious about getting rid of our addictions to minerals.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the BBC 4 info.
My hope is that this spill makes folk question the wisdom of our continued dependence on oil, and of deep water offshore drilling.
ReplyDeleteAs for BP, the similar hubris of the White Star Line in April, 1912, was met with equivalent disaster, upon he sinking of the "unsinkable" Titanic.
All the people, affected industries, and creatures of the Gulf are in my prayers. A hug to you, Mimi, well, because I'm a bear and I think you could use one these days.
ReplyDeleteWV: encidesh (love child of Enkidu and Gilgamesh?)
Wasn't this what the prior adminstration was looking for?
ReplyDeleteWhat astonishes me is that the "Drill baby drill" faction seems to have no regret or concern. It's awful, truly a disaster.
ReplyDeleteCannot say how appalled and how worried for you all down there I am as we see the oil spill spreading and spreading.
ReplyDeleteI see, via Huffington, that 80% of the inflatable booms laid off the Alabama coast have failed; that BP is trying to cap individual liability payments at $5,000, and that Representative Gene Taylor of Mississippi (guess which party) announced after overflying the spill that ".... this isn't Katrina. This is not Armageddon .... That chocolate milk looking spill starts breaking up in smaller pieces... It is tending to break up naturally".
"Chocolate milk looking spill" - there's a soothing, cozy image - let's hope it comes back to Rep. Taylor's doorstep.
Crews continued to lay boom in what increasingly feels like a futile effort to slow down the spill, with all ideas to contain the flow failing so far.
ReplyDelete???? ... How bad is this mess going to get??
Paul (A.), yes indeedy. Check out the link, folks.
ReplyDeleteCathy, we don't know. Just because the slick has not yet reached the shore, that doesn't mean that it's not doing damage right now. The aquatic creatures in the vicinity of the oil slick are taking the hit.
This is so sad! Prayers for Louisiana and you all!
ReplyDelete