Due Diligence: British Petroleum Cleanup

June 7th 2010:

In the process of advising clients for the clean-up regarding the BP Oil Spill Cleanup, transparency and long term safety are real issues that have not been addressed for the good people who are living in those areas. Their livelihoods have forever been affected and they don't even know the potential damages in the coming months. 

(1) Hurricane season will be arriving and the toxic rains that will be generated is a major concern. Toxic rain will be at levels never before seen.

(2) The health conditions of citizens lives that have made their homes in Louisiana, Florida and other Gulf Coast residential properties are not being considered and here's evidence from U.S. Dept. of Labor's Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA):

(3) What are the long term valuations that have been lost (possibly forever?)

The more public opinions we gather, the better we can support the victims of this horrific disaster.

Issued 25 May 2010 (>1 month after the incident). Here are the four pages of the OSHA letter (I would download and print these for your future records):

Agreement to protect workers issued on 10 June 2010.

What about short, medium, long term health effects for people who live or travel in the region? Possible answer: tough luck doesn't look like OSHA covers you since it is not part of the Department of Labor. Whatever we don't clean up will be left for the oysters and what they don't scavenge will be left for unsuspecting victims.

Some citizens have stated they'll eat shrimp gumbo with BP oil any day ... they need to read those documents from OSHA.

Reality? If this goes on, the lethal gases and toxins could require an evacuation of certain communities. Let's hope the rest of the summer brings some good news. We're looking into a variety of technologies. On a macrolevel: The fragile US economy, in the midst of an attempt to repair goodwill and managing a jobless recovery, overstretched by war and spending is not equipped to handle a disaster of this magnitude. No country in the world could do it. President Obama has been asked to punish with a 100B lawsuit. This would be exceeding the current marketcap of BP.

Thoughts?

Original Apology (Tony Hayward):

Sample response (they have no idea that once the monies run out, there will be no recourse):