How bad is the BP oil spill? Is the well really capped? Even if the well is capped, so what? Unfortunately, we do not know, because we cannot know. One EPA official claims:
Corexit is one of a number of dispersants, that are toxic, that are used to atomize the oil and force it down the water column so that it’s invisible to the eye. In this case, these dispersants were used in massive quantities, almost two million gallons so far, to hide the magnitude of the spill and save BP money. And the government—both EPA, NOAA, etc.—have been sock puppets for BP in this cover-up. Now, by hiding the amount of spill, BP is saving hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars in fines, and so, from day one, there was tremendous economic incentive to use these dispersants to hide the magnitude of the gusher that’s been going on for almost three months.
Is he telling the truth? How can we know? What's the basis for our knowledge? The Coast Guard, under direct orders from BP, is preventing independent scientists and journalists from getting too close to the spill. If the EPA official is mistaken, how can we know?
Matthew Simmons, founder of the Ocean Energy Institute, claims that the Gulf of the Mexico is done:
“No, it’s a total diversion - that’s the gas condensation that was trapped in the drilling riser which blew off the wellhead at 10:01 PM CT on April 20th, it's a mile-long compressed natural gas."
True or false? As someone who relies on evidence, I have no opinion. There is no way for me to evaluate Mr. Simmons' statements. The evidence is being kept away from me.
I can draw inferences from BP's and the government's conduct. If there is nothing to hide, why are journalists being prevented from studying the Gulf? Why are independent scientists not being allowed in the area?
No news is not good news.
