Administrator Lisa Jackson with Rear Admiral Mary Landry held a press conference call today to discuss the amount of dispersants used in the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
Last Thursday, EPA directed BP to analyze available pre-approved dispersants for toxicity and effectiveness and report back within 24 hours. The directive called for a 72-hour window to analyze the options – that window closed on Sunday night. After receiving BP's response to the directive Thursday, EPA and NOAA scientists immediately called a meeting with BP scientists to discuss BP’s response. EPA and NOAA reviewed the science and Administrator Jackson and Rear Admiral Landry announced the next three steps:
Administrator Jackson just returned from an onsite inspection of the Delta Wildlife refuge. Where she admits that they have a “Big job in front of them”.
As of today the results from using dispersants have been positive according to Rear Admiral Mary Landry. Admiral Landry did address their will be environmental tradeoff with using these dispersants in these large amounts in which they are now being used in. It was thought that this kind and accident would never happen. So the necessary studies to determine the long tern effects on the environment from using all of these disperants have not been done.
The federal government has instructed BP to scale back on the use of dispersants by at least half or even 75% according Administrator Jackson. The US Government will also need to analyze better options in controlling this oil spill along with the use of dispersants, no longer will BP be able to make unilateral decisions on which dispersants to use. The EPA will perform their own scientific test to measure the best dispersant technology currently available.
The EPA will also conduct toxicity and Dissolved Oxygen and Particulate Matter tests; near shore in the sediment and in the water. Administrator Jackson will be visiting the Gulf Breeze Laboratory where the EPA will be setting up scientific testing. For more information on the BP Oil Spill you can go to
http://www.epa.gov/bpspill/dispersants
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