Now, the idea is being researched for potential negative impacts on currents, coastal erosion, and wildlife habitat. Again, why wasn't this researched and a plan put in place a long time ago? Why are people scrambling to figure it out now?
Even worse is the inaction and utter lack of emergency response. Jindal asked for dredging to build barrier islands for two weeks before the oil hit the shores to no avail. BP commissioned private fishing boats to combat approaching oil, but didn't bother to send them out to lay out the flimsy, "protective" boom until the oil came ashore.
President Obama says there's a moratorium on new permits for offshore drilling, yet permits were handed out after this accident occurred. Finally, he "paused" plans for Shell to drill in the Arctic this summer, where there's absolutely no doubt that an accident would be catastrophic. Let's hope he cancels them altogether.
Imagine the same challenges as the Gulf, plus bitter cold, ice, extreme wind and wave conditions, 24-hour darkness for months and response equipment for a blowout of this size being weeks away. Shell is scheduled to start exploratory drilling in early July.
We watch day after day after day expecting appropriate action, yet the activity falls far short - except for the oil leaching further and further into wetlands, coating untold thousands of sea turtles, pelicans (taken off the endangered species list this year!) and countless other animals.
And all we have to help them is paper towel.
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Rona Fried, PhD. is CEO, SustainableBusiness.com. Another version of this piece appears in my column on Reuter's.
