DAN'S PAPERS, July 23, 2010 Page 46 www.danshamptons.com
Tragedy
Cognoscenti
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thing we can count on. Corexit is normally sprayed from planes above the water, though it also has been used a mile below the surface, to try to disperse the oil as soon as it emerges from the seabed. Yet Corexit was originally approved for use for the surface of the water, not below it. In late May, the EPA ordered BP to use a less toxic dispersant than Corexit 9500, suggesting 18 others it saw as less intrusive to the environment. BP refused, responding that Corexit was best for the job. The EPA response in turn was that it would consider the matter further. Though some five weeks later there has been no more word on the matter from the EPA. There is conjecture that an unexplained damage that has hit crops in the Gulf may be the result of the Corexit aerosol blown shoreward by the sea winds. On his recent trip, Safina saw the oil invading the sea and shore in irregular patterns. “In some areas the oil is quite spotty, in some areas there is acres of it.” (You can see a video of Safina’s fly over, as well as an extensive photo gallery of his trip, at carlsafina.com.) Safina argued for a “war panel” comprised of all the major oil companies, “but not BP,” to stop and remediate the disaster. “At this point, BP’s responsibility should stop at their wallet,” he said. I asked Safina in our conversation a few weeks ago, when the oil was still gushing, if, by some miracle, the oil was stopped, how long would it take for the Gulf of Mexico to be back to normal, to be cleared of oil?
“It depends on what you mean by cleaned,” he said. “If you mean there would be no evidence of oil at all, I am not sure. But for people to go back to doing what they did, maybe two to three years. But that might be optimistic. I’ve talked to fishermen who tried to fish tuna and marlin in areas that were still allowed, and they said the fishing was utterly dead there. “You have whole fishing villages that are just gone: rows of houses, boats and nothing happening,” Safina continued. “BP should pay and pay and pay, but the overall damage cannot ever be fully compensated with money.” Not only does the Gulf of Mexico contain 30% of the coastal wetlands of the U.S., it is the largest seafood-producing area of the U.S. By the end of June, a third of the Gulf was off limits to fishing. In summation, Safina said, “We’ve been idiots. What we need to do with this is a reassessment of some very basic things.” To add to Safina’s criticism of corporations running the show, consider the June 24 issue of The Wall Street Journal with the headlines “BP Bids for Deep-Water Deal.” In partnership with Chevron, BP is bidding to explore a block of the South China Sea for oil or natural gas about 150 miles south of Hong Kong. A BP spokesman said that the “spill” in the Gulf should “not stop all further deep water production,” adding that in the industry, the company has in fact a good safety record overall in the Gulf.
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relevant Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt’s understanding of how “the nation’s economic welfare and its cultural prosperity are inextricably linked.” Or, as Mickey Straus put it, being “a unique opportunity to hear and engage in a cross pollination of a variety of ideas from a variety of disciplines.” After, the presentation, the panels entertained questions from the audience. Neither Soros nor Warren dodged even the toughest questions, although time constraints entered into their response on a question like, “What would have happened if the Federal Government did not choose to interfere with the bank crisis and use Federal money?” What has happened is that the beautiful renovated venue, Guild Hall’s John Drew Theatre, has now created another way to serve the community. My prediction is that someday I will proudly tell people that I attended the first forum of the very first Hamptons Institute in 2010. Mickey Straus, in the pre-Institute press conference explained the forums were taped for Internet, local TV and even YouTube. He hopes that some day it may reach national television. I think it won’t be all that long. Thanks need to be extended for the generosity of Susan and Steven Jacobson, Mickey and Leila Strauss, Richard Steinberg, Warburg Realty, Alan and Barbara Washkowitz, Weiss Multi-Strategy Advisers and the Lead Sponsor: The Tarr Family—along with the Roosevelt Institute in bringing The Hamptons Institute to fruition.
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