Quiet, 26 Years After the Spill
Several years ago Shannyn Moore, Jeanne Devon and I went out to Prince William Sound [read the post from Jeanne Devon] on an assignment from BBC World Service. We were sent for the odd request that could only come from a international news agency like the BBC… gather sound. They didn’t need video, or pictures, just sound. BBC had certainly been there before and had much in their catalogue to make it sound like their reporter was in Alaska – but they were looking for sound from right then. It was July 4th weekend so instead of BBQ and beer the…
The Weekend Off – News You Missed
Alaska ADN – BP settles over Prudhoe Bay spills BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc. has reached a proposed $450,000 settlement to resolve federal and state pollution violations in the Greater Prudhoe Bay unit. The settlement covers four oil discharges from BP-operated pipelines from 2007 to 2011. Juneau Empire – Authorities investigating whale, ferry collision KODIAK — Authorities were working Friday to determine if a 25-ton humpback whale died as the result of a collision with the state ferry Kennicott near Kodiak. Scientists believe the whale was alive when it was struck by the vessel. And Kate Wynne, a marine mammal specialist…
Bridge The Gulf with Alaska’s Riki Ott
Ed. Note: Please check out the wonderful work that’s being done at Bridge The Gulf. They’re one of the few groups really looking into the long term effects of BP’s oil spill and much more – witnessing what happened in Alaska thanks to Exxon unfold in the Gulf. Interview by Bridge The Gulf’s Cherri Foytlin “I will share my personal story of flying over the Exxon Valdez and seeing this little three-football-field-long tanker in a sea of oil, and going, ‘Okay, I am going to spend the rest of my life working on this and I am not going to go…
Exxon Spill – 25 Years of Tears
Time has a strange affect on events in our lives. I feel I’m looking through a glass of water when I look back 25 years to this day, March 24, 1989. I’d left Seattle University and the Ballard Lochs on the M/V Westward heading north through the Inside Passage of British Columbia for the sac roe herring fishery in Sitka. No time in my life is etched as clearly as that spring. There is a certain magic about following Spring to Alaska. Per my not so scientific study, I’ve determined Spring moves at about 9 nautical miles an hour, about…
Gulf Shrimper Sets the Record Straight About BP’s Failed Cleanup – from Julie Dermansky
Gulf Shrimper Dean Blanchard of Grand Isle Sets the Record Straight About BP’s Failed Cleanup (via Desmogblog) The second phase of hearings in the legal battle over the BP oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico ended on October 17th. Following two weeks of testimony by the U.S. Department of Justice and BP, U.S. District Court Judge Carl Barbier will determine…
Open Thread: BP Continues to Leak [only water…]
I found this photo on reddit titled “Water bottle leaked and ruined my laptop. Definitely should’ve seen that one coming…” It made me think about the fact that while all the Federal Parks are closed to normal citizens, they’ll continued to be open to drilling. From ThinkProgress: ….because Congress allocates resources to federal agencies through a complex mix of funding sources, public lands and waters would likely remain open to most oil, gas, and mining operations. This is even true for national parks. Drilling is currently happening in 12 national parks, including in Padre Island National Seashore in Texas and…
“Good Big Deal” to Russia With Love
I know how much all of you worry about the big 3 oil companies. They’re busy weeping into their hankies, and turning their pockets inside out to show us the lint, and explaining that they NEED that $2 billion a year from Alaska’s treasury or they’re just going to have to take their tin cup and leave Alaska for somewhere they can scrounge a few coins to survive. It’s not that they aren’t making money in Alaska, it’s that they’re just not making ENOUGH money. See, if they don’t get that $2 billion from us via no-strings-attached check, then they’ll…
Don’t Bend Over Alaska II – Hilarious! (Video)
Coming on the heels of the $40/plate White Linen Tablecloth Oil Executive “Rally” yesterday, is another video from Bob Lester – Don’t Bend Over Alaska II. It’s hilariously funny, and right on target. Remember to tell your legislators that Alaskans aren’t buying the governor’s BS. It’s our oil, and we’d rather not give it away. And to the oil companies who made a trillion dollars in profit in the last five years, and who don’t think that’s enough? Enjoy!
Vulture’s Picnic – My Home is Now a Strange Place (Installment 4)
Here is the next installment of Greg Palast’s new book Vulture’s Picnic. He has allowed The Mudflats to bring you Chapter 7 – My Home is Now a Strange Place in its entirety. This is an exclusive excerpt, just for Mudflatters. I find it absolutely riveting. If you need to catch up, here are links to the first three installments. Installment 1 Installment 2 Installment 3 ********************************** Chapter 7, continued By Greg Palast STEINHATCHEE, FLORIDA We also needed witnesses. I needed insiders who would spill to outsiders. To find them, I needed a hound dog. I needed a blonde. I…