PROFIT IN OIL SPILLS...........

I've been saying this for months now....... 
Because when you pay attention, it is Obvious!



  Monday, Feb 10, 2014 06:57 AM PST

Profiting off polluting: How Big Oil is defrauding states to clean up toxic fuel leaks

Oil companies are being paid twice to deal with their own messes

Topics: Big Oil, Fraud, clean water, oil spill, Aquifers, Chevron, Sustainability News, Business News

(Credit: CoolKengzz/Shutterstock)

To anyone who drinks water, the rusted, leaky underground tanks storing underground fuel are the “single largest threat” to its safety. To major oil companies, they’re an opportunity to profit.
Reuters has an exclusive report on the despicable fraud being carried out by Big Oil. Call it “double-dipping”: When toxic, potentially carcinogenic leaks of gas and diesel threaten aquifers, the companies accept government funds to clean it up. Then, they apply for a second payout from the insurance companies. And all the big guys, it seems, are going for it: Chevron, Exxon, ConocoPhillips and Sunoco have agreed to settlements over the past three years totaling over $105 million.
“When I first saw these cases, I thought this is kind of incredible,” said New Mexico Assistant Attorney General Seth Cohen. “The oil companies have, in effect, profited off polluting.”
Here’s more from Reuters on the widespread fraud and the dream team working to expose it:

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Approximately 40 states and the District of Columbia have special funds to cover the costs of removing and replacing the old tanks, excavating tainted dirt and pumping out dirty groundwater.
Since 1988, there have been more than half a million leaky tanks reported across the country. Nearly 80,000 spills still are waiting to be cleaned up.
In the New Mexico settlement last September, court documents show the origin of the case against Chevron was a sealed lawsuit filed by [Thomas] Schruben and [Dennis] Pantazis’ team in 2009 under a state law designed to protect taxpayers from fraud.
One document from 2006, for example, shows Chevron received a check for $19,000 from the state to clean up and monitor a leak at a gas station in the small, southern New Mexico town of Artesia. On the application to receive money from the tank fund, the company checked “No” next to the question: “Do you have insurance?”
The lawsuit accused Chevron of receiving insurance payouts to deal with many kinds of environmental contamination, including policies that would have covered leaks at the gas station in Artesia – a fact it kept hidden from the state.

About 20 more cases across the country are currently pending.
None of the companies, of course, have admitted to having done any of this wittingly. Those who have settled out of court did so on good faith that they simply didn’t realize they had applied twice for cleanup funds. As Reuters points out, the millions paid out in settlements are practically nothing for them. But for cash-strapped states, they’re a major something.

Lindsay Abrams is an assistant editor at Salon, focusing on all things sustainable. Follow her on Twitter @readingirl, email labrams@salon.com.

News From Gulf Restoration

Take Action: From Your Home, For The Gulf   If you haven't already, it is not to late to register to host your very own screening of "Defend The Gulf". We supply you with the DVD and a pretty cool package of incentives. It is a great way to defend the Gulf from the comfort of your own home, so register today!

Blogging For A Healthy Gulf: GRN Spots Oil Near BP's Macondo Well   Yes folks, sadly it's true. GRN's Jonathan Henderson flew over the site of the Deepwater Horizon disaster twice recently with On Wings Of Care, and he documented oil on the surface. Read Jonathan's blog from the first flight here and be sure to click on the slide show to see the photos. Then head here to see photos from the second flight.

Hundreds Of Environmental Activists Arrested Outside White House At issue is the Keystone XL Pipeline, proposed to bring tar sands oil from Alberta Canada all the way to the Gulf Coast and fueling refineries in Manchester and Port Arthur Texas. If you haven't heard about the tar sands and the proposed Keystone XL pipeline, please check out GRN's Aaron Viles' blog and see why GRN is opposed to it's development.

Massive Fish Kill Results From Pearl River Disaster Check out GRN's coverage form the ugly scene that played out on the Pearl River over the past couple of weeks. GRN surveyed the scene by boat and plane and we have footage to share with you.

Great Music, Great Cause Gulf Restoration Network has teamed up with two great supporters, and you can help support our work by voting for us and downloading some great music! Please join the fight for a healthy Gulf and consider supporting us today!

Don't Let BP Off The Hook For Turtle Deaths   The recent spike in sea turtle mortality along the Gulf coast has raised several concerns over the cause of these deaths. Strandings data shows that it is unlikely that the turtles would be washing ashore in historically unprecedented numbers solely on account of shrimpers’ nets.  Check out our blog for more on this and to see the data.

Creature Feature:  Physeter Macrocephalus On two recent flyovers above the Gulf we spotted sperm whales, so it is only natural that the species is this edition's creature feature.  Did you know that the sperm whale has the biggest brain out of any animal? Check out this video by National Geographic to see these splendid creatures in action.

GRN Featured On World Ocean Radio  Check out this episode of World Ocean Radio where GRN is recognized for the work we do to protect the Gulf. You will hear a pretty good description of our organization, the strategies that we use, and the issues we work on.

NIEHS Says Illnesses Impossible To Prove  So what does that mean for those who filed health-related claims with the Kenneth Feinberg and the Gulf Coast Claims facility for illnesses? Our friends at Bridge The Gulf break it down for you in this article.

Events***  REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS Gulf Future Action Plan Grants Available To Gulf Future Coalition Members To support activities that help to lift up and strengthen local organizing and build gulf-wide movement. For more information, please visit here. Catalyst: Artists of Southern Louisiana Respond to the Gulf Oil Crisis July 8th through September 15 Space 301 at the Living Art Center Mobile, AL For more information, please visit here. Louisiana's 2012 Coastal Master Plan Meetings Various locations in South Louisiana For more information, and a full schedule of meetings please visit here. Stained--Photo Exhibit By Melanie Driscoll September th, 5:30-7:30pm Shaw Center For Performing Arts Baton Rouge, La. Volunteers Needed--Help Restore Elmer's Island September 10th, 10am-3pm Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana and Bayou Land RC&D Council Visit www.crcl.org for more information Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation 22nd Annual Beach Sweep September 17, 9am-noon, followed by a picnic for registered participants. For more information, please visit here. Unnatural Histories, Unnatural Waters Thursday, September 29, 2011, 6 to 8 p.m. Inman Gallery, 3901 Main Street, Houston, Texas www.healthygulf.org/unnatural Learn about the work of Gulf Restoration Network and view paintings of invasive species by artist Kristin Musgnug. Defend Our Coast, Defend Ourselves Sunday, October 9, 2011, 6 to 8 p.m. Mondo, 900 Harrison Ave, New Orleans, Louisiana Join us at our annual fundraiser with great discussion, foods and music to benefit Gulf Restoration Network. ***For a complete listing of events, please visit here. JOBS Louisiana Green Corps3-month job-training program For more information, please visit here.    Global Green Coastal Restoration Coordinator (AmeriCorps VISTA) New Orleans, LA. To apply, please email resume and cover letter to: asickle@globalgreen.org. Global Green Coastal Restoration Intern New Orleans, LA. To apply, please email resume and cover letter to: asickle@globalgreen.org. Consortium for Ocean Leadership Project Administration Manager, Gulf Research Initiative (GRI) For more information, visit here. Environmental Defense Fund - Conservation Project Manager, Gulf of Mexico and Southeast Oceans Program For more information, visit here.  The National Wildlife Federation Senior Legislative Representative, Coasts & Floodplains For more information please visit here.

Defenders of Wildlife

BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling     

Congress: Stop the Next Oil Disaster



The Deepwater Horizon oil disaster claimed the lives of 11 workers, killed scores of threatened and endangered sea turtles, brown pelicans and dolphins, and devastated the Gulf Coast economy. The long-term ecological impacts of the disaster may not be known for years.
This week, the National Oil Spill Commission released its final report on the catastrophe -- but by itself, a report cannot avert another disaster.


Urge your representative and senators to take action now to protect America’s shorelines, wildlife and regional economies from another offshore oil disaster.

http://www.defenders.org/take_action/

Who Will Speak for Those Without a Human Voice?

		Take Action to Stop More Drilling Disasters   The Obama administration has proposed a 5-year plan for offshore oil and gas drilling that would open up huge swaths of our coasts to dangerous drilling – risking the lives of countless sea turtles, endangered whales, sea birds, polar bears and other wildlife. Take action! Tell Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and the Obama administration that you oppose dangerous new offshore drilling off our coasts. Help us send 60,000 messages by Wednesday's deadline for public comments. Take action now and forward this message to at least 3 friends. Dear Auntie- Nanuuq, At a time when millions of gallons of oil are still spewing into the Gulf of Mexico, wreaking havoc on sea turtles, brown pelicans, sperm whales and irreplaceable coastal and marine ecosystems, it seems inconceivable that the Obama administration would consider more dirty, dangerous offshore drilling. Yet, incredibly, that’s exactly what’s happening. Take a stand for imperiled sea turtles and other marine wildlife. Urge the Obama administration to reject calls for offshore drilling off the coasts of Florida, Alaska, Virginia, North Carolina and other coastal states. As of yesterday, more than 1,000 birds, 400 sea turtles and 40 marine mammals are already confirmed dead due to the Gulf oil disaster. Far more birds, sea turtles, whales, dolphins and other wildlife are likely dead or dying as a result of the ongoing oil leak in the Gulf. The scale of this ecological catastrophe is massive. Yet drilling proponents persist in their calls to industrialize our coasts and sacrifice our marine wildlife at the altar of Big Oil’s profit margins. The Obama administration had announced a six-month moratorium on new deepwater drilling, temporarily blocked planned drilling in the fragile Chukchi Sea and deployed thousands of federal workers to respond to the disaster in Gulf. On Tuesday, however, a federal judge in Houston – with a history of significant financial investment in oil companies drilling the Gulf -- overturned the six-month ban on deepwater offshore drilling. The Obama administration plans to appeal the ruling and take administrative action to uphold the ban. Ironically, the administration itself is also considering a 5-year leasing plan for offshore drilling that would approve new oil and gas drilling along the Mid-Atlantic and South-Atlantic coasts, on Florida’s Gulf Coast, and in the Arctic Ocean – risking the lives of countless sea turtles, endangered whales, sea birds, polar bears and other wildlife. Speak out for our coastal wildlife and communities. Send your comments to the Obama Administration now. In the face of the tragedy in the Gulf, we must make our voices heard. All comments are due by Wednesday (June 30th), so please take action now, forward this message and help us reach our 60,000-message goal. With Gratitude, Richard Charter Senior Policy Advisor, Marine Programs Defenders of Wildlife Defending Wildlife Tomorrow, Defenders of Wildlife will join groups from across America, participating in Hands Across the Sand events to oppose dangerous new drilling. To find an event near you, visit http://www.handsacrossthesand.com/organize-join-a-beach/ This week, Defenders of Wildlife’s legal team moved to stop Big Oil’s attempt to block a temporary moratorium on deepwater offshore drilling, opposing the oil industry in federal court in Houston. Incredibly, a judge who has had significant financial ties to the oil industry ruled to lift the ban. However, the Obama administration plans to appeal the decision – a move supported by Defenders. So far, Defenders has mobilized more than 61,000 caring people like you in support of additional protections for loggerhead sea turtles. Loggerheads – already in trouble before the Gulf oil disaster – are particularly vulnerable to oil and can drown or be poisoned when they become oiled. Defenders has also mobilized to prevent threatened and endangered sea turtles from being burned to death as part of the controlled oil burns occurring in the desperate attempt to reduce oil from the ongoing Deepwater Horizon oil leak in the Gulf.  Last week, more than 31,000 Defenders supporters urged Senate Democrats to pass comprehensive legislation to reduce America’s dependence on fossil fuels and address the impacts of climate change without opening additional coastal areas to offshore drilling.

Offshore Drilling Ban

Dear Auntie Nanuuq:

Thank you for writing to me to express your opposition to expanding offshore oil and gas production. I appreciate the time you took to write, and I welcome the opportunity to respond.

I share your concerns and agree that expanding offshore drilling represents a false promise and an unnecessary risk to our coastal communities, economies and ecosystems. The United States has only three percent of the known global oil reserves under its water and lands but accounts for nearly 23 percent of global oil consumption. Energy independence cannot be achieved by expanding offshore oil and gas production. The recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is a stark reminder that drilling in critical places off of our coastlines carries with it real and potentially catastrophic risk. Instead, the United States must make a permanent shift toward low-carbon, renewable energy and energy efficient technologies. Investing in clean energy will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase energy independence, and contribute to long-term economic growth.

You will be interested to know that I joined Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) in introducing a bill (S. 3358) that would permanently prohibit offshore drilling on the outer continental shelf of California, Oregon and Washington State. I have also cosponsored legislation (S. 3308) that would require the Secretary of the Interior to suspend oil and gas exploration, development, and production activities in the outer continental shelf, including seismic and other geological and geophysical surveys, until the joint investigation into the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has been completed. I am pleased that the Administration has declared that there will not be any leasing in new areas off the coast of the United States until a review of the Gulf oil spill is completed. In my view, very clear standards and greater environmental and safety oversight should be in place before drilling resumes and any new rigs are placed offshore. 

Please know that I share your concerns about expanding domestic oil and gas production on the outer continental shelf, and I will keep your thoughts in mind should the Senate consider legislation on this issue in the 111th Congress. 

Again, thank you for writing. If you have additional comments or questions, please contact my Washington, D.C. staff at (202) 224-3841. Best regards. 

Sincerely yours,
 Dianne Feinstein
         United States Senator
Further information about my position on issues of concern to California and the Nation are available at my website http://feinstein.senate.gov/public/.  You can also receive electronic e-mail updates by subscribing to my e-mail list at http://feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ENewsletterSignup.Signup. Feel free to checkout my YouTube page http://www.youtube.com/Senatorfeinstein

Bail-out Funds for Oil Companies? Hell NO!

Dear Auntie Nanuuq,

Big Oil Bailout? Tell the Senate to Vote NO on the Murkowski resolution!

Can you believe it? The Senate may soon vote to exempt Big Oil from regulation when just the opposite is needed!

Big Oil’s friends in Congress are getting ready for a key vote that amounts to nothing less than a bailout for this dirty industry. We need your help telling the Senate to VOTE NO on Senator Murkowski’s Big Oil Bailout.

As oil continues to pour into the Gulf of Mexico and new images of oil-soaked animals hit our screens almost every hour, Senator Murkowski (R-AK) is poised to bring her Big Oil Bailout to a vote within days.  Her resolution would weaken the Clean Air Act and help keep America reliant on oil at a time when we should double-down on our pursuit of clean, renewable sources of energy. 

Don’t let the Senate gut the Clean Air Act in order to help Big Oil! Please email your Senators today.

Under a Supreme Court ruling, the Environmental Protection Agency was charged with regulating global warming pollutants under the Clean Air Act, but Sen. Murkowski’s legislation, (S.J. Res. 26) would stop the EPA in its tracks.  As glaciers disappear from Glacier National Park and polar bears face an uncertain future in a warming Arctic, as more violent storms march across our country leaving devastation in their paths, we are reminded again and again why America must act to address global warming.  The Clean Air is one very potent tool to reduce greenhouse gases. 

Don’t let the Senate gut the Clean Air Act – contact your Senators today!

Sincerely,

Kathy Kilmer
The Wilderness Society