U.S. Said to Allow Drilling Without Needed Permits

[alp227]

Source: The New York Times

WASHINGTON — The federal Minerals Management Service gave permission to BP and dozens of other oil companies to drill in the Gulf of Mexico without first getting required permits from another agency that assesses threats to endangered species — and despite strong warnings from that agency about the impact the drilling was likely to have on the gulf.

Those approvals, federal records show, include one for the well drilled by the Deepwater Horizon rig, which exploded on April 20, killing 11 workers and resulting in thousands of barrels of oil spilling into the gulf each day.

The Minerals Management Service, or M.M.S., also routinely overruled its staff biologists and engineers who raised concerns about the safety and the environmental impact of certain drilling proposals in the gulf and in Alaska, according to a half-dozen current and former agency scientists.

Those scientists said they were also regularly pressured by agency officials to change the findings of their internal studies if they predicted that an accident was likely to occur or if wildlife might be harmed.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/14/us/14agency.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&pagewanted=all

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So I wonder if this was what the pro-business Tea Party crowd thought would happen with "limited government".

[aquart]

1. Everyone involved in this should be placed on spill cleanup.

Minimum wage till every drop is sopped up.

[City Lights]

7. !

:thumbsup:

[tomm2thumbs]

2. If I didn't know better, I'd say the Minerals Mgmt Service was entirely corrupt & need investigation

but of course, I know better

[EFerrari]

3. After 8 years of BushCo, it probably needs to be sandblasted. n/t

[Gonzo Gardener]

4. MMS approves BP plan to drill 3 more exploratory wells in Gulf post explosion

Drilling to commence on May 15, 2010.

"Obama administration moves to break up the agency tasked with both collecting royalties and policing" http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2010/0511/Obama-to-sever-ties-between-drilling-cops-and-Big-Oil

Follow page 2 link "sex and "pot parties"" to 2008 Washington Post article titled "Report Says Oil Agency Ran Amok-
Interior Dept. Inquiry Finds Sex, Corruption"... http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/10/AR2008091001829.html

Follow page 2 link "review exemptions" to view a list of approved drilling sites including, despite the Obama administration's call for a drilling halt, several off the Gulf Coast. It's important to note that these proposed drilling site plans were reviewed and approved by the MMS after the Deep Water Horizon explosion and include approval of three new exploratory wells to be drilled by BP on May 15, 2010... http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/public_lands/energy/dirty_energy_development/oil_and_gas/gulf_oil_spill/pdfs/MMS_Approved_Drilling_2010-05-07_v2.pdf

Scroll down the list to the line listing the first BP approval and follow the link "detail" to the MMS website... http://www.gomr.mms.gov/homepg/offshore/Plans_Permits/plans/planentry.asp?Num=9510&Code=N

Where you can find a link to this pdf detailing BP's approved plan to begin drilling a series of three new exploratory wells tomorrow... http://www.gomr.mms.gov/PI/PDFImages/PLANS/30/30936.pdf

[saracat]

5. Watch out for the folks who will chime in that this is a "lie" too.

Apparently the NYTimes in is on the conspiracy along with the Candian and the Center For Biological Diversity. None of these dang folks check their sources:sarcasm:

[flaminbats]

6. and we need more drilling in the Atlantic?!?!

Georgia's Governor thinks drilling off the Georgia coast is great politics and claims it will bring more revenue and jobs to his state. Never mind the ole spill or drenching the golden Isles in oil! x(

I never really understood this, what makes these fools think there is oil off the east coast?

[Jefferson23]

8. "despite strong warnings" Is this going to become our middle name?

How many more issues of imminent importance have had this warning attached and then ignored?

Fucking greed.

[PSPS]

9. "thousands of barrels of oil spilling into the gulf each day"

Those approvals, federal records show, include one for the well drilled by the Deepwater Horizon rig, which exploded on April 20, killing 11 workers and resulting in thousands of barrels of oil spilling into the gulf each day.

The usual MSM understatement on behalf of their advertisers. But I suppose 50,000 barrels (or 1.2 million gallons) per day can be referred to "thousands of barrels" the same way a Mercedes can be said to cost "hundreds of dollars."

[Jefferson23]

10. kick

[kpete]

11. Lawsuit: US Allowed Drilling Without Required Permits

Source: Common Dreams

Published on Friday, May 14, 2010 by Center for Biological Diversity
Lawsuit to Challenge Salazar's Wholesale Disregard of Marine Mammal Protection Laws in Gulf of Mexico
400-plus Oil Projects Illegally Approved by Salazar Without Permits to Harm Endangered Whales

SAN FRANCISCO - The Center for Biological Diversity today filed a formal notice of intent to sue Interior Secretary Ken Salazar for ignoring marine-mammal protection laws when approving offshore drilling operations in the Gulf of Mexico. Since Salazar took office, the Department of the Interior has approved three lease sales, more than 100 seismic surveys, and more than 300 drilling operations without permits required by the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act that are designed to protect endangered whales and other marine mammals from harmful offshore oil activities.

"Under Salazar's watch, the Department of the Interior has treated the Gulf of Mexico as a sacrifice area where laws are ignored and wildlife protection takes a backseat to oil-company profits," said Miyoko Sakashita, oceans director for the Center.

Seismic exploration surveys, which are used by oil companies to search for oil, generate sounds loud enough to cause hearing loss in marine mammals, can disturb essential behaviors such as feeding and breeding, and mask communications between individual whales and dolphins. A single seismic survey carried out by scientists in the Gulf in 2007 was estimated to expose more than 3,000 whales and dolphins to dangerous sounds. More than 100 such surveys by the industry have been approved by Salazar since he took office in January 2009, all without any authorization to harm or harass marine mammals.

Similarly, noise from drilling operations can displace whales from important feeding areas. More than 300 drilling operations have been permitted by Salazar, all without authorization under the Marine Mammal Protection Act or the Endangered Species Act. Offshore oil activities also can harm marine mammals through pollution, vessel strikes, marine debris, and oil spills.

http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2010/marine-mammals-05-14-2010.html

Read more: http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2010/05/14-1

[joeybee12]

12. Very good news...Salazar needs to go...n/t

[Judi Lynn]

13. Thank you, kpete. Best wishes for Center for Biological Diversity's success.

So much depends upon it since we have learned we can't depend upon Interior Secretary Ken Salazar's sense of duty, and honor.

Hope this suit will succeed. It's ony right.

[HughMoran]

14. Who sued Cheneyco?

??

[boomerbust]

15. Well

If this is true, this will be Obamas Katrina, and rightfully so.

[Downwinder]

16. Seems to have gotten results in a hurry.

White House announces review of MMS compliance with environmental laws

http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2010/05/white_house_announces_review_o.html