BP: The U.S. Government’s Omission
Posted by Ken Makovsky on June 3, 2010
Only two months before the catastrophic drilling explosion on April 20, BP filed a 52-page exploration and environmental impact plan with the Minerals Management Service (MMS), an arm of the U.S. Department of the Interior, which oversees offshore drilling. The plan stated that it was “unlikely that an accidental surface or subsurface oil spill would occur from the proposed activities.” And, in the event that an accident did occur, since the well was 48 miles from shore and “response capabilities” would be implemented, “no significant adverse impacts would be expected.” After concluding that a massive oil spill was indeed unlikely, the Department of the Interior exempted BP's Gulf of Mexico drilling operation from a detailed environmental impact study. ...
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