Oil spill tourism losses may be denied, says BP oil claims chief
On day 72 of the disaster Thursday, the oil spill within the Gulf of Mexico 2010 became the worst oil spill ever within the region. Hurricane Alex put a halt to cleanup efforts this week and pushed oil further onto shore. The booming tourism expected on the Gulf coast as the Fourth of July holiday weekend approaches is virtually non-existent. What's more, the government overseer of BP's oil spill claim program said oil spill tourism losses might not qualify. The oil spill cap remains in place despite heavy winds and waves, but only a quarter of the crude gushing into the sea is being collected.
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Feinberg - BP claims for oil spill tourism in doubt
As 4th of July weekend approached and tourism tanked, the head of the $ 20 billion BP oil claims program added more bad news to the oil spill within the Gulf of Mexico 2010. USA Today reports that companies hurt because tourists have stayed away from the Gulf may not be eligible for reimbursement as outlined by Kenneth Feinberg, the man appointed by the Obama administration to deal with the claims. People within the gulf tourism industry argue the BP oil spill has scared away tourists and already cost billions. In a statement to the House Small company Committee, Feinberg said that claims made by companies that say tourists are staying away because they think beaches are ruined "may be non-compensatory".
BP oil claims - bigger checks faster
The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico continues to gush up to 60,000 barrels a day, a team of U.S. scientists has estimated. As many as 6,000 skimming vessels are sidelined by Hurricane Alex. As the disaster continues indefinitely, CNN reports that Feinberg's priorities for economic victims of the spill are bigger checks and more efficient processing. The oil company has paid out almost $ 130 million so far on 41,000 claims -- but more than 80,000 claims have been submitted. Rather than the month-to-month emergency checks going out now, Feinberg plans to have his new entity, the Gulf Spill Independent Claims Fund, send out six-month lump sum payments "to give small businesses more certainty".
Biggest fine due for worst spill ever
As the Gulf of Mexico's white beaches turn brown, wildlife dies off and the fishing industry implodes, The Associated Press reports that the oil that's spewed for two and a half months from the blown-out well a mile under the sea hit the 140.6 million gallon mark, eclipsing the record-setting, 140-million-gallon Ixtoc I spill off Mexico's coast from 1979 to 1980. The total amount of the oil spill needs to be tracked because BP will be fined for each and every gallon that escapes to the gulf, said Larry McKinney, director of Texas A and M University at Corpus Christi's Gulf of Mexico research institute.
Citations:
usatoday.com
money.cnn.com
google.com/hostednews/ap/article
A million dollars won't bring back one dead shrimp.
How much is a dead dolphin worth? 10,000 oil slicked dead dolphins? How much would it cost to bring back to life hundreds of miles of dead undersea coral reefs? How much would you pay for the lives of thousands of flamingos and pelicans? Sea Gulls. Are they worth anything? Fish. Are they worth anything? How about the Red Snapper you love to put on your barbeque? Is it worth anything? How about some crabs? Hermit Crabs; how much are they worth? And the sand pipers, and manatees, and snails, and stingrays, and turtles, and alligators in the keys, and the oysters and crayfish and the reeds that absorb pollutants? How much are the shelled animals and reeds and marshes and bayous worth? How much? Is the proliferation of life in the gulf and up the coast worth anything? Anything at all? Beauty? Is it worth anything? Joy, is that worth anything? The beauty and joy of walking along a white sandy beach on a warm evening with the waves crashing and the gentle breeze and salt water smell permeating your olfactory glands; is this worth anything - anything at all?
Not to BP. Not to Exxon. Not to Inco Vale, not to the Royal Bank, not to the Bank of America, not to Haliburton, not to the American, British, or Canadian ruling class or any ruling class. Not to any capitalists. Not to capitalism. Only money, gold, oil, power, priviledge and control is worth anything. Priceless.