3.4.13
Oil Spill
BP's false oil flow claims may have delayed plugging of Macondo well,
Transocean claims
By Mark Schleifstein, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
updated March 01, 2013 at 8:21 PM
BP's false assertions that only 5,000 barrels of oil were flowing from its
Macondo well in May 2010 resulted in the use of at least one method to
attempt to stem the flow that was doomed to fail, says a motion filed in
federal court Friday by attorneys for Transocean, the owner of the
Deepwater Horizon drilling rig.
http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2013/03/post_41.html#incart_river
Tough road ahead for BP in Gulf oil spill trial, legal experts predict
By NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
March 02, 2013 at 12:24 PM
Although initial testimony in the long-awaited civil trial against BP and
its partners in the ill-fated Macondo oil well offered few surprises, legal
observers Friday predicted that the global oil giant will have a steep hill
to climb to show it was not grossly negligent for the 2010 accident, a
finding that would result in a four-fold increase in the fines it would
have to pay.
http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2013/03/tough_road_ahead_for_bp_in_gul.html#incart_river
Transocean says its damages for Macondo well accident should be limited
because BP misrepresented the spill's size
By Mark Schleifstein, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
March 01, 2013 at 4:15 PM
Transocean attorneys filed a motion in federal court Friday that argues its
share of damages resulting from the BP Macondo well blowout should be
limited because BP officials have admitted to misrepresenting the flow of
oil to federal officials when pleading to criminal charges, including 11
counts of manslaughter, stemming from the accident.
http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2013/03/transocean_says_its_damages_fo.html#incart_river
Rig owner, hoping to lower damages, says BP's low flow estimates harmed
attempts to stop spill
By Associated Press, Published: March 2
NEW ORLEANS — The owner of the oil rig that exploded in the Gulf of Mexico
in 2010 says BP hampered efforts to stop the resulting gusher of oil by
misleading government officials about how many barrels of oil were flowing
each day from the damaged well on the Gulf floor.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/rig-owner-hoping-to-lower-damages-says-bps-low-flow-estimates-harmed-attempts-to-stop-spill/2013/03/02/79108546-8370-11e2-a671-0307392de8de_story.html
BP drilling manager didn't see deepwater drilling as 'high-risk' activity
before Gulf spill
By Associated Press, Published: March 1
NEW ORLEANS — BP's head of drilling engineering for the Gulf of Mexico at
the time of the Deepwater Horizon disaster testified he didn't believe
deepwater drilling was a "high-risk" activity before the April 2010 blowout
of the company's Macondo well, according to newly released court documents.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/bp-drilling-manager-didnt-see-deepwater-drilling-as-high-risk-activity-before-gulf-spill/2013/03/01/f7dedab4-82c4-11e2-a671-0307392de8de_story.html
BP wins appeal on Gulf oil spill insurance claim
Houston Chronicle
As a civil trial over the Gulf of Mexico oil spill continues in New
Orleans, British oil giant BP has gotten a bit of good news from a federal
appeals court.
http://fuelfix.com/blog/2013/03/03/bp-wins-appeals-court-decision-on-gulf-oil-spill-insurance-claim/
BP Spill Judge to Hear From Explosion Survivor This Week
Bloomberg
By Jef Feeley and Laurel Brubaker Calkins - Mar 3, 2013
The judge presiding over the trial of BP Plc (BP/) for the Macondo well
disaster is set to hear from a survivor of the fatal rig explosion that
sent millions of gallons of oil pouring into the Gulf of Mexico, according
to a witness list prepared for the case.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2013-03-04/bp-spill-judge-to-hear-from-explosion-survivor-this-week.html
Non-jury trial may favor BP in Gulf oil spill case
By George Talbot | gtalbot@al.com
updated March 02, 2013 at 8:17 AM
NEW ORLEANS - In the biggest environmental case in U.S. history, BP and its
partners on the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig caught a break by not having
to defend themselves before a Louisiana jury, according to legal experts.
http://blog.al.com/wire/2013/03/bp_trial_non-jury.html#incart_river
In civil case against BP, Justice Dept. appears to contradict criminal
indictment
WWL
As the BP civil trial got started this week, a government lawyer focused on
a phone call and hour before the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded – and
argued that it showed how BP as a company was grossly negligent.
http://www.wwltv.com/news/eyewitness/davidhammer/In-civil-case-against-BP-Justice-Dept-appears-contradict-criminal-indictment----194394901.html
Restore Act Meeting Encourages Public Input
WMBB
Panhandle residents are pitching in ideas about what projects they think
are necessary for restoring the Gulf after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil
Spill.
http://www.wmbb.com/story/21432075/restore-act-meeting-encourages-public-input
Officials Make Progress on RESTORE Act Distribution
WJHG
While the BP oil spill trial continues, determining how many billions of
dollars Florida and the other Gulf coast states will get, representatives
from the 23 Florida counties affected by the oil spill met in Panama City
Thursday to begin hashing out the details on how to divide the money.
http://www.wjhg.com/home/headlines/Officials-Make-Progress-on-RESTORE-Act-Distribution-194199821.html
State News
Investigators looking into DMR's use of charter boats
By JOHN FITZHUGHand PAUL HAMPTON — Sun Herald
Despite having other boats at its disposal, the Mississippi Department of
Marine Resources has spent more than $80,000 to charter vessels for trips a
DMR official says are now part of a criminal investigation at the agency.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/03/02/4502635/investigators-looking-into-dmrs.html
Deer Island larger in size after restoration project
WLOX
It protects the mainland from storm surge, and gives wildlife priceless
habitats in which to thrive.We're talking about Deer Island. Millions of
dollars in restoration work has helped bring it back to its original state.
http://www.wlox.com/story/21440373/deer-island-larger-in-size-after-restoration-project
DeSoto County landowners can get hard cash for wetlands
Commercial Appeal
By Henry Bailey
Monday, March 4, 2013
Private landowners in DeSoto and Tate counties wanting to protect and
restore wetland areas on their property can submit applications for
financial and technical assistance to the federal Natural Resources
Conservation Service, a unit of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Applications are due on March 15.
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2013/mar/04/desoto-landowners-can-get-hard-cash-for-watery/?print=1
MDEQ issues more beach advisories on Coast
by MBJ Staff
Published: March 1,2013
PASS CHRISTIAN and GULFPORT — The Mississippi Department of Environmental
Quality (MDEQ), through its Beach Monitoring Program, issued water contact
advisories today for two sampling stations.
http://msbusiness.com/blog/2013/03/01/mdeq-issues-more-beach-advisories-on-coast/
National News
AP Source: Obama naming Energy, EPA leaders Monday
By JULIE PACE — AP White House Correspondent
WASHINGTON — A White House official says President Barack Obama on Monday
will appoint a new energy secretary and new head of the Environmental
Protection Agency.
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/03/04/4504249/ap-source-obama-naming-energy.html
Obama to name EPA official Gina McCarthy to head agency
Washington Post
By Juliet Eilperin, Monday, March 4, 5:48 AM
On Monday, President Obama will nominate Gina McCarthy, who heads the
Environmental Protection Agency's air and radiation office, as the agency's
next administrator, and MIT professor Ernest Moniz as energy secretary,
according to a White House official.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/obama-to-name-epa-official-gina-mccarthy-to-head-agency-sources-say/2013/03/04/7f7c92bc-7975-11e2-9a75-dab0201670da_story.html
Gina McCarthy: Seasoned regulator primed for the climate fight
Politico
By: Erica Martinson
March 4, 2013 07:01 AM EST
In choosing Gina McCarthy to succeed Lisa Jackson as EPA administrator,
President Barack Obama has selected an experienced regulator who has been
at the forefront of the agency's fight to enact tough greenhouse gas
regulations.
http://www.politico.com/story/2013/03/gina-mccarthy-seasoned-regulator-primed-for-the-climate-fight-88356.html?hp=l2
Natural gas leaks come under scrutiny, raise questions on climate impact
Washington Post
By Juliet Eilperin, Published: March 3
Two guys in a black Pontiac Vibe cruise the streets of Washington's
residential neighborhoods. The only sign of what they are up to is a gray
plastic tube hanging out of the trunk. And the fact that they get out of
the car frequently to place a black box on manhole covers and study its
readings.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/natural-gas-leaks-come-under-scrutiny-raise-questions-on-climate-impact/2013/03/03/23d1e0d4-7f88-11e2-b99e-6baf4ebe42df_print.html
Opinion
How much is too much for BP?
Washington Post
By Editorial Board, Published: March 3
HOW MUCH should BP pay for the carelessness that led to the disastrous
Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/how-much-is-too-much-for-bp/2013/03/03/68b95290-7f9c-11e2-8074-b26a871b165a_story.html
