HUMAN, WILDLIFE AND ECOSYSTEM IMPACTS - GULF OIL DISASTER
Underestimating the damage: interpreting cetacean carcass
recoveries in the context of the Deepwater Horizon/BP incident
(published in Conservation Letters 4 (2011) 228–233, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)
"The Deepwater Horizon/BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico was
the largest in the U.S. history, but some reports implied modest environmental
impacts, in part because of a relatively low number (101) of observed marine
mammal mortalities. We estimate historical carcass-detection rates for 14
cetacean species in the northern Gulf of Mexico that have estimates of abundance,
survival rates, and stranding records. This preliminary analysis suggests
that carcasses are recovered, on an average, from only 2% (range: 0–6.2%)
of cetacean deaths. Thus, the true death toll could be 50 times the number
of carcasses recovered, given no additional information."
OIL/ENERGY POLICY
Misbehaving drillers may undergo new scrutiny
"The nation's top offshore drilling regulator said Wednesday he is examining whether the government can do more to keep oil and gas companies with checkered histories from exploring offshore."
Lawmakers Attempt to Roll Back Expanded Oversight of Offshore Drilling
"The committee passed a bill today (7/13) that—in addition to stripping billions in funding from the Interior Department and the Environmental Protection Agency—seeks to limit the offshore drilling agency's ability to oversee contractors."
OIL SPILLS AROUND THE WORLD
Cut flow from oil platforms, China says
Officials want ConocoPhillips' spills controlled
ALTERNATIVES TO OIL
PM: Japan 'can exist without nuclear power'
"He said Japan should develop renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and biomass. He said another pillar of Japan's energy policy should be conservation."
