What You Need to Know About 'Oil Disasters'

They are not accidents.  

These devastating events are caused, in large part, by the failure to maintain infrastructure.  This is a strategy which augments profits, externalizing costs to ordinary people and to government, which is paid for by ordinary people who do not have experts in tax avoidance working for them as a matter of routine. 

Actions speak loudly, and the Oil Industry routinely lies after a spill, telling those in the area they are in no danger.  

This site is intended to let victims be heard and also to ensure you have the facts on what to expect if there is a 'disaster' in your area.  

The solution is locally organizing an Intervention Team so when, and if, one of these events takes place you will be ready.  See Local Action.  

Oklahoma

From: Wikipedia - 2009–16 Oklahoma earthquake swarms

This presentation is drawn from the cited wiki but reorganized and shortened. Graphics are from AGU Publications.

Earthquakes recorded before 2009 in Oklahoma

September 1918 - First earthquake known to have occurred:

        A series of shocks were felt in El Reno, Oklahoma. Strongest intensity V on September 10.

September 27, 1929 - Second Earthquake known to have occurred: 

          Intensity VI. Centered in the El Reno area and was felt in central and western Oklahoma. Minor damage occurred in nearby areas and one chimney fell. The total affected area was approximately 20,000 km² (7,700 sq mi).[13]

April 9, 1952 at 10:29 a.m. CST (16:29 UTC) - Third Earthquake known to have occurred: 

              Near El Reno. The strongest earthquake ever recorded in Oklahoma. Magnitude 5.5. Most of Oklahoma was affected, as were parts of Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Texas. Damage was not extensive. Local residents were alarmed, and several thousands of dollars in damages occurred. Chimneys were toppled, walls were cracked, windows were broken, and bricks were loosened from buildings. In Oklahoma City, a crack measuring 15 meters (49 ft) was found in the State Capitol following the earthquake. The earthquake, which occurred along the Nemaha Fault, had a maximum intensity of VII near the epicenter.[13][14]

1952 - 1969 
 
Scattered earthquakes occurred in Oklahoma with intensities as high as VII.[13] Between 1978 and 2008, the average long-term rate of earthquakes was approximately two earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater per year.[6]

Earthquakes recorded After 2009 in Oklahoma

2009

The previous low occurrence of earthquakes changed. Numbers jumped to 20 with the beginning of several swarms of earthquakes in Oklahoma.[15] Research suggests that most of the significant earthquakes in Oklahoma since the 1930s may have been induced by oil production activities.[16]

In response to the major increase in earthquakes in the Central United States, the United States Geological Survey began developing a new seismic hazard model to account for risk associated with induced seismicity. To date, no fewer than six individual earthquake sequences in Oklahoma have been identified and named by the Oklahoma Geological Survey.[10] Other swarms have been observed in south-central Kansas and North Texas.

According to data from the United States Geological Survey, there have been approximately 1,875 earthquakes in Oklahoma with moment magnitudes greater than or equal to 3.0,[11] about 62 earthquakes with magnitudes greater than or equal to 4.0, and two earthquakes with magnitudes greater than 5.0 associated with the earthquake swarms from the beginning of 2009 through February 20, 2016.[12]

Refugio Spill Facts

As time passed it became obvious the dangers clean-up workers and others exposed were being ignored.  We issued this Advisory at the time.  It is still valid. Notice that no respirators are being used by clean-up workers here.  These workers are part of a program, working at very low pay and brought in for this purpose. Using the EcoAlert App, Eco-Emergency Alert, you can see right in your hand there is a real difference between how well to do areas are treated by the offending oil company.    Other clean-up workers, those employed by companies specializing in clean-up, received respirators.  Oil companies have been investing in these clean-up companies for a long time.  As stock holders they are in a position to impact what happens and profit from their own mistakes. In this case the clean-up company hired to carry out the work was Patriot Environmental.      FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DATE: June 11, 2015 9:01:11 AM PDT Photo Release: Crews continue to clean beaches near Santa Barbara, Calif. A cleanup worker at Refugio Beach uses a wire brush and other tools to scrape oil from cobble rock, Goleta, Calif., June 10, 2015. Due to the cultural and environmental sensitivity of the site, heavy equipment cannot be used. Photo by Valerie Kushnerov, City of Goleta. Cleanup crews at Refugio Beach remove material from the cobble rock under the supervision of safety and cultural resource monitors at Goleta, Calif., June 10, 2015. Photo by Valerie Kushnerov, City of Goleta. For more information contact: Joint Information Center (805) 770-3682 www.refugioresponse.com reply@refugioresponse.com View this document online Unified Command Refugio Response Information Visit this link to unsubscribe

COMMENT - These numbers cannot be accurate because they are based only on what was found.  
All life is impacted by petroleum products.  Read the appearing on TruthOut, which we reposted on American Vision, with links to Truthout titled," Oil Trains Don't Have to Derail or Explode to Be Hazardous, Doctors Warn.

Oil Trains Don't Have to Derail or Explode to Be Hazardous, Doctors Warn - See more at: http://americanvisionmagazine.blogspot.com/#sthash.J1z39ea1.dpuf

Oil Trains Don't Have to Derail or Explode to Be Hazardous, Doctors Warn - See more at: http://americanvisionmagazine.blogspot.com/#sthash.J1z39ea1.dpuf

Refugio Response Snapshot: June 8, 2015

Figures on this page reflect incident status report for daily period 7:00 a.m June 8 - 6:59 a.m. June 9.

Date	June 4	June 5	June 6	June 7	June 8
Wildlife - cumulative totals
Birds recovered - live	58	58	60	60	60
Birds recovered - dead	123	136	149	156	158
Total Birds	181	194	209	216	218
Mammals affected - live	42	43	44	45	46
Mammals dead	65	67	72	83	85
Total mammals affected	107	110	116	128	131
Wildlife detail	Teams continue to rescue and recover animals in the response area. Some of the dead animals collected had visible oiling, others did not. Oiling is not an indication of cause of death. The cause of these deaths will not be known until detailed examination of the bodies are performed. The number of animal deaths caused by the spill will not be known until examinations are complete. More detailed information about affected wildlife is available at:  www.owcn.org
Equipment Assigned
Vessels - skimmers*	21	17	17	8	3
Fixed wing aircraft	0	0	0	0	0
Helicopter	2	2	2	2	2
Heavy equipment	6	6	6	6	5
Vacuum/tank trucks	3	3	3	3	3
*The Unified Command suspended five booming and skimming vessels due to improving conditions on the water. No oil has been found in the on-water recovery area since June 3. Vessels are monitoring snare boom and monitoring for changes in the area. As on-water activity decreases, shore-side teams continue to work diligently to ensure as much oil as possible can be recovered from the impacted tidal areas in a safe manner.
Boom assigned
Boom on water - feet	6,000	6,000	6,000	5,000	5,000
Boom nearshore - feet	1,080	1,080	1,080	1,080	1,080
Total boom - feet	7,080	7,080	7,080	6,080	6,080
Personnel
Personnel in Unified Command	127	124	119	101	101
Personnel assigned in the field	1,126	1,287	1,147	1,086	1,154
Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Techniques (SCAT) Teams (3-4 people per team)	4	4	4	4	4
Estimated Recovery
Recovered oily water mixture - gallons	14,267	14,267	14,267	14,267	14,267
Oiled vegetation - cubic yards	645	645	660	660	660
Oiled sand - cubic yards	630	630	660	660	660
Oiled soil* - cubic yards	3,840	3,840	3,840	3,840	3,840
*Oiled soil continues to be removed daily, however oiled soil measurements have not been calculated. Oiled soil has not recently been transported to the waste disposal site where it is measured and calculated.
Oiled debris - cubic yards	270	270	300	360	375
Closures or Restrictions	Description
El Capitan Beach State Park, Refugio Beach State Park	Camping reservations have been cancelled through June 25, 2015 in an effort to expedite clean-up efforts. Campers with reservation during this time will be provided a full refund through Reserve America. Visitors wanting to find alternative overnight camping opportunities should contact a Reserve America representative at 1-800-444-7275 to locate campgrounds nearby. For current beach areas open for day use during the holiday weekend in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, visitors should call (805) 585-1850. Information available at: http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=603
Fishery Closures	Canada de Alegria to Coal Oil Point fisheries still remain closed from west of Coal Oil Point to west of Gaviota State Beach. The closure boundary includes the shoreline and offshore areas between these points to 6 miles offshore. See link to map of fishery closures here.
Marine Safety Zone	A safety zone remains in effect around the cleanup operations, from Coal Oil Point to Gaviota State Beach, six miles of shoreline extending 500 yards offshore. Mariners in the vicinity may receive broadcasts via marine band radio channel 16. See link to map of marine safety zone here.
Temporary Flight Restriction	A Federal Aviation Administration flight restriction remains in effect in the area of the response. Aircraft not directed as part of the response may not enter the airspace of Refugio State Beach. The restriction encompasses a five-mile radius around the park with a 1,000-foot ceiling.

Key Phone Numbers:

-end-

• Oiled Wildlife Reporting: 877-823-6926
• Claims and Information: 866-753-3619
• Joint Information Center Media Line: 805-770-3682
• National Response Center: 800-424-8802
• Volunteering: All volunteer positions are currently filled. Should additional volunteer opportunities become available, they will be posted here.

For more information contact:

Joint Information Center (805) 770-3682 www.refugioresponse.com

Critical Information for Safety Ignored for Refugio

Gulf Spill

Gulf Health Impact

Thanks to the work carried out by the Government Accountability Project (GAP), the voices of the people impacted by the BP Deep Horizons Spill in the Gulf are available.  This page is a directory to the work GAP compiled, including the quotes below. 

All of us, those who could have been impacted, know someone, or care about people and the environment, should familiarize themselves with what is made available here. 

The poisons in oil enter the human body through multiple routes, but just inhaling is one of these. The use of dispersants such as Corexit is forbidden on or close to shore - but oil companies have used it anyway in the past so whether or not Corexit was used at Refugio remains an open question to be answered. 

We will let you know either way. 

Select Excerpts from Whistleblower Affidavits & Report Statements

As an environmental scientist, I look at the way the government and BP are handling, describing and discussing the spill ... [T]he government did not account for the increased toxicity of the combined oil and Corexit.
                                                       – Scott Porter, Diver, Marine Biologist

[W]hen a BP representative came up on the speedboat and asked if we need anything, I again explained my concerns about breathing in the Corexit and asked him for a respirator ... He explained 'If you wear a respirator, it is bringing attention to yourself because no one else is wearing respirators, and you can get fired for that.'
                                                      – Jorey Danos, Cleanup Worker

What brought all of these individuals into the same pool was the fact that their symptoms were almost identical, and were different from anything that I had ever observed in my 40 plus years as a physician ... However, until people are educated about the symptoms associated with exposure to toxic waste from the spill, we cannot assume they will make the connection. I continue to witness this disconnect and these symptoms on a daily basis.
                                                     – Dr. Michael Robichaux, Physician

When [the national director of The Children's Health Fund] went to Boothville Elementary in Plaquemines Parish and they opened the medical closet, it was full of nebulizers ... Where's the red flag? What is causing that many breathing problems with that number of kids? That is abnormal. At Boothville Elementary we have sick kids all over the place who are suffering from upper respiratory infections, severe asthma, skin infections, blisters in between their fingers and arms and on their legs and their feet. Some kids have blisters all around their mouths and their noses. These kids were perfectly fine before the spill and the spraying of Corexit began.
                                                     – Kindra Arnesen, Louisiana Resident

The MSDS [federally required chemical labeling and safety information] for Corexit list several of the health problems I am now having, and they still used ... it throughout the Gulf ... When I lived on the barge, for 24-hours a day I was exposed. I would be outside too, breathing in what they were burning, without a respirator or a Tyvek suit. I had an apron, a hairnet, a spatula and some rubber gloves, and they told me to go in the midst of this dangerous chemical environment. Yet they were willing to tell me that the dispersant mixed in with the oil I was cleaning was as safe as touching Dawn dishwashing soap? Then a year later I have health problems that I have never had before working on the barge...
                                                    – Jamie Griffin, Cook & Cleaner on Bunkhouse for Cleanup Workers

They hired people from all over who didn't know about the conditions and real safety hazards, but you did what you had to do; you had to take the job and deal with it because you didn't have money to go home ... There was a safety culture of, 'hush hush, it didn't happen.'
                                                    – Anonymous Cleanup Worker

EPA and BP knew of the health impacts associated with [Corexit and oil] ... The issue was responding to an oil spill of this magnitude, with unprecedented quantities of Corexit, including novel subsurface application. Gulf coastal communities, and individuals who consume gulf seafood or recreate in the gulf, are the guinea pigs left to deal with the consequences and will be feeling the full effect in years to come.
                                                   – Dr. Wilma Subra, Chemist, MacArthur Genius Award Recipient

As part of an impromptu meeting to provide feedback from the shrimping industry to EPA and NOAA, I met with EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson in Venice on June 1, 2010. By that point, already 800,000 to 900,000 gallons of Corexit 9527A had been sprayed. I was sitting across the table from Ms. Jackson and I asked her, 'Why is it that when you have all of this going on and three air monitors from Venice, Louisiana, EPA's reports are not showing any high levels of chemicals?' Ms. Jackson responded, 'Well the levels were a little high, but we didn't want to create a public panic.'
                                                   – Clint Guidry, President, Louisiana Shrimp Association

It's been really hard to get an accurate diagnosis or treatment, because none of the local doctors will even admit there is a problem ... There's one friend of mine who happens to be a doctor, and he's very well aware of what's going on but is afraid to take a hard stand on it.
                                                 – Shirley Tillman, Mississippi Resident, Cleanup Worker

Most of our members right now who are sick are in litigation ... They aren't going to sufficiently pay our medical bills to demonstrate that they were responsible for the actions they took, just as they didn't give us respirators to demonstrate that our working environment was unsafe.
                                                – A.C. Cooper, Vice President, Louisiana Shrimp Association

Every time I check, there is still oil on the beaches and in the estuary systems and in the wetlands and the marshes. People go to the beaches and swim in the gulf, and report to me that they still come up stained with a brownish tan color that they believe is oil.
                                              – Dr. Wilma Subra, Chemist, MacArthur Genius Award Recipient

Image: 

If you fear retaliation for speaking out about workplace protections, contact the Government Accountability Project to discuss your rights - info@whistleblower.org or 202.457.0034, ext. 132

Porter Ranch

Porter Ranch Methane Spilling 

30,000 people at least are being impacted today by the Porter Ranch Spill.  Methane is different but very few studies have been done so the long term impact is understood.  

Women of child-bearing age, children and the elderly are most vulnerable.  

We are presently working on models to provide a history and projections for the coming months.  At the same time we are going after the information necessary to provide data on the probably damage already suffered by residents and how far this extends.  

For more information, or to obtain access to developing research, contact us via the contact form at the right of the page.

Poison Oil Facts

 Get the Fact

"Sciencecorps is an informal network of health professionals who work on environmental and occupational health issues, relying on the fields of toxicology, epidemiology, medicine, and other technical areas." 

Sciencecorps conducts hazard and community evaluations and participates in research and policy development. The focus of their work is to strengthen public health protections and awareness through outreach and education.


Dr. Michael Harbut provides a 22 minute overview on the impact of petroleum poisons.  Dr. Harbut,  M.D., M.P.H., F.C.C.P., chief of the Center for Occupational and Environmental Medicine at the Wayne State University School of Medicine.  MP3

     Gulf Oil Spill Health Hazards

    Produced by Sciencecorps, Lexington, MA, on the Gulf Oil Spill provides 51 pages of 
    material on the impact of the chemicals in petroleum on people.  

    The oil company will not tell you the truth about the impact on your health because
    withholding this information makes it impossible for you to win in court.    

    This is why organizing local Intervention Teams is essential.  Local Action


    Research on diseases has now linked these, many once rare and growing more common, 
    to pollution.   List of Diseases 

Diseases Attributed to Pollution

  Below is a list of diseases are recognized as possibly caused by pollution.

MORTALITY – VARIOUS CAUSES

All causes of death

All Malignant Cancers

Alzheimers

COPD

Congenital Anomalies

Diabetes

Heart Disease

Liver Disease

Pneumonia and Influenza

Stroke

CANCER MORTALITY

Atlas of Cancer Mortality

Maps: All maps (from 1–10) by Cancer

• All Cancers [4 mb]
• Biliary Tract, Other [603 kb]
• Bladder [3.6 mb]
• Bones and Joints [1.7 mb]
• Brain and Other Nervous System [3.6 mb]
• Breast [2.4 mb]
• Bronchus, Lung, Trachea, and Pleura [3.6 mb]
• Cervix Uteri [1.8 mb]
• Colon [3.6 mb]
• Connective Tissue [1.7 mb]
• Corpus Uteri and Uterus NOS [1.8 mb]
• Endocrine Glands, Other [1.2 mb]
• Esophagus [3.6 mb]
• Gallbladder [1.2 mb]
• Gallbladder, Liver, and Other Biliary Tract [3.6 mb]
• Hodgkin's Disease [1.7 mb]
• Joints and Bones [1.7 mb]
• Kidney, Renal Pelvis, and Ureter [3.6 mb]
• Larynx [1.7 mb]
• Leukemia [3.6 mb]
• Liver [1.2 mb]
• Liver, Gallbladder, and Other Biliary Tract [3.6 mb]
• Lung, Trachea, Bronchus, and Pleura [3.6 mb]
• Lymphoma [3.6 mb]
• Melanoma of Skin [1.2 mb]
• Multiple Myeloma [1.7 mb]
• Nasopharynx [1.7 mb]
• Nervous System and Brain [3.6 mb]
• Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma [3.6 mb]
• Nose, Nasal Cavity, and Sinuses [1.2 mb]
• Oral Cavity and Pharynx [3.6 mb]
• Ovary [1.8 mb]
• Pancreas [3.6 mb]
• Penis [320 kb]
• Pharynx and Oral Cavity [3.6 mb]
• Pleura, Lung, Trachea, and Bronchus [3.6 mb]
• Prostate [1.8 mb]
• Rectum [3.6 mb]
• Renal Pelvis, Kidney, and Ureter [3.5.mb]
• Salivary Gland [1.2 mb]
• Sinuses, Nose, and Nasal Cavity [1.2 mb]
• Skin, Melanoma [1.2 mb]
• Skin, Non-Melanoma [1.7.mb]
• Stomach [3.6.mb]
• Testis [602 kb]
• Thyroid Gland [1.2 mb]
• Trachea, Lung, Bronchus, and Pleura [3.6 mb]
• Ureter, Kidney, and Renal Pelvis [3.6 mb]
• Uterus, Corpus and NOS [1.8 mb]
• Vagina [321 kb]
• Vulva [322 kb]
• Other and Unspecified Cancers [3.6 mb]

Choose a cancer site from the list below to view the Cancer Stat Fact Sheets:

A

• All Sites
• Anal Cancer

B

• Bladder
• Bone and Joint
• Brain and Other Nervous System
• Breast (Female)

C

• Cervix Uteri
• Colon and Rectum

E

• Endometrial Cancer
• Esophagus

K

• Kidney and Renal Pelvis

L

• Larynx
• Liver and Intrahepatic Bile Duct
• Lung and Bronchus
• Lymphoma
  • Hodgkin Lymphoma
  • Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
• Leukemia
  • Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL)
  • Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)
  • Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)
  • Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML)

M

• Melanoma of the Skin
• Myeloma

O

• Oral Cavity and Pharynx
• Ovary

P

• Pancreas
• Prostate

S

• Small Intestine
• Stomach

T

• Testis
• Thyroid

V

• Vulva