{"id":1198,"date":"2010-08-10T22:11:28","date_gmt":"2010-08-11T02:11:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/umpteenhorizons.org\/wordpress\/?p=1198"},"modified":"2010-08-10T22:35:34","modified_gmt":"2010-08-11T02:35:34","slug":"public-%e2%80%98forum%e2%80%99-lacks-%e2%80%98open-discussion%e2%80%99","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/umpteenhorizons.org\/wordpress\/2010\/08\/10\/public-%e2%80%98forum%e2%80%99-lacks-%e2%80%98open-discussion%e2%80%99\/","title":{"rendered":"Public \u2018Forum\u2019 Lacks \u2018Open Discussion\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n
Today the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management held a public \u201cforum\u201d in Mobile on whether the six-month moratorium prohibiting new drilling should be suspended early. The purpose of the moratorium is to allow for renewed consideration of oil well safety reforms, oil spill containment issues, and oil spill recovery and response strategies. While Steve Russell, a representative from the Mobile Chamber of Commerce, was given a prominent speaking role, no Mobile area environmental leader was allowed to speak at the \u201cforum.\u201d Steve Russell provided the audience a simplistic the-wells-are-safe and we-need-jobs message asking for a halt to the moratorium and asking for increased drilling. His lack of appreciation for the magnitude of the current problem and his lack of appreciation for the ongoing safety and environmental issues were appalling.<\/p>\n

The one speaker from an environmental organization, Manley Fuller of the Florida Wildlife Federation, insisted that the current general plans for oil spill catastrophes be beefed up to include worst case scenarios such as oil spill recovery efforts complicated by major hurricanes and simultaneous oil catastrophes. Representing the State of Florida well, he restated Florida\u2019s stance against any new drilling near Florida.<\/p>\n

In other highlights, Dr. Edward Overton, an LSU professor, stated that \u201cthe booms were not particularly effective\u201d and the coordination of clean-up efforts were characterized by a \u201clack of nimbleness.\u201d Dr. George Crozier of the Dauphin Island Sea Lab questioned the use of dispersants in deep water and spoke of \u201cprofound uncertainties\u201d connected with that use. To further our knowledge of the gulf, Dr. Crozier asked for deep water research tools that would enable research in the gulf waters at depths of 3000 feet and more where we have insufficient scientific knowledge.<\/p>\n

David Underhill appeared outside the room wearing duct tape over his mouth succinctly symbolizing the lack of public participation allowed at the forum. The audience was not allowed to even ask questions and was told to remain silent at all times.<\/p>\n

If you would like to express your opinion to the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, you may submit your opinion at http:\/\/boemre.gov\/forums<\/a> . In my own comments, I underscored the importance of clean environmentally friendly energy sources that could also provide area jobs and not further jeopardize numerous community jobs such as the jobs currently lost in fishing and tourism.<\/td>\n

\n
\"Jerry<\/a>

Jerry Pogue of Mobile discusses his concerns with passersby, photographed August 10, 2010.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Heather<\/a>

Though not allowed to speak at the forum Heather Emmert of Environment America speaks with the press after the forum, photographed August 10, 2010.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"David<\/a>

David Underhill silently holds his sign outside the forum, photographed August 10, 2010.<\/p><\/div><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Today the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management held a public \u201cforum\u201d in Mobile on whether the six-month moratorium prohibiting new drilling should be suspended early. The purpose of the moratorium is to allow for renewed consideration of oil well … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[111,27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1198","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-clean-energy-solutions","category-oil-spill"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/umpteenhorizons.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1198","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/umpteenhorizons.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/umpteenhorizons.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/umpteenhorizons.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/umpteenhorizons.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1198"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/umpteenhorizons.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1198\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/umpteenhorizons.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1198"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/umpteenhorizons.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1198"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/umpteenhorizons.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1198"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}