Florida Chapters Start State Constitutional Ban Effort

Florida Members want the public to have the chance to vote on near-shore oil drilling and to ban the possibility of this destructive practice. Oil drilling in Florida marine waters, which extend approximately three miles into the Atlantic Ocean and 10 miles into the Gulf of Mexico, is simply too great a risk to take.

Floridians asked the Legislature, at the Special Session held in July 2010, to place the issue before the voters. Unfortunately, the Legislature did not agree to allow Floridians to vote to amend the State Constitution in the November 2010 general election.

In light of the inaction of the Legislature, and to forestall any future attempt to allow near-shore oil drilling, a number of Florida organizations have created Save our Seas, Beaches and Shores, Inc. (SOSBS) to coordinate a citizens’ petition drive to place the ban on the November 2012 ballot. This will not be easy. It will need approximately 700,000 verified petitions from voting Florida residents. The Department of State, Division of Elections has grnted approval for the Constitutional Amendment Petition Form.

If you are a voting Florida Resident or know one please download, sign and mail in today!

Petition Form


One Page information sheet

Sylvia Earle Talks About The Gulf Disaster and Saving Our Seas

Former NOAA chief scientist and passionate advocate for our oceans Sylvia Earle recently sat down with Treehugger.com and talked about, among other things, what the Gulf oil spill means for the ocean’s ecology.

Listen and read the full interview here.

Oil found. Science lost.

In January 2009 during his inaugural speech, newly elected President Barack Obama stated,

"We will restore science to its rightful place..."

It is unfortunate that this promise has been forgotten in response worst environmental disaster in US history.

The Obama adminstration has repeatedly tried to down play the impacts of the gulf oil spill, including faking a swim in the Gulf, only to be repudiated by independent scientists.

Today's Congressional hearing revealed yet another insult to science.

After Jane Lubchenco, head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, told a White House briefing on Aug. 4 that "at least 50 percent of the oil that was released is now completely gone from the system. And most of the remainder is degrading rapidly or is being removed from the beaches.", scientists from several universities, including Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, University of Georgia and University of South Florida, amongst others, countered that the statement was unsubstantiated and not true.

Today , a senior U.S. scientist rescinds previous claim that 3/4 of oil from spill is gone, says most is still there. Lubchenco appears to still be in spin mode. I hope that fact that most of the oil remains in the Gulf and continues to threaten the ecosystem also makes the front page of the NY Times.

So much for restoring science to it's rightful place. Very disappointing.

Upcoming Hearings about Oil Spill Response and Safety

Attend a public hearing to speak about protection of our coastlines and the importance of oil spill containment and rapid response.  The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (formally the MMS--the agency who oversees drilling for the U.S.) needs to hear from you.  Our collective voice as a community can help decision makers prepare better safety mechanisms and response plans.

This will also be a great opportunity to voice your opposition to new offshore drilling which our Federal Government is currently considering along the east coast and sensitive parts of Alaska.  Join Surfrider Foundation activists as we speak out against new drilling and spread the message that offshore oil drilling in not the answer.

Go here to learn more about when and where the hearings are located.  

Environmental Film Series and Speakers Forum

If you live in the Los Angeles area, please join Surfrider Foundation staff as we discuss the 'state of state' for offshore oil drilling in America.  Discussion will begin promptly after film première.   A portion of the donations benefit the Surfrider Foundation's Not the Answer campaign. 

 View event information here.

Up to 79% of the spill oil still in the Gulf

Contrary to NOAA's August 4th report that most of the oil from the Deepwater Horizon spill was gone, a new report from five prominent marine scientists at the University of Georgia concludes that up to 79 percent of the oil released into the Gulf of Mexico from the Deepwater Horizon well has not been recovered and remains a threat to the ecosystem.

The Obama adminstration continues their long running habit of underestimating the severity and impact of the spill, only to be corrected by independent scientists. First they underestimated the rate of the spill , the toxicity of the dispersants, and denied the existence of underwater plumes before claiming the oil was gone.

Read press release here.

News story here.

The complete Georgia Sea Grant/University of Georgia Oil Spill report is available online at http://uga.edu/aboutUGA/joye_pkit/GeorgiaSeaGrant_OilSpillReport8-16.pdf

Figures from the report are available at http://uga.edu/aboutUGA/joye_pkit/GeorgiaSeaGrant_OilChart.pdf.

President Obama (doesn't really) swims in the Gulf

In a stunt that was well covered by the media over the weekend, President Obama made a big deal about swimming off the coast of Florida on Saturday and declared the Gulf area's beaches "open for business," trying to show by example that a region hit by the BP oil spill was safe for tourists to enjoy.

However, there is a catch. Obama didn't really swim in the Gulf. Instead, it turns out the President swam in St. Andrews Bay, a freshwater bay that is fed mostly by adjoining creeks and springs and wasn't nearly as affected as the beaches off the coast of Louisiana.

Yet another stunt to try and down play the severity and impact of the gulf oil spill.

ESPN Highlights Pro's Thoughts on the Oil Spill

Life after the ASP World Tour is an interesting one. For one thing, you're still a surfer even if you're not in the Top 44. It's not like you hang up the board with the jersey. You certainly don't just loose the passion. In fact, some of the most inspiring and popular surfers today are Dream Tour alumnus. It also gives you time -- time to think more deeply about the world around you, time to raise a family, time to teach others to surf.

Recently there has been 1 particular prosurfer become the poster child for talking about the impact oil to our coasts and recreation.

To read more click here.

Tell the Senate to Respond to the Gulf Spill Now!

A couple of days ago, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid pulled the plug on the Senate’s efforts to pass a series of offshore oil drilling reforms. This is extremely disappointing news in the wake of America’s worst environmental disaster and just after the House of Representatives passed the CLEAR act, which would have put necessary response and reforms into action. Tell the Senate to get over their partisan bickering and take responsibility to ensure we can respond to the Gulf spill and prevent another oil spill disaster of this magnitude from ever happening again.

Read more here...

Take Action! Click here to tell the Senate they must act to respond to the Gulf spill - this delay is unacceptable.

4.9 Million Barrels

Today, federal officials released a revised estimate of the flow rate and total amount of oil spilled during the Deepwater Horizon disaster.

They estimate that the flow rate varied from 62,000 to 53,000 barrels a day over the 87 days that oil was spilling.

The new estimates reflect the collaborative work and discussions of the National Incident Command’s Flow Rate Technical Group (FRTG), led by United States Geological Survey (USGS) Director Marcia McNutt, and a team of Department of Energy (DOE) scientists and engineers, led by Energy Secretary Steven Chu.

Note, the serious underestimates made by Coast Guard in the first weeks of the spill.

Read more here, here & here

I can see CLEARly now...

On July 30th, the United States House of Representatives passed the Consolidated Land, Energy, and Aquatic Resources Act of 2010 - the CLEAR Act. Surfrider Foundation supports this bill’s provisions that respond to the Deepwater Horizon tragedy and tightens regulatory oversight of offshore oil drilling.

The bill would also establish the ORCA (Ocean Resources Conservation and Assistance) fund, which is the first annual fund dedicated to ocean conservation. We also support the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which as part of the CLEAR Act would provide consistent and permanent funding for wilderness resources such as parks, beaches and waterways.

In addition to setting up conservation funds, the other "highlights" of the bill include:

• Integrated reform of oil and gas drilling sector with improved safety and oversight of oil drilling.
  
• Lifting the current $75 million cap on liabilities related to oil spills, as well as incorporating key elements of the Blowout Prevention Act of 2010.
  
• Reform by statute the failed Minerals Management Service (MMS), which was also ordered to be reorganized by the Obama Administration executive order earlier this year. The reform changes the name of MMS to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement, and includes restrictions such as the “revolving door” provision aimed at preventing conflicts of interest and corruption in the government agency charged with overseeing the oil industry.
  
• In addition to the overdue reforms, the bill also repeals provision of current law that have allowed hundreds of projects to be permitted without careful scrutiny under categorical exclusions.

Unfortunately, the bill sponsors and supporters conceded to a last-minute amendment by Congressman Charlie Melancon (D - LA) that will lift the current six-month deepwater drilling moratorium in the Gulf of Mexico. This deepwater moratorium was enacted by President Obama after the Deepwater Horizon spill and has been the subject of much litigation in the 5th Circuit. Obviously, the environmental community is displeased with this concession amendment in the bill, but overall it is still a CLEARly good bill.

While the House version of the CLEAR Act passed by a vote of 209 to 193, the Senate version of the bill (S.3663) awaits action by the Senate. If it passes, both houses would return from August recess to negotiate a compromise bill to send to the President.

CA & NJ oppose new oil drilling

Recent polls from California and New Jersey demonstrate strong opposition to new oil drilling. In a recent PPIC poll in California 59% of the population oppose more offshore drilling.

A Monmouth University/Gannett New Jersey Press Media Poll reported that 63% of New Jersey residents are opposed drilling off the Jersey shore. It's notable that 80% of New Jersey residents favor placing electricity-generating windmills off the coast of New Jersey

Voice your opposition to oil drilling here.

State of the Spill - Week 14

Spill Size/Extent

We have frozen our spill counter at 93,812,000 gallons (86 days) because of the apparently successful cap that was placed on the Macondo well nearly two weeks ago.

Note: Surfrider’s estimate of the spill volume is based on a rate of 26,000 barrels per day. The most recent estimate of the rate of the oil gusher is between 35,000 and 60,000 barrels per day (1,470,000 to 2,520,000 gallons per day). If the release was at those rates since Day 1, the total volume of oil released is between and 126 and 217 million gallons. The vast majority of the spill has not been recovered and is unaccounted for in government statistics.

NOAA’s GeoPlatform.gov/gulfresponse online tool provides images/estimates of the current extent of the surface oil plume, the location of “beached oil” and surface water currents.

State of Efforts to Stop Flow

BP’s tighter fitting cap (termed "capping stack") was installed over two weeks ago and it was announced on Thursday, July 15 that flow from the well had been stopped. Although there have been reports of oil seeps in the area and the measured pressure in the well is less than expected (possibly indicating that oil is leaking out of the well bore into the surrounding formation), it is now believed that the observed oil seeps are unrelated to the Macondo well. BP hopes to leave the cap in place until a relief well (to permanently seal the well) is completed.

The permanent sealing of the well is now anticipated to occur in two phases. First there will be an attempt to perform a "static kill" by pumping mud and cement in from the top of the well. That could occur as soon as Sunday or Monday. Then efforts to perform the "bottom kill" (pumping mud and cement into the lower potions of the Macondo well through the relief well) will start 5 to 7 days after the top kill.

Ecological Damage

The fishery closure area is still 57,539 square miles, covering about 24% of the Gulf of Mexico exclusive economic zone. The GeoPlatform.gov/gulfresponse online tool can be configured to show the fishery closure area and confirmed marine mammal and sea turtle strandings and observations. The National Fish and Wildlife Service publishes daily reports showing the current number of birds, sea turtles and marine mammals that have been "collected" in the oil spill area.

Volunteer Response Resources

Surfrider volunteer oil spill toolkit

Volunteer Phone numbers: (state-specific contact information below)

Deepwater Horizon Incident Volunteer Hotline: 866-448-5816
Vessel of Opportunities Program - Fishermen should phone 425-745-8017

Fact sheets related to oil spills in general and this spill:
http://www.piersystem.com/go/doctype/2931/53023/
http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/deepwaterhorizon
http://gulfseagrant.tamu.edu/oilspill/index.htm
http://www.eoearth.org/article/Deepwater_Horizon_oil_spill

Official Response Resources

Restore the Gulf: http://www.restorethegulf.gov
Twitter: http://twitter.com/usnoaagov
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/usnoaagov
Podcasts: http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/podcast.html
NOAA Roles and Tools: http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/topics/oceans/spills/
EPA: http://www.epa.gov/bpspill/

Phone numbers:

NOAA media inquiries: keeley.belva@noaa.gov or 301-713-3066
For response inquiries: Joint Information Center (JIC) at 985-902-5231 or 985-902-5240
BP Horizon Response Hotline: 281-366-5511
To report oil, or general Community and Volunteer Information: 866-448-5816
To report oiled or injured wildlife: 866-557-1401
Coast Guard officials say not to pick up any tar balls you find and to report them at (800) 424-8802

Florida Specific Volunteer Information:

Volunteer at www.volunteerflorida.org
For jobs, visit www.floridagulfrecoveryjobs.com or call 1-877-362-5034
Visit www.volunteerfloridadisaster.org for updates

If you live in these areas and want to help:
Okaloosa County call: 850-651-7150 


Bay County call: 763-6587 


Walton County: go to http://www.waltonso.org/

The Gulf Specimen Marine Lab in Panacea, Florida needs volunteers and donations to support their educational and research work.

Florida Palm Beach/Treasure Coast area volunteers can email Surfrider's Florida Regional Manager : Ericka D'avanzo

Florida DEP is not encouraging private citizens to clean up shorelines. However, should a homeowner have oil soaked materials, there are two options:

• Have the homeowners contact 1-866-448-5816 and someone will be sent out to retrieve the oiled materials.

• Emerald County Utilities Authority (ECUA) has provided several 55 gallon drums at certain walk crossovers on Pensacola Beach. They are marked for oil debris only. BP/ Waste Management will be responsible for all collection and disposal. ECUA has provided the containers at no charge to help with the response.

Florida Information Numbers and Websites:

DEP Related Media Questions: Amy Graham at 850-245-2112 or -2113
Florida Emergency Information Line: 800-342-3557
Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) incident response website: http://www.dep.state.fl.us/deepwaterhorizon/default.htm

Resources in Other Gulf States:

Louisiana: http://www.volunteerlouisiana.gov/
Mississippi:
http://www.volunteermississippi.org/1800Vol/OpenIndexAction.do
Alabama: http://www.servealabama.gov/2010/default.aspx

Also see:
Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana
Galveston Bay Foundation
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources - (228) 374-5000
Mobile Bay National Estuary Program
National Audubon Society
National Wildlife Federation
Restore America’s Estuaries
Save Our Gulf

More Information & Call to Action

Help us track oil spill impacts (including human health impacts) at: http://oilspill.skytruth.org/

Urge President Obama and Congress to ban new drilling: http://www.surfrider.org/nodrilling

Donate to support Surfrider's Emerald Coast Chapter water testing in the Florida Panhandle area.

Walk your beaches daily to ensure no garbage or plastic debris is present. Do not disturb bird nesting areas!

Join the Surfrider Foundation: http://www.surfrider.org/join

Raging Grannies Sing Drill No More

If you haven't heard about the Raging Grannies, now is a great time to begin your appreciation for them.  They started in 1986 and have 'organized groups' around the world.  They typically sing protest songs about social and environmental injustices.  Learn more about them here and here.

I came across the Albuquerque Raging Grannies when Surfrider was organizing for the Hand Across the Sand event.  They sent me an email with a link to their song and said:

"We're 800 miles away from the nearest beach, but we want to offer our encouragement!   Please feel free to use our song at your demonstration.  It's the to tune of "Blowin in the Wind" which everyone knows and is a real crowd-pleaser"!  

Enjoy!

Shea and Corey Lopez on the Oil Spill in Their Home State

State of the Spill - Week 13

Spill Size/Extent

We have frozen our spill counter at 93,812,000 gallons (86 days) because of the apparently successful cap that was placed on the Macondo well late last week.

Note: Surfrider’s estimate of the spill volume is based on a rate of 26,000 barrels per day. The most recent estimate of the rate of the oil gusher is between 35,000 and 60,000 barrels per day (1,470,000 to 2,520,000 gallons per day). If the release has been at that rate since Day 1, the total volume of oil released is between and 126 and 217 million gallons. The government estimates that about 760,000 gallons of oil have been recovered.

NOAA’s GeoPlatform.gov/gulfresponse online tool provides nearshore and offshore “spill trajectory estimates” for the current oil plume and the next two days. You can also use the tool to show the current plume, the location of “beached oil” and surface water currents.

State of Efforts to Stop Flow

BP’s tighter fitting cap (termed "capping stack") was installed early last week and it was announced on Thursday, July 15 that flow from the well had been stopped. Although there have been reports of oil seeps in the area and the measured pressure in the well is less than expected (possibly indicating that oil is leaking out of the well bore into the surrounding formation), it is now believed that the observed oil seeps are unrelated to the Macondo well. BP hopes to leave the cap in place until a relief well (to permanently seal the well) is completed.

Meanwhile, BP continues to drill two “relief wells” that are intended to intercept the blown-out well at a depth of about 16,000 feet. Drilling mud and cement would then be pumped into the well to seal it. It is hoped that this work can be accomplished by late July or early August. Read the latest.

Ecological Damage

Today (July 22) NOAA announced that it was reopening 26,388 square miles (68,345 sq km) of area it had previously closed to commercial and recreational fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. The
GeoPlatform.gov/gulfresponse online tool can be configured to show the fishery closure area (now 57,539 square miles, covering about 24% of the Gulf of Mexico exclusive economic zone) and confirmed marine mammal and sea turtle strandings and observations. The National Fish and Wildlife Service publishes daily reports showing the current number of birds, sea turtles and marine mammals that have been "collected" in the oil spill area.

Volunteer Response Resources

Surfrider volunteer oil spill toolkit

Volunteer Phone numbers: (state-specific contact information below)

Deepwater Horizon Incident Volunteer Hotline: 866-448-5816
Vessel of Opportunities Program - Fishermen should phone 425-745-8017

Fact sheets related to oil spills in general and this spill:
http://www.piersystem.com/go/doctype/2931/53023/
http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/deepwaterhorizon
http://gulfseagrant.tamu.edu/oilspill/index.htm
http://www.eoearth.org/article/Deepwater_Horizon_oil_spill

Official Response Resources

http://www.restorethegulf.gov
Twitter: http://twitter.com/usnoaagov
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/usnoaagov
Podcasts: http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/podcast.html
NOAA Roles and Tools: http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/topics/oceans/spills/
EPA: http://www.epa.gov/bpspill/

Phone numbers:

NOAA media inquiries: keeley.belva@noaa.gov or 301-713-3066
For response inquiries: Joint Information Center (JIC) at 985-902-5231 or 985-902-5240
BP Horizon Response Hotline: 281-366-5511
To report oil, or general Community and Volunteer Information: 866-448-5816
To report oiled or injured wildlife: 866-557-1401
Coast Guard officials say not to pick up any tar balls you find and to report them at (800) 424-8802

Florida Specific Volunteer Information:

Volunteer at www.volunteerflorida.org
For jobs, visit www.floridagulfrecoveryjobs.com or call 1-877-362-5034
Visit www.volunteerfloridadisaster.org for updates

If you live in these areas and want to help:
Okaloosa County call: 850-651-7150 


Bay County call: 763-6587 


Walton County: go to http://www.waltonso.org/

The Gulf Specimen Marine Lab in Panacea, Florida needs volunteers and donations to support their educational and research work.

Florida Palm Beach/Treasure Coast area volunteers can email Surfrider's Florida Regional Manager : Ericka D'avanzo
Florida DEP is not encouraging private citizens to clean up shorelines. However, should a homeowner have oil soaked materials, there are two options:

• Have the homeowners contact 1-866-448-5816 and someone will be sent out to retrieve the oiled materials.

• Emerald County Utilities Authority (ECUA) will provide several 55 gallon drums at certain walk crossovers on Pensacola Beach. They will be marked for oil debris only. BP/ Waste Management will be responsible for all collection and disposal. ECUA has provided the containers at no charge to help with the response.

Florida Information Numbers and Websites:

DEP Related Media Questions: Amy Graham at 850-245-2112 or -2113
Florida Emergency Information Line: 800-342-3557
Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) incident response website: http://www.dep.state.fl.us/deepwaterhorizon/default.htm

Resources in Other Gulf States:

Louisiana: http://www.volunteerlouisiana.gov/
Mississippi:
http://www.volunteermississippi.org/1800Vol/OpenIndexAction.do
Alabama: http://www.servealabama.gov/2010/default.aspx

Also see:
Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana
Galveston Bay Foundation
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources - (228) 374-5000
Mobile Bay National Estuary Program
Restore America’s Estuaries
Save Our Gulf
National Audubon Society

More Information & Call to Action

Help us track oil spill impacts (including human health impacts) at: http://oilspill.skytruth.org/

Urge President Obama and Congress to ban new drilling: http://www.surfrider.org/nodrilling

Walk your beaches daily to ensure no garbage or plastic debris is present. Do not disturb bird nesting areas!

Join the Surfrider Foundation: http://www.surfrider.org/join

Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Location, Surf conditions and meteorological report

Tuesday July 20, 2010

Summary: Oil observations from Land based reconnaissance groups include new products ashore in Johnson Beach, various locations along Santa Rosa Island, Ft. Walton Beach, Tang-O-Mar Beach in Walton County and Bay County. Wind and wave forces continue to the north and northwest reducing risk of oil moving eastward. Other than small continued occurrences of tarballs and related products, shoreline impacts expected to occur primarily west of Pensacola.

Emerald Chapter Speak to Surgeon General about Spill Impacts

Laird Hamilton says reinstate the moratorium!

Surfrider Foundation Water Testing in the Gulf

The Emerald Coast Chapter of Surfrider Foundation has begun "on the ground" efforts to test their local Gulf beach waters in Florida for dispersants being used to 'clean up the oil' and oil. They have taken the approach to adapt SF's Blue Water Task Force Program to specifically address this disaster. They have chosen to test because none of the agencies are testing for dispersants and they are not currently publishing the results of oil testing. The lack of information being shared with the public is a major health risk to both residents and tourists as tar balls wash up on these shores daily.

On Sunday there was a sheen in the waters as far east as Miramar Beach (Walton County) and multiple reports of health concerns, coughing up blood, shortness of breath, skin and eye irritations due to people entering the water. The Suncoast Chapter (St. Pete/Sarasota) and other Florida chapters may also initiate testing if the surface and underwater plumes sync with the loop current and make their way east and south.

As you might imagine due to the severity of this spill, this testing may be needed over an extended period of time. The cost for testing dispersants is about $350/per test and samples have to be shipped to a lab in Washington state. Oil testing is about $80/per sample. Surfrider's Emerald Coast chapter is directly impacted by the spill and could use help in getting the word out and/or by making a donation to this campaign.

To find out more go to www.SurfriderEmeraldCoast.org and if you wish to contribute you can click on the "Donate" button.