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As heartbreaking stories and images flow from the Gulf of Mexico, a great deal of attention has been paid to the efforts of large scale clean-up and recovery efforts by BP and the US Government. Less attention has been paid to the frontline cleanup efforts underway by armies of volunteers working around the clock to help mitigate the effects that the oil spill has had on the ecologically sensitive U.S. Gulf coast.
On the awareness raising front, Mobile Baykeeper, a Waterkeeper group based in Mobile Bay Alabama, sent out teams of volunteers to document the pristine environment before the worst of the oil hit the coast, subsequently mobilizing those volunteers to help fight the efforts head-on while doing traning workshops with other waterkeepers in the area. Louisiana’s Hurricane Creekkeeper, John Wathen, has flown over the gulf taking some spectacular pictures and video of the oil, as well as the atmospheric effects of the burn-offs out at sea. Waterkeepers have also been heavily involved in drawing attention to the possibility of hazardous effects of chemical dispersants being used in the clean-up. “[W]e are gravely concerned about what we have not been told – specifically about the hundreds of thousands of gallons of dispersants used” Said Chasidy Fisher Hobbs, Florida’s Emerald CoastKeeper, who went on to say that “these chemicals pull oil into the water column where we locals, and the world watching, cannot see it. The limited knowledge we have on these products causes me to pause and question the message that our beaches and seafood are safe.”
To Help coordinate the actions of these and over 200 other frontline organizations, the Waterkeeper Alliance started saveourgulf.org to act both as an awareness raising platform and a central location to make donations to help clean-up efforts. Donations help purchase cleanup supplies and protective equipment for frontline workers.
The Waterkeeper Alliance has also formed a specialized committee to provide support to gulf coast Waterkeepers dealing with the crisis. Staffed by highly experienced personnel with expertise in oil spills, the committee has been helping to coordinate volunteer activities and negotiate relationships with key groups involved.
Kristine Stratton, the Executive Director of the Waterkeeper Alliance who has been keeping close tabs on the situation, commented recently in the New York Times that BP`s rising estimates for the amount of oil leaking from the ruptured well is unsurprising. BP stands to be fined on the basis of the size of the leak, and Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), chairman of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, argues that it would be in their interest to low-ball such estimates.
If you are interested in following the efforts of the waterkeepers as they unfold, we have made a list you can follow on twitter (@ottawariverkeeper/gulfwaterkeepers). Alternatively, we recommend you visit www.saveourgulf.org to learn more about how to donate and support Gulf Clean-up efforts.