‘The environmental damage caused by BP’s Gulf of Mexico oil spill may have been grossly exaggerated, a growing body of experts is suggesting.
In a bold move, scientists have dismissed the torrent of grim predictions from President Obama and environmentalists as ‘hype’ with no data to back it up.
Instead, those working on the ground say the oil is breaking up far more quickly than expected and the number of birds being killed is low.
……..The harsh restrictions on fishing and shrimping are being lifted and the number of birds killed is just 1 per cent of those which died in the Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska in 1989.
…..Marine scientist Ivor van Heerden, a former Louisiana State University professor, who is working as a spill response contractor, said: ‘There’s just no data to suggest this is an environmental disaster.
‘I have no interest in making BP look good – I think they lied about the size of the spill – but we’re not seeing catastrophic impacts. There’s a lot of hype, but no evidence to justify it.’
Geochemist Jacqueline Michel added: ‘The impacts have been much, much less than everyone feared.’ source
