Below the Surface - Deepwater Horizon Response

EXPEDITIONS

Deepwater Horizon Oil Rig Disaster

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For a timeline from April 20-May 3, 2010, check out this online Wall Street Journal article

New Orleans, LA – On May 5th 2010, the exploration team from Below the Surface (BTS) & pro-surfer James Pribram are expected to arrive and hire local fishermen and pilots to charter their critical mission to assess pre-contamination conditions in sensitive habitats along the Gulf Coast. This oil spill has the potential to be the worst in America’s history and has spilled nearly 3-million gallons into the Gulf with no signs of slowing. If the wellhead blows we could see a spill of over 2 million gallons per day; it is currently spewing over 200,000 gallons per day.

It is imperative that a baseline assessment of pre-contamination conditions be established in the Gulf of Mexico to aid restoration efforts. The team will coordinate water and soil sampling while focusing on video footage, and thorough photo documentation. All of these parameters are imperative for successful clean-up and rehabilitation efforts. The BTS Team will build a comprehensive database using the latest technology with Google Earth, GPS, Time-stamps & proprietary photography techniques. In addition, they will offer real-time updates through their social networks, coordinate daily media interviews, and offer streamlined fundraising for local NGOs.

Open publication - Free publishing - More pollution

“The cost to the fishing industry in Louisiana could be $2.5 billion, while the impact on tourism along Florida's panhandle coast could be $3 billion,” Neil McMahon, analyst at investment firm Bernstein, said on Friday. This spill comes at the peak of nesting & migration in the South for millions of birds and at the start of the shrimping & fishing season. Fisherman Harold Strong told WLOX, "We'll be out of business, basically, pretty much devastated. I see no recovery. If you lose two to three years, I can see absolutely no way to come back from it." The local economic impact could surpass that of Hurricane Katrina. Oil has begun to wash ashore in remote areas of Louisiana so it is important that the team moves quickly along the coast. It was only three months ago that the BTS team completed their successful expedition on the Atchafalaya River in Louisiana to document nature’s resilience and Gulf Coast restoration. A writer and a photographer from Reader’s Digest covered the story and it is due in the June issue. REQUEST FOR SUPPORT: “Any donation up to the $34,000 budget total to get our crew on the ground for several weeks is greatly appreciated by us, the fishermen whose families rely on this coastline for survival, and the animals that thrive in this area,” says Gustavson—donations can be made directly @ www.belowthesurface.org Below the Surface is a California non-profit organization focused on promoting water conservation and improving water quality. The Eco-Warrior project, www.ecowarriorsurf.com led by James professional surfer James Pribram, show how people can contribute to environmental issues such as improving water quality, protecting endangered reefs and wildlife, and enhancing life on earth for everyone.

This oilspill off of the coast of California is often referred to as the "Birth of a Movement" in activism against offshore drilling. 40 years later, Louisiana is in danger of a greater disaster, let's hope we can learn from these mistakes.