BP Complaints

The National Institutes of Health will launch a multi-year study this fall to look at the potential health effects from the oil spill in the Gulf region. The Gulf Worker Study, announced by NIH Director Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D., in June, is in response to the largest oil spill in U.S. history, caused by the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon offshore drilling oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. Dr. Collins pledged million in NIH funding for the study’s initial phases.

To help expedite the launch of the study, BP will contribute an additional million to NIH for this and other important health research. The BP funding will come through the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GRI). The GRI is a ten-year, 0 million independent research program established by BP to better understand and mitigate the environmental and potential health effects of the Gulf spill. The NIH will have full autonomy regarding the distribution of the million, with input from external scientific experts in environmental health and who are familiar with the Gulf region.

“It was clear to us that we need to begin immediately studying the health of the workers most directly involved in responding to this crisis,” said Collins. “The donation from BP will help speed our work with CDC, EPA, and other federal agencies, academia, as well as state and local partners to carry out this important study.” Collins asked the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the NIH, to lead the research project.

The study will focus on workers’ exposure to oil and dispersant products, and potential health consequences such as respiratory, neurobehavioral, carcinogenic, and immunological conditions. The study is also expected to evaluate mental health concerns and other oil spill-related stressors such as job loss, family disruption, and financial uncertainties.

“Clean-up workers are likely to be the most heavily exposed of all population groups in the Gulf Coast region,” said Dale Sandler, Ph.D., chief of the Epidemiology Branch at NIEHS and lead researcher on the study. “We plan to enroll workers with varying levels of exposure. For example, we hope to recruit workers involved in oil burning, skimming and booming, equipment decontamination, wildlife cleanup, and also those with lower exposure such as shoreline clean-up workers. We’ll also recruit some people who completed the worker safety training, but did not have the opportunity to do any clean-up work. They will be our study controls.”

Sandler added, “What we learn from this study may help us prepare for future incidents that put clean-up workers at risk.”

The current focus of NIEHS is to ensure that the Gulf communities most affected by the oil spill have a say in the study’s design and implementation, as well as input into future research directions. The NIEHS is hosting webinars and other community engagement activities to obtain input.

“Community involvement and participation is critical to the success of this study,” said Linda Birnbaum, Ph.D., director of NIEHS and the National Toxicology Program.

NIH and the Department of Health and Human Services have had a continuous presence in the Gulf since the explosion occurred. The NIEHS Worker Education and Training Program (WETP) used its 24 years of experience preparing people for hazardous conditions to contribute to training more than 100,000 workers in the Gulf so they could safely clean up the oil spill. The WETP also distributed thousands of pocket-sized training booklets in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese, so workers have the information they need to protect themselves. The WETP materials are available at http://niehs.nih.gov/wetp/index.cfm?id=2495.

The NIEHS supports research to understand the effects of the environment on human health and is part of NIH. For more information on environmental health topics, visit our Web site at http://www.niehs.nih.gov. Subscribe to one or more of the NIEHS news lists (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/releases/newslist/index.cfm) to stay current on NIEHS news, press releases, grant opportunities, training, events, and publications.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) — The Nation’s Medical Research Agency — includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.

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The National Institutes of Health will launch a multi-year study this fall to look at the potential health effects from the oil spill in the Gulf region. The Gulf Worker Study, announced by NIH Director Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D., in June, is in response to the largest oil spill in U.S. history, caused by the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon offshore drilling oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. Dr. Collins pledged million in NIH funding for the study’s initial phases.

To help expedite the launch of the study, BP will contribute an additional million to NIH for this and other important health research. The BP funding will come through the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GRI). The GRI is a ten-year, 0 million independent research program established by BP to better understand and mitigate the environmental and potential health effects of the Gulf spill. The NIH will have full autonomy regarding the distribution of the million, with input from external scientific experts in environmental health and who are familiar with the Gulf region.

“It was clear to us that we need to begin immediately studying the health of the workers most directly involved in responding to this crisis,” said Collins. “The donation from BP will help speed our work with CDC, EPA, and other federal agencies, academia, as well as state and local partners to carry out this important study.” Collins asked the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the NIH, to lead the research project.

The study will focus on workers’ exposure to oil and dispersant products, and potential health consequences such as respiratory, neurobehavioral, carcinogenic, and immunological conditions. The study is also expected to evaluate mental health concerns and other oil spill-related stressors such as job loss, family disruption, and financial uncertainties.

“Clean-up workers are likely to be the most heavily exposed of all population groups in the Gulf Coast region,” said Dale Sandler, Ph.D., chief of the Epidemiology Branch at NIEHS and lead researcher on the study. “We plan to enroll workers with varying levels of exposure. For example, we hope to recruit workers involved in oil burning, skimming and booming, equipment decontamination, wildlife cleanup, and also those with lower exposure such as shoreline clean-up workers. We’ll also recruit some people who completed the worker safety training, but did not have the opportunity to do any clean-up work. They will be our study controls.”

Sandler added, “What we learn from this study may help us prepare for future incidents that put clean-up workers at risk.”

The current focus of NIEHS is to ensure that the Gulf communities most affected by the oil spill have a say in the study’s design and implementation, as well as input into future research directions. The NIEHS is hosting webinars and other community engagement activities to obtain input.

“Community involvement and participation is critical to the success of this study,” said Linda Birnbaum, Ph.D., director of NIEHS and the National Toxicology Program.

NIH and the Department of Health and Human Services have had a continuous presence in the Gulf since the explosion occurred. The NIEHS Worker Education and Training Program (WETP) used its 24 years of experience preparing people for hazardous conditions to contribute to training more than 100,000 workers in the Gulf so they could safely clean up the oil spill. The WETP also distributed thousands of pocket-sized training booklets in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese, so workers have the information they need to protect themselves. The WETP materials are available at http://niehs.nih.gov/wetp/index.cfm?id=2495.

The NIEHS supports research to understand the effects of the environment on human health and is part of NIH. For more information on environmental health topics, visit our Web site at http://www.niehs.nih.gov. Subscribe to one or more of the NIEHS news lists (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/releases/newslist/index.cfm) to stay current on NIEHS news, press releases, grant opportunities, training, events, and publications.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) — The Nation’s Medical Research Agency — includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.

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The National Institutes of Health will launch a multi-year study this fall to look at the potential health effects from the oil spill in the Gulf region. The Gulf Worker Study, announced by NIH Director Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D., in June, is in response to the largest oil spill in U.S. history, caused by the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon offshore drilling oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. Dr. Collins pledged million in NIH funding for the study’s initial phases.

To help expedite the launch of the study, BP will contribute an additional million to NIH for this and other important health research. The BP funding will come through the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GRI). The GRI is a ten-year, 0 million independent research program established by BP to better understand and mitigate the environmental and potential health effects of the Gulf spill. The NIH will have full autonomy regarding the distribution of the million, with input from external scientific experts in environmental health and who are familiar with the Gulf region.

“It was clear to us that we need to begin immediately studying the health of the workers most directly involved in responding to this crisis,” said Collins. “The donation from BP will help speed our work with CDC, EPA, and other federal agencies, academia, as well as state and local partners to carry out this important study.” Collins asked the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the NIH, to lead the research project.

The study will focus on workers’ exposure to oil and dispersant products, and potential health consequences such as respiratory, neurobehavioral, carcinogenic, and immunological conditions. The study is also expected to evaluate mental health concerns and other oil spill-related stressors such as job loss, family disruption, and financial uncertainties.

“Clean-up workers are likely to be the most heavily exposed of all population groups in the Gulf Coast region,” said Dale Sandler, Ph.D., chief of the Epidemiology Branch at NIEHS and lead researcher on the study. “We plan to enroll workers with varying levels of exposure. For example, we hope to recruit workers involved in oil burning, skimming and booming, equipment decontamination, wildlife cleanup, and also those with lower exposure such as shoreline clean-up workers. We’ll also recruit some people who completed the worker safety training, but did not have the opportunity to do any clean-up work. They will be our study controls.”

Sandler added, “What we learn from this study may help us prepare for future incidents that put clean-up workers at risk.”

The current focus of NIEHS is to ensure that the Gulf communities most affected by the oil spill have a say in the study’s design and implementation, as well as input into future research directions. The NIEHS is hosting webinars and other community engagement activities to obtain input.

“Community involvement and participation is critical to the success of this study,” said Linda Birnbaum, Ph.D., director of NIEHS and the National Toxicology Program.

NIH and the Department of Health and Human Services have had a continuous presence in the Gulf since the explosion occurred. The NIEHS Worker Education and Training Program (WETP) used its 24 years of experience preparing people for hazardous conditions to contribute to training more than 100,000 workers in the Gulf so they could safely clean up the oil spill. The WETP also distributed thousands of pocket-sized training booklets in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese, so workers have the information they need to protect themselves. The WETP materials are available at http://niehs.nih.gov/wetp/index.cfm?id=2495.

The NIEHS supports research to understand the effects of the environment on human health and is part of NIH. For more information on environmental health topics, visit our Web site at http://www.niehs.nih.gov. Subscribe to one or more of the NIEHS news lists (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/news/releases/newslist/index.cfm) to stay current on NIEHS news, press releases, grant opportunities, training, events, and publications.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) — The Nation’s Medical Research Agency — includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.

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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) are releasing a report today about dissolved oxygen levels in the Gulf of Mexico as a result of the Deepwater Horizon BP oil spill. Scientists from the report team will be available to discuss the recent findings and answer reporter questions.

WHAT:           Media teleconference to discuss latest Joint Analysis Group findings 

WHO:             Steve Murawski, chief science advisor, NOAA Fisheries and Greg Wilson, science advisor, EPA Office of Emergency Management

WHEN:           1 p.m. EDT, TODAY, Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2010

WHERE:         Domestic call-in: (800)-369-1850, passcode: Dissolved Oxygen; International call-in: (312)-470-7382, passcode: Dissolved Oxygen

This report is the third analytical report from the federal Joint Analysis Group (JAG) about ongoing Deepwater Horizon BP research and monitoring. The JAG comprises scientists from NOAA, EPA and OSTP and was established to facilitate cooperation and coordination among the best scientific minds across the government and provide a coordinated analysis of information related to subsea monitoring in the Gulf of Mexico. Review previous reports and data online or visit the JAG web site.

MOBILE, Ala. (Sept. 7, 2010) – All of the hard (containment) boom deployed as part of the federal-led response but now potentially posing more risk than it offers protection for vital shorelines in Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida Panhandle has now been recovered. The Incident Command Post (ICP) at Mobile announced that more than 1.6 million feet of hard boom has been removed from those state waters. Crews are currently in the process of removing the remaining fragments of storm-damaged hard boom from areas where it was stranded.

Responders continue to remain vigilant and ready to deploy boom should it be needed to protect the coast from any new threats from oil that may emerge. Removed boom is being inspected, cleaned, repaired and stored at sites along the Gulf Coast for redeployment should the need arise. Damaged boom that cannot be repaired is recycled or reused to the fullest extent possible.

The ICP in Mobile worked with federal, state and local officials to remove the hard boom that is no longer needed for the response due to the fact that no visible oil has been spotted on the surface of the Gulf in these areas recently. Additionally, with the height of hurricane season, the boom could damage environmentally sensitive lands or become a hazard during high winds or seas of a hurricane or tropical storm.

During the oil spill response, a total of more than 3.7 million feet of hard boom was placed at critical points to protect wildlife refuges, estuaries, beaches, marshes and other environmentally sensitive and economically significant lands throughout the Gulf Coast. Placement of boom along the coast was one of the aggressive actions taken by the response team to prevent oil from reaching the shore.

“Removal of hard boom is the right operational decision,” said U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Steven Poulin, Incident Commander at ICP Mobile. “We remain fully committed to this response and stand prepared to redeploy boom should that be necessary as well as remove any oily material from the shoreline as quickly as possible in our continued effort to protect the Gulf Coast and its natural beauty.”

Response branches in Louisiana are currently working with local partners to identify unneeded boom in that state for removal.

Surveillance of the waters and shoreline in Mississippi, Alabama and Florida continues allowing response teams to quickly and efficiently remove tar balls or oiled debris that is sighted.

Current response efforts throughout the Gulf Coast also include an expanded and enhanced subsurface monitoring program for oil or dispersants in the water column or on the bottom. Teams are systematically and methodically conducting surveys in the bays, surf zone, near-shore and offshore waters to determine whether recoverable oil is present beneath the water’s surface. To date more than 28,000 sites have been sampled.

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