This week on Moore Up North, we gathered panelists who were intimately involved in the reporting, clean-up and legal aspects of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill. Our goal was to provide some historic background for those living through this unfolding oilpocalypse on the Gulf Coast.
At the time of the Exxon Valdez, I was a commercial fisherman. I tendered herring and was docked in Sitka. When word of the spill came, we headed north to help with the clean-up. The Prince William Sound Herring Fishery collapsed and never recovered.
The response from BP is eerily similar to Exxon’s response 21 years before; the fleet of lawyers on the ground offering $5,000 cash in exchange for legal waivers; the under-estimating of the oil spill and damages; the promises to “make you whole”…
I feel an overwhelming sense of deja vu and PTSD.
We were joined by Alaska State Senator and Democratic candidate for governor Hollis French.
Our panel this week were each on the ground and witnessed the aftermath of the Exxon Valdez tragedy first hand:
- Peter Van Tuyn-Environmental lawyer, representing Alaska Native and conservation interests on environmental issues in Alaska, including onshore and offshore oil and gas, fisheries and marine conservation, mining, and wildlife and endangered species. Peter currently represent the Native Village of Point Hope, Alaska Wilderness League and Pacific Environment in litigation related to Arctic offshore oil and gas activities.
- Marybeth Holleman–author-activist. She has written nationally on the Exxon Valdez disaster and on Prince William Sound.
- Charles Wohlforth–author and Anchorage Daily News reporter assigned to the Exxon Valdez catastrophe in 1989.
- Steve Heimel-APRN broadcasting legend. Covered the Exxon Valdez on the radio. Steve is a walking-encyclopedia on the Exxon Valdez disaster.
SHANNYN MOORE: JUST A GIRL FROM HOMER 
Although this is about Rick Perry, this video shows BP accidents because of lax standards but also the corruption that allows them to happen.
http://www.lonestarproject.net/
“Why was Rick Perry’s first instinct to protect BP?
Some would question why Rick Perry would stick his neck out for a corporation instead of worrying about Texans and hundreds of miles of coastline. A closer look reveals that Perry and BP have had a cozy relationship for years.
BP donates $250,000 to the Governor’s mansion
When Rick Perry needed to raise money to restore the Governor’s Mansion after a major fire, he turned to his friends at BP. According to the Austin American-Statesman, “The largest donation is $250,000 from energy giant BP America.” (Source: Austin American-Statesman, January 30, 2009) “
By: sallyngarland,tx on May 8, 2010
at 10:37 pm
I took part of you post to a Texas blog so they also know what is going on with BP Hope that was ok Excellent show Shannyn bought so many memories of watching the cleanup back back than.
By: jojobo1 on May 14, 2010
at 6:29 pm
[…] Follow this link: Moore Up North – The Oil Spill […]
By: Moore Up North – The Oil Spill « pennsylvania asbestos lawyerss on May 8, 2010
at 11:49 pm
Senators claim to have OPEN minds……sadly the only open thing 80% of these people have are WALLETS and PURSES!
BR, Haliburton, Shell, and all of the major oil players give BILLIONS of dollars to these people,
The average person give these senators 2 or 3 hundred dollars. So who do you suppose gets reperesented in DC?
Senator Lisa Murkoski said about a 200,000 gallon oil spill on the North Slope that in the sceme of things it was very small. I would love to go cover her yard with say even 100 gallons of crude oil and then ask her how small that is in the sceme of things?
She said today that the current oil spill in the gulf should not stop or change our plans for off shore drilling. She also feels that the laws and safety regs in place are just hunky dorry and need not be added to or changed.
Now whos intrests is she defending? Certainly not mine!
By: Tom on May 11, 2010
at 8:40 am
I’m so sorry for the damages done to Alaska by Exxon and the harpy we now all have to endure- Palin.
By: RockyMissouri on May 13, 2010
at 3:19 pm
reposted from Mudflats:
OMG!!! now on CNN/AC 360 – Prof. Steve Wereley of Purdue University studied underwater video of BP oil well gushing into Gulf…says examining particles times(X) time frame would average more like 70,000 barrels of oil per day or quantity of 1 Exxon Valdez oil spill every 4 days!!!!!!!!
By: Lainey on May 13, 2010
at 5:11 pm
OMG, Shannyn, I just heard your interview with Nicole Sandler and was riveted by your words and your passion! Sat in my car in the driveway so I wouldn’t miss anything. Thanks for spreading the truth and for your activism!!
By: Debra on May 14, 2010
at 1:33 pm
fwding far & wide, sadly like the tide.
muy mahalo, Ms. Moore
By: marlys on May 15, 2010
at 11:17 pm