Photo courtesy of U.S. Geological Survey
Department of the Interior/USGS
U.S. Geological Survey
by Spenser Garber
April 20, 2010. This was the day of the largest oil spill in petroleum industry history. It devastated Gulf Coast economies. It killed 11 people and injured 17. It killed many animals, including ones on the endangered species list. It spilled an estimated 210 million gallons over the course of six months.
In March of 2014, it was decided that BP would be able to drill in the Gulf of Mexico again. This has definitely come with mixed feelings from many people, including myself.
It was a devastating thing that happened. It destroyed local businesses and still continues to hurt the local economy. When you can see an oil spill from space, you know it’s bad, and it does not come unwarranted that people don’t like the decision to let BP drill again.
On the other hand, this is just regular business. Time heals all wounds, and that does not have an exception in this case. BP needs to be able to drill again. After all, they are just another business. This could’ve happened to anyone.
The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcements has suggested building a database to prevent things like this from happening again. The database will depend on the oil companies to submit information about their wells to check for potential safety problems.
It’s time to let BP start drilling again. It will bring stability back to the petroleum industry and bring jobs to the area–jobs the United States desperately needs.
The oil spill happened four years ago, and nothing will change that, but it’s time to stop chastising BP for those events.