The original article : Care2
NOTE: This brings me back to yesterday's post about a new law being introduced that would make undercover filming documenting Agribusiness, Vivisection, Medical Labs, etc. abuse of live animals a Felony We live in a country where doing the right thing, the compassionate thing, the ethical thing is the new 'Wrong' punishable by fines, prison time and a Felony record. We live in a country where Big Corporations get rewarded for being directly responsible for acts of Environmental Terrorism that causes the death of millions of sea creatures and birds.
Wednesday marked the one year anniversary of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
Called the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history, the spill caused the death of 11 rig workers, hundreds of endangered marine animals, and spoiled countless miles of beach and marshes.
Although BP is currently the focus of a federal criminal investigation for its part in the disaster, the Department of Defense saw fit to award Air BP, a division of BP Products North America, a $42 million contract to supply fuel to Dover Air Force Base for the next month and a half.
An investigative report from Truthout.org identified this particular deal as "an unusual and compelling urgency" contract, which means the government would be "seriously injured"and national security could be at risk unless the Defense Logistics Agency was permitted to "limit the number of sources from which it solicits bids or proposals."
Truthout's Jason Leopold writes that "according to government contracting regulations, 'an unusual and compelling urgency precludes full and open competition' and 'delay in award of a contract would result in serious injury, financial or other, to the Government.'"
In laymens terms, this means the government just handed BP a $42 million check with almost no competing bids from other companies.
Leopold's investigation also discovered that EPA talks about possibly debarring or limiting BP from receiving additional government contracts after the deadly Deepwater horizon explosion "went nowhere" largely because the federal government relies too heavily on BP to meet its needs.
"...ultimately what it came down to was a lack of interest in holding this company accountable," one EPA official said.
According to USAspending.gov, which tracks government contracts, BP was awarded 52 government contracts worth $56.5 million for fiscal year 2011 to supply fuel, gas, and other petroleum products to agencies such as the Defense Department and Department of Health and Human Services. From fiscal year 2006 through 2010, BP received 707 government contracts worth nearly $7 billion.
It's hard to wrap one's mind around the hypocrisy and utter betrayal of the governments decision to coddle an environmental terrorist like BP. A terrorist that cost American taxpayers over $10 billion dollars while reporting millions of dollars in profit for 2010.
The government seems to think the American people are too lazy or too stupid to realize that this is a gross injustice to the people and animals whose lives were destroyed because of BP's "lack of a safety culture."
Once again, it's imperitive that people rise up and demand that companies like BP, Transocean, Cameron International and Halliburton are held accountable for their actions like any other criminal.
Push aside your discouragement, and reaffirm your resolve. Sign a petition, write a letter to your congressperson, call the White House. Most importantly vote with your dollar and REFUSE to finance the greedy practices of BP or any of its other brand names.
Related Reading:
Gulf Oil Spill: 10 Horrifying Facts You Never Wanted To Know
Environment Beyond BP: Politics, Policy and Power
Scientists Link Mass Dolphin Deaths To BP Oil Spill
Called the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history, the spill caused the death of 11 rig workers, hundreds of endangered marine animals, and spoiled countless miles of beach and marshes.
Although BP is currently the focus of a federal criminal investigation for its part in the disaster, the Department of Defense saw fit to award Air BP, a division of BP Products North America, a $42 million contract to supply fuel to Dover Air Force Base for the next month and a half.
An investigative report from Truthout.org identified this particular deal as "an unusual and compelling urgency" contract, which means the government would be "seriously injured"and national security could be at risk unless the Defense Logistics Agency was permitted to "limit the number of sources from which it solicits bids or proposals."
Truthout's Jason Leopold writes that "according to government contracting regulations, 'an unusual and compelling urgency precludes full and open competition' and 'delay in award of a contract would result in serious injury, financial or other, to the Government.'"
In laymens terms, this means the government just handed BP a $42 million check with almost no competing bids from other companies.
Leopold's investigation also discovered that EPA talks about possibly debarring or limiting BP from receiving additional government contracts after the deadly Deepwater horizon explosion "went nowhere" largely because the federal government relies too heavily on BP to meet its needs.
"...ultimately what it came down to was a lack of interest in holding this company accountable," one EPA official said.
According to USAspending.gov, which tracks government contracts, BP was awarded 52 government contracts worth $56.5 million for fiscal year 2011 to supply fuel, gas, and other petroleum products to agencies such as the Defense Department and Department of Health and Human Services. From fiscal year 2006 through 2010, BP received 707 government contracts worth nearly $7 billion.
It's hard to wrap one's mind around the hypocrisy and utter betrayal of the governments decision to coddle an environmental terrorist like BP. A terrorist that cost American taxpayers over $10 billion dollars while reporting millions of dollars in profit for 2010.
The government seems to think the American people are too lazy or too stupid to realize that this is a gross injustice to the people and animals whose lives were destroyed because of BP's "lack of a safety culture."
Once again, it's imperitive that people rise up and demand that companies like BP, Transocean, Cameron International and Halliburton are held accountable for their actions like any other criminal.
Push aside your discouragement, and reaffirm your resolve. Sign a petition, write a letter to your congressperson, call the White House. Most importantly vote with your dollar and REFUSE to finance the greedy practices of BP or any of its other brand names.
Related Reading:
Gulf Oil Spill: 10 Horrifying Facts You Never Wanted To Know
Environment Beyond BP: Politics, Policy and Power
Scientists Link Mass Dolphin Deaths To BP Oil Spill
1 Comment:
You write: "it's imperitive that people rise up and demand that companies like BP, Transocean, Cameron International and Halliburton are held accountable for their actions like any other criminal."
My fear is that in many respects the majority of people are "fellow travelers" of criminal activity by corporations and are reluctant to call out these groups because they might be requested to examine their own complicity and tacit approval in what's going on. Not a happy thought, but one that continues to nibble at my consciousness.
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