The BP oil spill is a disaster that has affected many thousands of people, and countless animals and fish. The EPA has set up a website for this oil spill to keep the general public informed on what is going on. The website will help residents of the towns and areas near the spill to keep tabs on the data that the Environmental Protection Agency is tracking, such as air monitoring and what the EPA is doing to assist with the cleanup. This website may be able to help you know if you have been affected by the oil spill, or if you are about to be affected.
The EPA says that they are trying to protect the residents of nearby towns. Lisa Jackson, EPA Administrator said that they were taking every possible step. The EPA has set up monitoring stations in several areas, some in the Placquemines Parish on the coast of Louisiana. The stations will determine how the oil that is reaching the land area is affected the quality of the air, as well as if the oil that is being burned is causing problems with air quality. They are monitoring levels of xylene, benzene and toluene among others, all chemicals that can be emitted by oil.
The air quality in a recent test was fine because the smoke from one of the controlled burns had been picked up by a breeze offshore, which sent the smoke and other atmospheric pollutants out to sea rather than keeping it in the air on the coast. The agency is continually conducting tests on the controlled burns and other pollution that is potentially being created and will let the public know via the website of any information that is needed. The EPA are also deploying Trace Atmospheric Gas Analyzers to collect and analyze real-time air samples.
Of course, it isn’t just the air that is being affected by controlled burns and potential pollutants from oil. The EPA is also looking into the state of the coastal waters affected by the oil spill. The oil continues so spread and they are using aircraft to take photographs of the spill area and collect air samples for testing. The website includes fact sheets and frequently asked questions, as well as real facts when it comes to the health risks of the oil spill and information about what the government is doing about this disaster.
If you have been affected by this oil spill, then you should learn exactly how it affects you from the EPA website, because there may be something that you can do to be compensated for health effects or other effects of the oil spill. The company has already paid out money in regards to this oil spill and you can contact attorney Emery Ledger for a consultation on how you could get help. Ledger & Associates has been helping accident victims for over ten years and can help you as well. The EPA website for the spill is http://www.epa.gov/bpspill.
