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BP Goes There: “No One Could Have Predicted…”

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Yeah, I know. Of course BP is saying, “no one could have predicted.”

Of course, BP had a big incentive not to predict these things: one of the reasons it was able to get an exemption from an individualized Environmental Impact Study is that it estimated the largest possible spill from this well to be 162,000 BBLs, making it less than the 250,000 BBLs estimated in its regional drilling plan. You see, BP had an incentive not to predict this catastrophe.

Update: See ThinkProgress’ compendium of “No one could have predicted” claims from early in this disaster.

John Hall Questions BP’s Greenwashing Campaign

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In yesterday’s Transportation Committee hearing, John Hall hammered BP American President Lamar McKay about something a number of others have, as well: the amount of money BP has spent on greenwashing of late.

The answer? $10-12 million last year and $20 million this year.

So it’s roughly probably about the same or maybe a little more than the cost of a blowout preventer.

Sounds like Hall would like to prevent businesses from deducting such expenses in the future.

Maria Cantwell Tries to Get BP to Define “Legitimate Claims”

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One of the highlights of the first of several Deepwater Horizon hearings in Congress this week came when Maria Cantwell tried to get BP American President Lamar McKay to commit to what BP would pay as “legitimate claims.” She asked about:

  • Long term and short term harms to the fishing industry
  • Business loss to tourism
  • State and local governments for lost tax revenue
  • Long term damages to LA fishing industry and it’s brand
  • Additional troubles with fisheries
  • Shipping impacts
  • Impacts on further drilling operations
  • Impacts to the pristine beaches in this area

He balked about the tax revenues, the brand of LA’s fishing industry, and further drilling operations.

In any case, he certainly didn’t commit to what he meant by “legitimate claims.”