Markey: Raft of Unknowns on Oil Dispersants Leave No Good Choices
As BP Resists EPA's Directive on Chemicals, Questions Remain on Alternatives
May 23, 2010 -- Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), who raised questions on the oil dispersants used by BP to battle the oil spill three days before the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency directed BP to use less toxic alternatives, today issued the following statement on BP's apparent refusal to meet the directive:
"BP 's failure to assure the safety of its drilling operations has left the government with no silver bullets and almost no good choices.
"While we know the chemical BP has been using is more toxic to aquatic life than other options, the reality is we know almost nothing about the potential harm from the long-term use of any of these chemicals on the marine environment in the Gulf of Mexico, and even less about their potential to enter the food chain and ultimately harm humans.
"On Friday, I held a briefing with independent scientists assessing the long-term impacts in the Gulf. What is most frightening about the long-term effects of the oil and the dispersant chemicals isn't what we know, it is what we just don't know.
"I will continue to do all we can to ensure that in trying to mitigate the effects of one environmental catastrophe, we don't create another."
The Select Committee was active during the 110th and 111th Congresses. This is an archived version of the website, to ensure that the public has ongoing access to the Select Committee record. This website, including external links, will not be updated after Jan. 3rd, 2010.
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