Can We Stop the Next Big Oil Spill?

April 20, 2012 6:30 AM Text Size: A . A . A

TIGHTEN FEDERAL OVERSIGHT

Rhetoric

In May 2010, the Minerals Management Service (MMS) was charged with egregious ethics violations, such as accepting gifts from the oil industry. The secretary of the interior pledged to root out "bad apples."

Reality

To reduce conflicts of interest, the MMS was split into three separate organizations to oversee planning, inspecting, and revenue collecting. The Department of the Interior (DOI) set up an internal investigation and review unit to police its agencies.

ASSESS THE DAMAGE

Rhetoric

During the crisis, White House adviser David Axelrod said, "Obviously we're dealing with the greatest environmental catastrophe of all time." Some pundits predicted the gulf would become a wasteland.

Reality

While the offshore spill was the largest in U.S. history, it was not as catastrophic as predicted. Favorable currents and topography prevented the oil from spreading and allowed bacteria to break it down quickly. A federal study projects a reduction in bluefin populations of less than 4 percent.

REFORM OFFSHORE RULES

Rhetoric

The National Oil Spill Commission's report released in January 2011 called for "fundamental reform" to DOI regulations governing deepwater oil and gas exploration, production, and spill response.

Reality

Marilyn Heiman of the Pew Environment Group says the DOI has improved safety and containment requirements for drillers but has not altered its spill-response and -preparedness rules. Most new federal requirements expire in three years.

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