by Annalisa Audino
More than one month that occured the dreadful accident on the occasion of Earth Day to liners Deepwater Horizon of Transocean Ltd, caused by the company British Petroleum and deployed in the Gulf of Mexico: a slick extended far beyond the 160 km in front for 70 amplitude widening slowly the islands of Candles, environmental paradise off the Louisiana, and not only.
The concern for the consequences of the disaster is growing gradually and, in addition to the deaths of animals, the human victims and marine pollution and air, neighbouring the coasts are paying seriously the consequences of enlargement blot.
In tragedy, the advantage is that the world population is constantly informed, through television news and bulletins, on the activities of containment, for now useless: If oil will be prodded the Louisiana swamps, clean it will be virtually impossible, causing an incalculable disaster for nature reserves that humanity must absolutely discover. What is certain is that if the Deepwater Horizon was exploded in the Niger Delta, rather than off the coast of Louisiana, political and economic powers would be much less worried: «Incidents such this one in our country – told the Guardian writer of Ogoni Ben Ikari-ethnicity - occur every day, the difference is that no one speaks ».
In any case, even the civilian population remains helpless to watch: two cooperatives of Louisiana shrimp fishermen have begun a class action against oil platform managers and requested damages for at least 5 billion dollars.
At Grand Isle there was instead a symbolic Memorial Day to remember not the military victims, but the victims of this epochal environmental disaster. A hundred white crosses were raised on the beach, marked by the names of species killed by oil and by the same tasks that those beaches will no longer host: dolphins, trout, oysters as walks, lots of volleyball, and much more. «We want to send a clear message – said Patrick Shay, 43 years old and owner of a local restaurant – explaining that prevented us from fully live and use our world and our resources. Disappeared entirely. We have been abandoned».
Meanwhile, every hour, 33 thousand gallons of oil spill in the ocean, polluting further beaches and waters of the Gulf, as well as blocking inexorably all activities on the coast.
«If the British Petroleum not will give us the money to compensate our losses – says Jim King, 63 years old, historical owner of a campground and a kayak rental for the zone – there will be addressed in the streets: tourism, the real estate market, fisheries, everything was inexorably arrested and we don't know if anything would return to work. We are not financially motivated, we are well aware that the ecological damage is even more serious, but are jeopardising our existence ocn their financial calculations».
Also the State of Florida has banned fisheries and is suffering a significant damage to local tourist market, since all areas affected live thanks to millions of people every year they go on holiday on those beaches.
And who has not been directly affected, but knows the danger that hovers over the platforms, begins to worry: even if in Italy not discussed much, a dozen oil platforms are in use, a few miles from our shores. For now the Ministry of economic development has provided urgent controls and suspended all new permissions to drilling in Italian waters. The interests of oil giants are many especially in southern Italy: in Sicily for example the interest of Shell for possible new oilfield off the Egadi Islands (where it could be the biggest Italian field) joins the regasification terminal that should be built in the industrial area of Syracuse. However, in the archipelago is the marine reserve of the Egadi Islands, one of the largest in Europe, with a unique natural heritage.
Deepwater Horizon is going to teach us something?
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