Confusion at Oil Spill Summit from BP Impostor

[Original at http://theyesmen.org/blog/bp-imposter-addresses-oil-spill-summit-hijinks-ensue]

The Yes Men and LABB spoof BP - a set on Flickr

April 19, 2011

FOR IMMEDiATE RELEASE

Confusion at Oil Spill Summit from BP Impostor

“Action Plan for Gulf Coast Toxic Exposure” is only a fiction

Louisiana Bucket Brigade claim responsibility; Yes Lab assists

Video excerpts of event here. Full text of the speech here.

New Orleans, LA. - Attendees of the “Gulf Coast Leadership Summit” received a pleasant surprise this morning upon hearing a representative from the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announce a ban on toxic dispersants -- as well as a new free health care plan for spill and cleanup victims. Even more surprising: a BP co-presenter expressed regret for his company’s past actions, and said the oil giant would foot the bill for the new health care plan.

But the news was too good to be true. Surprise turned to confusion when an irate BP representative entered the room and interrupted the press conference. Comedy ensued as the two reps pointed fingers at each other, each claiming to be the real BP employee. Members of the press, confused, attempted to discover who was real and who wasn’t.

The answer was: except for the audience, everyone was a fake. The impostors Dr. Dean Winkeldom and Steve Wistwil, both Gulf Coast residents, collaborated with the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, an organization whose goal is to create sustainable communities free from industrial pollution. The organization decided to create a hoax to publicize what should be happening in response to the emerging health crisis. It was a last resort, since straightforward approaches were not working.

“The process isn’t working. One year after the spill and there has still been no action on health care,” said Anne Rolfes, Founding Director of the Louisiana Bucket Brigade. “BP is the culprit, but the state and federal government are not fulfilling their obligation to stand up for us and make BP do the right thing. This action was all about highlighting the fact that people are truly sick and the government and BP are just standing by.”

The phony “Action Plan for Gulf Coast Toxic Exposure” presented at today’s conference claimed to establish a $525-million network of 35 health clinics along the Gulf Coast - all to be paid for by British Petroleum. Residents say health clinics are needed not only to treat for oil exposure and accidents, but also for their exposure to the toxic chemicals that were used to hide the oil slick. In the most graphic part of the announcement, the “BP representative” explained how dispersants are working in the environment:

“The oil has vanished from sight, but something else is becoming visible: respiratory infections, kidney damage, liver psoriasis, neurological damage, chemical pneumonitis, and defatting of the skin. Those effects are all due to the dispersant we used, Corexit, and are part of the reason Corexit is banned in the United Kingdom. Here in the US, it’s legal, and so we used it.... Am I proud of that? Of course not.”

This unlikely show of remorse by the “BP representative” was of course fake, but what he said about the health effects of dispersants is, sadly, true. Despite the gruesome litany of known and unknown health impacts and environmental effects, these toxic chemicals are still legal to use in the US. Investigations by a number of major news organizations have discovered a range of mysterious illnesses afflicting clean-up crew and fishermen in the Gulf. Oil industry accidents are frequent. In 2009 there were 2,500 accidents in the Gulf, and hundreds more onshore at refineries.

“Those responsible want to pretend this disaster is over so they can get back to business as usual,” said Rolfes. “But for these sick people, the world is falling down around them. This fake announcement was just an expression of what HHS and BP should be doing. Now it’s up the government and BP to make these sensible proposals a reality.”

The Louisiana Bucket Brigade action was supported by the Yes Lab, a project of The Yes Men that helps activist groups carry out media-getting creative actions on their own. Four years ago in New Orleans, The Yes Men impersonated an official from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to announce, among other things, that HUD would re-open public housing and make oil companies pay up for wetlands destruction.

“Four years on, we still need a government that actually serves the needs of the people instead of the corporate interests,” said Mike Bonanno of the Yes Men. “That’s what this action was all about.”

Speech text follows. Original at http://labucketbrigade.org/article.php?id=719

Speech at the Gulf Coast Leadership Summit, Riverside Hilton New Orleans
April 19, 2011, One day prior to Anniversary of BP Gulf Oil Spill

Dr. Dean Winkeldom, Undersecretary for Health and Health Care, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Thank you all for being here today. I also want to thank my co-presenter from BP, Executive Vice President for Integration and Public Relations, Steve Wistwil. Together, we have a very exciting and gratifying announcement to make.

But first, an apology. I’m sorry. HHS failed to intervene robustly after the Exxon Valdex, 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina. But this time, we are not repeating the error of inaction.

Our government failed, allowing a lax approach to safety, and when big accidents happen, we have allowed even more unsafe practices – like the use of toxic dispersants – in their cleanup. HHS was one of the federal agencies that approved the use of dispersants. I am ashamed of our past performance. But today, I stand before you proud or our future. Because today we are taking a more proactive approach to the health problems gulf coast residents face.

Our new approach begins with a package of regulations that make polluters pay for human health impacts of oil industry accidents. Among those most important to the package: a wholesale ban on the use of toxic dispersants in the United States, the same way they are banned in the UK and throughout much of Europe.

But even with the new safety rules, accidents will still occur. That is why I am very pleased to announce that U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has negotiated with BP to create 35 easily accessible state of the art health clinics along the Gulf Coast. These clinics comprise the heart of the ambitious new HHS Action Plan for Gulf Coast Toxic Exposure. The clinics will be paid for by a $525 million investment from BP.

Now I would like to turn over the microphone to Mr. Wistwil, who will explain BP’s role in this plan and why they have decided to set an example by voluntarily complying with this ambitious new direction.

Steve Westwell, BP Executive Vice President for Integration and Public Relations
Thank you.

Last year 206 million gallons of oil were gushing into the Gulf of Mexico. It was unsightly. It not only damaged the sea, it also stained our brand. So we made the visible problem less visible by using a million gallons of Nalco's dispersant Corexit. It worked. I am sure that you remember that even President Obama informed the public that the oil had mostly disappeared by August of last year.

The oil had vanished, but something else is making itself visible: respiratory infections, kidney damage, liver scorriasis, neurological damage, chemical pneumonitis, and defattening of the skin. Those are all human health effects of the dispersant, part of the reason Corexit is banned in the United Kingdom, where my company is headquartered. But here in the US, it is legal, and so we used it. It is the government’s responsibility to make and enforce laws, and neither the State nor the US Governement blocked us from using Corexit here in the Gulf. Any company in the same situation would have done it. But am I proud of that? Of course not.

But there is sometimes a gap between what is legal and what is right. And although BP shares no liability for the health effects of dispersants, we do feel a moral obligation to support health care for Gulf Coast residents - and not just victims of the Deepwater Horizon blowout, but also the 2,500 smaller accidents every year offshore, and the 10 per week at refineries. We also have a responsibility for the mental health crisis; fishermen have lost their livelihoods, small business owners have lost what they’ve spent their entire lives building.

That is why it is my honor to unveil today the BP Coastal Health Centers project. A group of 35, privately funded, easily accessible, state of the art, continuing care health centers, built to ensure that the citizens of coastal communities will not suffer in silence. Each BP Coastal Health Center will be completely free of charge for all residents, regardless of whether they sign release of liability forms. The centers will use a state of the art network and tracking system to communicate trends in symptoms, and they will track the spread of oil related disease and mental health problems. The people of the Gulf Coast will not be forced to suffer from the negligent and regulatory practices of their government. They will receive proper care and treatment, and they will be made whole again!

But there is no cure for mental health problems if your livelihood is destroyed, so we will expedite the claims process for those who have lost their way of life. Tell us what we owe you. No red tape. No questions. No Feinberg. We’ll write you a check to that you’ll be taken care of for the rest of your life.

Thank you very much.

We can take questions now.

ENDS

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