This new LA Times story shows that through a maze of government entities,
the Marshall Islands, a US Territory, was actually in charge of inspecting the BP oil operation that has resulted in the worst environmental disaster in US history.
I say ironically, because the Marshall Islands is one of the island chains directly impacted by sea level rise caused by climate change.
more...
(hattip to By Tom Hamburger and Kim Geiger, Tribune Washington Bureau
The Deepwater Horizon oil rig that exploded in the Gulf of Mexico was built in South Korea. It was operated by a Swiss company under contract to a British oil firm. Primary responsibility for safety and other inspections rested not with the U.S. government but with the Republic of the Marshall Islands — a tiny, impoverished nation in the Pacific Ocean.
And the Marshall Islands, a maze of tiny atolls, many smaller than the ill-fated oil rig, outsourced many of its responsibilities to private companies.
Under International law, offshore oil rigs like the Deepwater Horizon are treated as ships, and companies are allowed to "register" them in unlikely places such as the Marshall Islands, Panama and Liberia — reducing the U.S. government's role in inspecting and enforcing safety and other standards.
"Today, these oil rigs can operate under different, very minimal standards of inspection established by international maritime treaties," said Rep. James L. Oberstar (D-Minn.), chairman of the House Transportation Committee.
The Marshall Islands deputy maritime minister, Thomas Heinan, said the manning requirements aboard the Deepwater Horizon were "equal to those of the U.S. and in accordance with international standards."
Since World War II, thousands of ships and rigs from the U.S. and other industrialized countries have been registered in less-developed nations like the Marshall Islands.
Some members of Congress are expressing concern about the Marshall Islands and other countries that outsource their inspection responsibilities to private companies. Coast Guard officials confirm that more rigorous inspection procedures apply to the relatively small number of rigs registered in the U.S.
The federal Minerals Management Service, which also has a role in overseeing offshore oil operations, deals only with issues "below the waterline" of the floating rig. It was not responsible for rig staffing, command structure or other above-water operations.
When I was investigating the effect of sea level rise on island nations in 2008, prior to Barack Obama's election, I spoke with an ambassador to a south pacific island nation and found that he was engaging in GOP party talking points about climate change even saying 'we don't know what sea level rise is caused by', but upon later discussion at the UN in Sept 2009, with other ambassadors and their aids, I found out that many countries live in fear (shocker) to criticize anything the USA does in terms of energy policy...
I am not surprised nor upset that people within a federal agency in DIRECT COOPERATION with Oil companies sought out the weakest regulatory policy available via the Marshall Islands.
That is the Nature of the Beast.
What am upset with and very angry about is that of all the countries, of ALL of the LOW LYING ISLANDS VULNERABLE TO SEA LEVEL RISE,
the Marshall islands, home to OUR ATOMIC TESTS, are now having corporatist policy enacted in the name of their country to excuse this mess?
Call me ashamed and pissed....