Elizabeth Cook: Report on trip to Grand Isle on Sunday, August 8th:

When first arriving in Grand Isle, I stopped at the Bridgeside Marina and spoke to the owner, Buddy Vegas. He was a wealth of information. He stated BP if using every trick in the book to fire people right now, rather than lay them off. There have been extensive drug testing, and workers are getting fired. He believes BP is about to conduct massive lay-offs.
Regarding the state of the waters, Vegas trawls for shrimp and bait in the waters of Andre Bay which is in back of Grand Isle. Andre Bay has been more or less protected by the barrier islands, Elmer and Grand Isle included, which are keeping the oil out of the bay. The same can't be said for Barataria Bay. Vegas said when fishermen drop anchor in Barataria Bay, they pull up oil. The bay is in bad shape. When I asked him, Vegas said he has heard about the spraying of dispersant in the bay at night in Barataria Bay. 

Government Spin Can't Make Oil Disappear - Gulf Disaster NOT Over

On August 4, the U.S. government declared the Gulf oil crisis all but over. First, BP's oil gusher has apparently been capped. Then, a report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) claimed that 74% of the over 200 million gallons of oil spewed into the Gulf has been captured, burned, dispersed, evaporated, or "dissolved," and only 26% is left.  President Barack Obama declared, "the long battle to stop the leak and contain the oil is finally close to coming to an end." White House spokesperson Robert Gibbs claimed, "I think it's fairly safe to say that because of the environmental effects of Mother Nature, the warm waters of the Gulf and the federal response, that many of the doomsday scenarios that were talked about and repeated a lot have not and will not come to fruition."  A New York Times headline read, "U.S. Finds Most Oil From Spill Poses Little Additional Risk."  (NOAA summary; Full report)
As filmmaker Spike Lee put it, the idea that this crisis is over and the Gulf is safe is "a lie"!
Why doubt the government's report and spin?

“100 Days of Outrage Demand 100 Actions” - National Protests and Actions Mark 100th Day of Gulf Oil Disaster

On July 30, in the face of the headlines blaring across the country, “The well is capped and the crisis is over!,” about five hundred people, in some 21 different cities and towns across the U.S. (as well as Venezuela and Costa Rica), and from different walks of life and ages, took part in the Emergency Committee to Stop the Gulf Oil Disaster’s “100 Days of Outrage Demand 100 Actions.

Some highlights: a UC Berkeley protest against BP’s role in the Gulf and its partnership with the University which got wide local coverage and broke into the national media; a half dozen actions or contributions from Louisiana – ground zero in the crisis; a 265 stanza-100 Days of Outrage collective poem; letters from children to those affected; bike rides dedicated to the 100 days; photos and quotes from people sent to the Committee’s website for posting; an hour-long radio program in Hawaii dedicated to the catastrophe.

AMAZING ACTIONS on July 30th-Marking the 100 Days of the Gulf Oil Disaster!

On July 30th the people expressed their outrage about the Gulf Oil Disaster and sent a clear message that "This crisis isn't over!" People's creativity was unleashed in all kinds of innovative ways. Below is just a glimpse of the many exciting, creative, decentralized, and often unorthodox ways folks all over the country, of all ages, and many walks of life, found to express their anger at the oil disaster and their concern for the Gulf and the planet. Keep checking www.stopgulfoildisaster.org, we’re aiming to have everything we’ve so far received posted within 24 hours. If you haven’t sent your report or contribution, do so – it’s not too late!

In New Orleans the Emergency Committee kicked off the day with a press conference and speak-out involving 15 people.

Over 80 poets contributed to a 100 Days of Outrage Collective Poem

At UC Berkely over 35 people protested outside the new BP bio-fuel research facility being built on the Campus. They were widely covered int the Bay area press and received coverage in the Washington Post! Check out the press coverage: Local ABC, SF Gate, Local CBS, and Washington Post. More coverage in Berkeley 100 Days posting.

In New York, NY The World Can't Wait did a "100 Days 100 Portraits, Oil on our hands, Oil on our minds, Oil everywhere" action. See some of the snapshots in the 100 Days of Outrage section of the website.

In Philadelphia Critical Mass dedicated their bicycle ride to the 100 Days of Outrage.

Dozens of people around the country sent in snapshots with their message to the world about the Gulf oil disaster.

Children in Chicago and New York sent letters to children in the Gulf region.

The Coastal Heritage Society in Louisiana made a Youtube video "100 Things we Love about Coastal Louisiana."

Someone "Took the liberty of redesigning BP's website"

Editor of Neotropica magazine, Stephen Duplantier in San Ramon, Costa Rica, made a graphic protest 'Times-Picayune 100 Day Headline.'

Go to the 100 Days of Outrage page to see what other actions are up so far!

100 Days of Outrage gets out at Grand Isle

By Liam Wright from the Emergency Committee to Stop the Gulf Oil Disaster

On Saturday, July 24th a group of 8 people from all over the country, including some residents of New Orleans, packed into two cars and drove out to Grand Isle, the island closest to the Deepwater Horizon Drilling Platform. The huge benefit concert, Island Aid, was scheduled. Thousands of attendees came out, in spite of Tropical Depression Bonnie, to raise money for the people of Grand Isle and to hear live music from a combination of local and big stars. Four of us did work around the 100 Days of Outrage, at different points in the day, and we ended up getting out between 800-900 copies of a double-sided flier that had the call for the 100 Days of Outrage on one side and the Mission Statement of the Emergency Committee on the other.

Flier for 100 Days of Outrage! Demands 100 Actions!

Download it and send it to people you know. Print it, spread it, and use it to organize actions where you are at. Cities, towns, communities...Globally-the environment has no borders!

If you need help organizing where you are at or have ideas you would like to spread, please contact the Emergency Committee at: stopgulfoildisaster@gmail.com.

Click here to download a pdf of the flier: Download

100 Days of Outrage! video