July 17, 2010
RE: BP Deposit for Bayou Chico operations
To Whom it may concern:
In an effort to clarify my position for our City Manager with regard to BP’s oil operations in Bayou Chico I feel it necessary to explain my perspective on several critical issues.
As I have explained before BP’s oil operations are site specific and on- going with oil being transported into our waterways on a daily basis and oil contaminating our waterways as a result of the operations. These operations simply cannot be likened to claims for a one time incident nor are they random oil contaminations. It is not a question of “IF” there is oil in our bay but only how much as a result of BP operations.
Pensacola’s economy has suffered as have our friends to the west in Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana yet they all have long standing relationships with BP and other oil companies. They have all benefited for many years as oil producing states and were aware of the risks for easy oil. We all know the days of easy oil and low risk drilling are gone and oil companies have now entered into a new & more dangerous realm of exploration and drilling. What has happened in our Gulf Waters should shake us all awake and at least refocus BP’s commitment to responsible policy and stronger relationships with the cities that have lost so much.
BP’s oil disaster knows no boundary and has found it’s way into Florida waters. We find ourselves forced to participate in a business transaction that, out of necessity, has found it’s way to our shores. Pensacola has born 100% of the risk with zero benefit. Our city can not be expected to carry the financial burden of BP’s oil operations should an accident happen. BP is the worldwide enterprise; Pensacola is the small city of 54,000. This refundable deposit is just the right thing to do…it is good business and shows BP’s commitment and their good faith to our city.
A refundable deposit for your operations in our waters and on our shores is not a great deal to ask considering the situation.
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