Fifteen years after the Gulf oil spill, health claims stall as offshore drilling expands

A decade and a half after the Deepwater Horizon disaster, many Gulf Coast residents and cleanup workers still struggle to receive compensation for alleged oil-related health problems, even as environmental restoration slows and offshore drilling ramps up.

Jack Brook reports for The Associated Press.

In short:

The Deepwater Horizon spill released 134 million gallons of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico in 2010, and while BP paid billions in damages, few of the thousands who claim health problems have won compensation.
Conservationists praise the billions invested in Gulf restoration, but Louisiana’s flagship sediment diversion project has been paused, facing local backlash over its impact on fisheries and dolphin populations.
The Trump administration is pushing new offshore drilling leases, with BP planning over 40 new wells, despite continued warnings from environmental groups about the risks of another disaster.

Key quote:

“They didn’t know the dangers. They didn’t do what they should have to protect these young people.”

— Tammy Gremillion, mother of a Deepwater Horizon cleanup worker

Why this matters:

Oil spills have long-term, often invisible consequences that ripple through ecosystems and communities for generations. In the case of Deepwater Horizon, toxic exposure from oil and chemical dispersants like Corexit may have contributed to serious health conditions, but proving those links in court remains elusive. Thousands of claims have been dismissed, leaving sick workers and coastal residents without recourse. At the same time, efforts to restore degraded wetlands and habitats have made progress but now face political and economic headwinds — especially as new drilling projects threaten to undo those gains. Offshore drilling in the Gulf continues under looser regulatory scrutiny, raising the risk of future spills even as communities and wildlife continue to grapple with the fallout from the last one.

apnews.com

Fifteen years after the Gulf oil spill, health claims stall as offshore drilling expands

Chemical giant, climate skeptics vie for seats on EPA science panel

Nutritionist Marion Nestle weighs in on 'What to Eat Now'

With Trump absent from COP30 talks, the world moves on without U.S.

Podcast: Will we artificially cool the planet?

Fossil fuel lobbyists outnumber all COP30 delegations except Brazil, report says

European Parliament backs diluted 2040 climate targets

Opponents say bill bolstering Ohio's orphan well program is too generous to the oil and gas industry

Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

One facility has emitted cancer-causing chemicals into waterways at levels up to 520% higher than legal limits.

Pennsylvania health advocates say Trump’s first 100 days in office have caused “100 harms” to local communities

“They're terrorizing these scientists because they want to keep them silent.”

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.