Former EPA official says Corexit, widely used in Gulf spill, kills dolphins, humans

EPA whistleblower Hugh Kaufman recently spoke on Democracy Now about BP’s claims regarding Corexit and the effects it is having on the Gulf of Mexico and the life forms that it comes in contact with.
He alleges that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is covering up the toxic effects that will result from using nearly two million gallons of the chemical dispersant since the start of the catastrophic oil spill in the U.S. Gulf.
Hugh Kaufman is a former U.S. Air Force captain. He joined the EPA in
1971. He helped write the laws that are on the federal books regarding the disposal, storage, handling and treatment of solid and hazardous waste. Though the EPA has approved the use of Corexit as an oil dispersant, Kaufman alleges that it is extremely toxic, dangerous and shows proof that the chemical was linked to many health problems when used in the Exxon Valdez oil spill.
Kaufman also believes that BP used the chemical dispersant to dissolve as much oil as possible to prevent the public from ever truly knowing how vast the spill actually is.
Kaufman also alleges that people who are currently coming in contact with Corexit are suffering internal bleeding and hemorrhaging.
In a video clip, Kaufman says "...Consequently, we have people, wildlife… we have dolphins that are hemorrhaging. People who work near it are hemorrhaging internally. And that's what dispersants are supposed to do. EPA now is taking the position that they really don't know how dangerous it is, even though if you read the label, it tells you how dangerous it is. And, for example, in the Exxon Valdez case, people who worked with dispersants, most of them are dead now. The average death age is around fifty. It's very dangerous, and it's an… economic protector of BP, not an environmental protector of the public."

CSB to investigate Deepwater Horizon blowout

WASHINGTON - In response to a request from the House Committee on Energy and Commerce to conduct a full and thorough investigation into the causes of the Deepwater Horizon rig explosion, U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) Chairman John Bresland pledged to investigate the accidental chemical release that destroyed the rig - but also stressed that such an investigation may pose a challenge to the board's resources.
Committee Chairman Henry A. Waxman, D-Calif., and Subcommittee
Chairman Bart Stupak, D-Mich., sent a letter to CSB on June 8 requesting the investigation.
"We make this request because we believe CSB's past work on BP puts it in a unique position to address questions about BP's safety culture and practices," they wrote, noting in particular CSB's investigation into the 2005 fatal BP Texas City, Texas, refinery explosion and the 2006 BP pipeline leak in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska.
Waxman and Stupek asked CSB to investigate whether the circumstances leading up to the explosion reflect problems in BP's safety culture; whether cost-cutting and budgetary concerns played a role in BP's decisions about well design and testing; how BP, Transocean and other contractors assessed changes to process, technology, equipment, personnel, budget and training on the rig; if BP provided adequate oversight of contractors; and whether CSB can draw parallels between this oil rig explosion and the 2005 Texas City explosion.
In his response, Bresland stressed that CSB will make this work a priority and "apply all of our available resources to ensure the best possible investigation." He added that the process will include key investigators who were involved in the BP Texas City refinery explosion investigation.
He added, however, that this investigation must "be approached without any preconceptions and that all possible underlying factors and causes are thoroughly and objectively examined. Like other CSB investigations, the investigation should include an examination of key technical factors, the safety cultures involved, and the effectiveness of relevant laws, regulations, and industry standards."
Bresland also noted that CSB will work to avoid duplicating other investigations already planned or underway. He requested the committee's help in promoting cooperation with other investigations and in ensuring that CSB's investigation remains independent from potential criminal inquiries.
"The CSB plans to focus on events prior to and including the explosion on April 20; we believe that an examination of the response to the disaster and the impact of the ongoing massive oil spill is beyond the CSB's current resources and abilities," Bresland wrote.