Scientists working with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have recently concluded that the BP oil spill has caused massive damage to ecosystems in the Gulf of Mexico. This disproves the widely criticized government report released in August that downplayed the environmental impact by claiming that 70 percent of the oil had been cleaned up.
Most distressing is the damage done to deep-sea coral, which fish, crabs and other organisms depend on for a habitat. Because the spill affected such a large area at such a great depth, it is almost impossible to determine the full extent of the damage, but these findings indicate that the amount of harm is immense.
Since the spill began in April, BP has consistently lied about the severity of the disaster. However, the U.S. government refuses to take decisive action to hold the corporation responsible. The environmental damage caused by the oil spill is just one more reason to seize BP’s assets and adequately compensate its victims.
