Florida universities may exceed $100 million.
In my June 15 article, I reported that Florida Governor Charlie Crist has asked BP to fund a $100 million Florida research university study into the long-term effects of the Gulf oil spill. Last Friday, Frank Brogan, chancellor of Florida's Board of Governors announced in Orlando that BP has agreed to fund a $10 million Florida Institute of Oceanography study into the oil spill's impacts on the Gulf Coast region. The grant is part of a larger $500 million grant to fund worldwide studies into the long-term environmental, economic and social consequences of the nation's worst-ever environmental disaster.
The St. Petersburg based Florida Institute of Oceanography is also working on a proposal to BP for more research funding in the amount of $100 million as requested by the governor.
It is to BP’s credit, that even after government regulation has exacerbated the spill and increased its impact on both the Gulf coast and BP in incalculable ways, even after a $20 billion shakedown at the White House, they are still willing to provide these funds for research and documentation that will no doubt be of great benefit in the future should similar circumstances arise. Congratulations, BP, you’re more mature and grown up than the US government.
The Miami Herald reports that on Monday night, the "Coast Guard reported that 20 tar balls were found along the shore at Fort Zachary Taylor State Park in Key West. Samples of the tar balls -- found by park rangers and ranging in size from three to eight inches in diameter -- will be sent to a laboratory for analysis, according to the Coast Guard." More.
Update: According to CNN, the Coast Guard has confirmed that these tar balls are not from the BP oil spill and likely are part of the naturally occurring Gulf leakage cycle.
Once again, government intervention and regulation creates the conditions for disaster, then makes a mockery of common sense, leaving the responsible adults to clean up the mess.
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