The blog assignment for this week was to read Chapter 14-Quantitative Risk Assessment. Out of this chapter there were seven subsections to read on. I decided to blog about the 14-7 Ecological Risk Assessment. I chose this section because I do not know very much information on this topic, until the oil spill that occurred from BP Corporation. There seems to be more focus on reacting to human exposure and risk assessment then ecological. But when the oil spill happened all the focus was geared towards the ecosystem and how the affects lead to food supply, jobs, cultural aspects, and endangered species hazard. So when I read this section of Chapter 14 it got me thinking about the process and procedures that needed to be outline and wondered if BP had a plan to use as a guideline for cleanup and response. Since most of the reporting through the media about BP was that there was nothing being done or any type of reaction for cleanup. Now, when you turn on the TV or listen to the radio every morning, I notice that there are some commercials of representative speaking on behalf of BP on the cleanup and that they are concern and will not stop until all ways of life are restored back to it’s natural habitant and ecosystem.
Within Chapter 14 it covers information and guidelines that should be address at the time of an assessment is thought through. This section defines the four tasks that need to be overview and highlighted before the assessment is carried out. The importance of identifying and making a list of different types of species around the affected area or location is needed. This helps to distinguish what species plant or animal are threatened or endangered. The toxicity assessment is based on the amount and type of chemical exposure that might or has already affected the ecological area. Chapter 14 describes the affects correlated to the potential of how or what species it might affect. End points are needed to be determined based on the species or ecological role of reproduction process and the well being of future affects will not be affected. I found the table used in this chapter the correlation between mammalian toxicology and ecotoxicology, and realize that was probably what BP had a difficult time with outlining. The ecotoxicology that is based on the aquatic and avian toxicology assessment is more difficult to assess and determine within an affected area, since there are just so many species to list and to determine there route of exposures.
Having to understand the process in identifying what the guidelines are in determining if a site or ecosystem is at risk I found this website at USEPA : http://www.epa.gov/raf/publications/pdfs/ECOTXTBX.PDF. This document details and breaks up the sections about how to outline and process an ecological risk assessment for a majority of cleanups. Also it states that the understanding of the assessment can affect environmental decision makers who think more about legal issues that might lead to law suit, increase in money for environmental program, or political standpoint and how it could affect congress. After reviewing this document it made me think that’s why USEPA got involved in the process of the cleanup and made statements that BP will be affected by the consequences of the spill.
This website that I found, http://www.earthportal.org/news/ , is very interesting website. It has most of all environmental news related to any type of earth news updated. But the one website that got my attention about PB was the, “Deepwater Horizon oil spill”, at this website: http://www.eoearth.org/article/Deepwater_Horizon_oil_spill. This article states some facts about the spill and the amount of oil that was leaking on a daily base. Also this article has a section that discusses the assessment process that was done and what other companies were involve for example NASA had got involve with it’s technology program called NASA’s Airborne Visible InfraRed Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS), which helped determine the amount of barrels leaked, burned, or evaporated. This article has a section towards the end discussing the cleanup activities that have been taken place and who the other governmental agencies that are involve, for example USEPA, US Geological Survey, CDC, and OSHA. Just like what Chapter 14 stated that it’s difficult to determine the affects of ecotoxiclogical assessment due to the type of species that are in the area. This stated as well in this article that there are no data determining the actual affects of the ecosystem and its habitants. Not only are birds, fish eggs, swampland, shrimp are affected, the concern of seep communities are stated in this article as well. The type of ecosystem that are within this community are corals, clams, mussels, tube worms.
Another article I came across not as detrimental as the BP oil spill is one that occurred in Greenpoint, NY, with the company called Greenpoint Oil Company at this website: http://www.eoearth.org/article/Greenpoint_Oil_Spill. The ecological risk assessment had to be based on the leaking tanks and pipelines affected the ecosystem. Soil and ground water testing was part of the assessment, since the affected areas seeped into Newton Creek. This affected the ecosystems wildlife that caused toxic vapors and chemicals from the oil to cause hazard over a long period of time.
Aside from the ecological risk assessment I came across this article about some “Tribes fights for survival as BP oil spill ravages Gulf Coast, http://www.fsrn.org/audio/tribe-fights-survival-bp-oil-spill-ravages-gulf-coast/7197. I am part of the Navajo Nation reservation and thought this article was interesting and how the affects within the ecosystem has made difficulties for this tribe. Since majority of all tribal culture are mostly dependable on the livelihood of the ecological contributions. For example, in my culture (Navajo) we depend on the corn for corn pollen that is used in ceremonies for praying. Also the way of life of eating sheep is part of my culture. The Houma tribe depends on the fishing and hunting aspect for there cultural identification for survival within the wetlands and off the coast of Louisiana. Also this article states that the oil has cause harm towards there fishing beds and hunting grounds for food supply. The plant species that they depend on has been affected as well. The United Houma Nation Council states that plant remedies that the tribe used for many generations are at risk, as well as the indigenous crafts that are use from the plants like traditional baskets.
Overall, I hope I have collected enough information from these four reference website that focused on the affects from the BP oil spill. Also that the importance of the ecological risks assessment is a vital concept that should not be taken lightly. Every since the oil spill it made me think what are companies putting in place in case of a spill? I hope now they use this spill as a learning experience for future spills and to have plans in place, so the community and media will have a sense of positive comfort that plans will be carried out.
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