Yesterday the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected a case that challenged federal approval of Shell's exploratory drilling plans in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas. The last legal challenge standing in the way of Shell Oil's plans to drill 'exploratory' wells off Alaska's shore this summer has fallen. The expedited ruling followed oral arguments last week in Portland. Guess the “arguments” weren’t “oral” enough…
One man is "oral" about the business of trading human lives for filthy lucre. George Barrisich is a third generation shrimper from Bernard Parrish, Louisiana. He is the president of the United Commercial Fishermens Association. George lost everything in Katrina except his pick-up, which subsequently blew up. He was arrested for selling anti-FEMA tee-shirts after the hurricane.. Currently he is suing BP for destroying the livelihood of thousands of Louisiana fisherfolk and the many other businesses that depend on the fishing industry.While BP, Halliburton and Transoceanic all try dodging responsibility exerting their efforts instead in the name of preserving their own incomes, people all along the Gulf Coast who fish of a living are neither living it up nor fishing. George did not work on shrimp boats for 40 years for this....
- KBOO