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The oceans are arguably our most precious natural resource.  BP's disaster in the Gulf (referred to harmlessly as a "spill") will devastate ecosystems throughout the gulf and kill/reduce food resources for Americans, but also for many of the island nations in the Gulf and Mexico as well.  By all rights, BP is responsible for a massive regional dieoff of food stocks for several countries, and for the large-scale killing of  marine animals across the entire food chain.  BPs liability, if paid in full, would bankrupt the company many times over.  Who owns the ocean? We all own the ocean. This fact begs the need for full international treaties that protect the ocean, and for financial responsibility agreements that would allow meaningful efforts to allow restoration after such a large-scale disaster.  And, deep water drilling must be halted, and not proceed until the industry has a failsafe method to keep such a disaster from ever re-occurring.

posted 2 years, 11 months ago
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