Is anybody boycotting BP?

[Bassist Jay]

So I'm still curious as to what gas companies sell BP products?

 

[Munjibunga]

There was no doubt in my mind this thread was going to be about Bass Player. I guess not. We don't have any BP stations around here to boycott anyway.

 

[guitardefector]

We can't boycott Britain here in the US. I thought we had a "special relationship"???

 

[Popsicle Pete]

My general opinion.

Ditto.

 

[mike_v_s]

In passing I heard that an oil company is only responsible 75 million dollars. After that the US government picks up the tab. Did I get this right? Is there a financial cap to their liability? 75 million seems pretty meager, I must have heard that wrong. I heard there is a bill in congress looking to raise this cap to a billion. Again, this is also seems mighty meager IMO. I'll sniff around and see if I can come up with some links and back this up with something substantial.

Very interesting. The landowner is usually indemnified from any sort of liability arising out of actions of the lessor. Moral responsibility for what they allow to happen to their land is another issue entirely.

Define "responsible" in your post. Are talking about the cleanup costs? Potential lawsuits? All of the above? Any would surprise me, but I'd like to know more.

Mike

 

[plumbob]

or they should have let them drill on the beach, then they wouldn't be trying to fix a leak that is a mile down. two points, environmentalits forced the drilling into deep water, and this could just as easily have been a Chinese rig drilling off Cuba. same oil.

 

[MakiSupaStar]

Very interesting. The landowner is usually indemnified from any sort of liability arising out of actions of the lessor. Moral responsibility for what they allow to happen to their land is another issue entirely.

Define "responsible" in your post. Are talking about the cleanup costs? Potential lawsuits? All of the above? Any would surprise me, but I'd like to know more.

Mike

Ok I found it. Yes, by 'responsible' they mean clean up costs, environmental damage etc. I did hear right. They are only on the hook for 75 million!!!!

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6445SI20100505?type=politicsNews

Lawmakers seek to get BP to pay more for cleanup

(Reuters) - U.S. lawmakers in the House of Representatives unveiled a bill on Wednesday similar to an effort in the Senate that would force BP Plc to pay hefty damages from the Gulf oil spill, as both the White House and Congressional leadship signaled support.

The House bill, like legislation introduced by Democratic Senators earlier this week, would raise the maximum amount of money BP could be required to dole out for economic losses caused by the spill to $10 billion.

With the Gulf oil spill still flowing unchecked from a ruptured well, BP and the other companies involved in the accident face mounting costs and tighter government regulation.

Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid said on Wednesday that he backed the Senate proposal, but did not know when the bill would be brought up for a vote.

Separately, the White House said on Wednesday it also supports making BP shoulder more of the accident's financial burden.

"We would be in favor of significantly lifting that cap," White House Spokesman Robert Gibbs told a news briefing. "BP's going to get a bill for the recovery, the cleanup and the damages caused."

Although energy companies are responsible for all cleanup costs related to oil spills, current U.S. law limits their liability for lost business and local tax revenues to $75 million.

The legislation could allow economic liability claims to be retroactive, "ensuring that BP is on the hook for the economic damages resulting from the Gulf Coast spill," the bill's sponsors said.

"Our bill is clear: the buck stops with oil companies; it shouldn't spill over to taxpayers," said Rush Holt, a Democrat from New Jersey.

In addition to raising the liability cap, the House bill would also eliminate the $1 billion per incident limit on claims against the federal Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund. The fund, authorized for use in the aftermath of the Exxon Valdez spill, is expected to hold $1.6 billion by the end of fiscal year 2010.

 

[Thor]

This poll should be closed. TB unwritten rules clearly state that carrots should be an option on all polls. Except for people who don't know the unwritten rules, of course, but then they shouldn't post polls to begin with not knowing the
rules and all.

I would have voted for carrots, of course, and resent the loss of my customary voting option.

From a historical perspective, take a look at the Exxon Valdez settlement and its
timeframe. I fully expect to be gone from the planet before the litigation is settled from
this spill.

 

[WalterBush]

Oil is fungible. A boycott would be pointless. The crude that BP pulls out of the ground in one country can get pumped onto a ship owned by Exxon, shipped across the ocean to a Chevron refinery in California, and refined into fuel bound for a Conoco in Arkansas; that's just the energy industry side of it, too. Crude oil has way, way more usefulness than just gasoline and motor oil.

 

[mike_v_s]

Ok I found it. Yes, by 'responsible' they mean clean up costs, environmental damage etc. I did hear right. They are only on the hook for 75 million!!!!

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6445SI20100505?type=politicsNews

Maki, you misread part of it. Per the article, they are not limited to the amount of cleanup costs:

Although energy companies are responsible for all cleanup costs related to oil spills, current U.S. law limits their liability for lost business and local tax revenues to $75 million.

The quote above doesn't really clarify if they are limited in their cost to environmental damage. What does surprise me is the limiting of liability for the people that have already lost business and may well lose a lot more. This goes along with my bitching earlier about responsible parties. BP certainly didn't limit their own liability.

Mike

 

[Bob Lee (QSC)]

We don't have any BP stations around here to boycott anyway.

You do. Their signs say "Arco".

 

[MakiSupaStar]

Maki, you misread part of it. Per the article, they are not limited to the amount of cleanup costs:

The quote above doesn't really clarify if they are limited in their cost to environmental damage. What does surprise me is the limiting of liability for the people that have already lost business and may well lose a lot more. This goes along with my bitching earlier about responsible parties. BP certainly didn't limit their own liability.

Mike

Ah yes, I see what this is now. This is what they owe the companies that they've damaged from the spill. Still even with that said, it seems pretty meager considering how extensive the reach of this spill will become.

 

[mike_v_s]

You do. Their signs say "Arco".

There you go, Munji. One evil corporation down. GRRRRRRRRRRR. Now...how do we go about punishing Transocean, the world's largest offshore drilling company? Grrrrrrrrrr. Whose rig, manned by their employees, exploded and sank, leaving us with this oil mess? grrrrrrrrrrr. Who has 130+ offshore drilling units operating across the globe and likely helped put a tank of gas in your car recently? gr. I know, too much trouble.

Mike

 

[mike_v_s]

Ah yes, I see what this is now. This is what they owe the companies that they've damaged from the spill. Still even with that said, it seems pretty meager considering how extensive the reach of this spill will become.

I COMPLETELY agree. A lot of those individuals are currently unable to do their job right now. I'm pretty sure we'll be passing the 75 million mark before this is over. what i can't fathom is WHY that mark was ever considered in the first place. People will blame "big oil", but they didn't pass the damn legislation. As usual, our reactionary congress will get right on it.

Mike

 

[MakiSupaStar]

I COMPLETELY agree. A lot of those individuals are currently unable to do their job right now. I'm pretty sure we'll be passing the 75 million mark before this is over. what i can't fathom is WHY that mark was ever considered in the first place. People will blame "big oil", but they didn't pass the damn legislation. As usual, our reactionary congress will get right on it.

Mike

Yep. Congress issues more band-aids than a pack of drunken nurses.

 

[jerry]

There was no doubt in my mind this thread was going to be about Bass Player.

That's what I thought too.

 

[Bob Lee (QSC)]

Yep. Congress issues more band-aids than a pack of drunken nurses.

Heh heh heh hehhhh … a pack of drunken nurses … boy, that brings back memories …

 

[Bob Lee (QSC)]

Link Removed

 

[Munjibunga]

You do. Their signs say "Arco".

I don't buy Arco gas either. They put too much water in it. It's the only gas I've bought in the last 30 years that makes my engine ping.

Anyway, why blame one company for this? This could happen to any oil company. Why not blame the U.S. consumers' insatiable thirst for petrolem products? There's alway risk associated with energy production. The damage done by this spill will not even come close to the deaths caused worldwide each year by burning of fossil fuels for energy.

There's always something or some corporation about which to be pissed off. Keep in mind that virtually every job in the private sector is provided by a corporation. So if you hate corporations, make sure the company you work for is not incorporated. (I don't think I'm talking to you here, Bob.)

 

[sloasdaylight]

I don't buy Arco gas either. They put too much water in it. It's the only gas I've bought in the last 30 years that makes my engine ping.

Anyway, why blame one company for this? This could happen to any oil company. Why not blame the U.S. consumers' insatiable thirst for petrolem products? There's alway risk associated with energy production. The damage done by this spill will not even come close to the deaths caused worldwide each year by burning of fossil fuels for energy.

There's always something or some corporation about which to be pissed off. Keep in mind that virtually every job in the private sector is provided by a corporation. So if you hate corporations, make sure the company you work for is not incorporated. (I don't think I'm talking to you here, Bob.)

Wait wut?