Riki Ott, Ph.D.  is coming to Crawfordville.  On Friday, July 23, she will give a lecture and hold a public forum on the Gulf Oil Disaster and its impact on Wakulla County.   The presentation will be held from 7:00 to 9:00 PM at the new Wakulla County Community Center (formerly New Life Church, corner of Trice lane and Shadeville Highway/Hwy. 61).  The event is free and open to the public.

Dr. Ott has a doctorate in marine toxicology with a specialty in oil pollution.  She is a marine biologist, but chose to make her living in commercial fishing in Alaska after falling in love with its beauty and its people.  She experienced first-hand the devastating effects of the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989 – and decided to devote her time, experience, passion and education to doing something about it.  

She is the author of two books on the subject, Sound Truth and Corporate Myth$:  The Legacy of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill and Not One Drop:  Promises, Betrayal, and Courage in the Wake of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill (Chelsea Green, 2008).  She is also the founder of three nonprofit organizations that deal with lingering harm from man-made environmental disasters.

Dr. Ott also has an essay in local author Susan Cerulean’s new book, Unspoiled:  Writers Speak for Florida’s Coast.  “Dr. Riki Ott's work was actually the reason we thought of the book Unspoiled,” said Susan Cerulean.   

Now Dr. Ott has come to the Gulf Coast as a volunteer to assist local communities by providing knowledge, information and support.  In this role, she has become a familiar face as she is frequently interviewed on CNN, MSNBC and other news media around the Gulf Coast.  Numerous interviews, videos, and articles featuring Dr. Ott  and her powerful message have flooded the internet.

Her invaluable perspective on the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster is certainly unique and critically important.  Not only is she an esteemed marine biologist and oceanic toxicologist with a specialty in marine oil pollution, but she has also been on the front lines of a battle against a major oil spill.  She has seen the resulting devastation of coastal communities, economies, and thousands of miles of pristine environment.  She has seen what happened over the next 21 years.  And, especially important in our area, she has the invaluable added perspective of being a commercial “fisherma’am”.  

She is concerned and informed about it all:  the immediate impact of the oil should it hit our county, the resources to deal with it, as well as long-term effects on the seafood industry, tourism, the economy, wildlife and marine life, the environment, beaches, marshes, water quality, air quality… of course the list goes on and on.  Of particular concern to her are the toxicity of the oil and the dispersants, the way the disaster response is being handled, and the health of the people exposed to these toxic substances.  She believes that they learned many lessons during the Exxon Valdez on most of these issues, but now those lessons learned are being ignored.  For example, many BP workers are supplied with hard-hats but not respirators;  she knows from first-hand experience that in many cases this is wrong and unsafe.

The program will begin with a 40-minute presentation by Dr. Ott on marine oil disasters and their long-term effects.  She will then conduct a positive and empowering public forum to assist the community in expanding our plan of action and to provide valuable information that is hard to find.

While in our area, Dr. Ott will also be visiting Tallahassee and Apalachicola.  She will speak in Tallahassee on Wednesday evening, July 21 at Unitarian Universalist Church (2180 No. Meridian Drive), and again on Thursday, July 22 at HCB 101, Classroom Bldg., FSU Campus (next to Student Union on N. Woodward; free parking on site).  Both Tallahassee visits will be held from 7:00 to 9:00 PM.  She will speak in Apalachicola on Saturday, July 24 from 7:00 to 9:00 PM at the Dixie Theater at 21 Avenue E. 

In addition to the two lectures in Tallahassee, she will meet with local and state government officials there.  An effort is underway to have her speak to the special session of the Legislature and also to meet with Governor Crist.  In Apalachicola, she will meet with the Apalachicola Riverkeepers, representatives from the local seafood industry, and local officials prior to her evening lecture there.

While in Crawfordville, Dr. Ott will visit the Gulf Specimen Marine Lab, the FSU Marine Lab in St. Teresa, and the Florida Wild Mammal Association.   Plans are also underway to arrange a meeting with Dr. Ott and local authorities in Wakulla County so that she can offer information and support as needed to enhance our county’s oil disaster response plan.

Dr. Ott’s message is very powerful and empowering.  Audience members will have opportunities to ask questions.  We hope to have a large turnout from our local fishing communities at Dr. Ott’s lectures;  her knowledge and experience is especially important for them and their families.   Please come out and learn about the Gulf Oil Disaster and its potential impact on Wakulla County, our community, our neighbors, our wildlife and marine life, and our environment.  Together, as a community, let’s all find out how to empower ourselves in the face of this environmental catastrophe.  

Melissa Starbuck
Oil Disaster Volunteer/Wakulla County, Florida

..., ALL FOUR VENUES CONFIRMED (all 7:00 to 9:00 PM):

July 17, 2010     

ALL FOUR VENUES CONFIRMED (all 7:00 to 9:00 PM): TALLAHASSEE: Wed., 7/21, Unitarian Universalist Church; Thurs., 7/22, HCB 101, Classroom Bldg./FSU Campus (next to Student Union on N. Woodward) CRAWFORDVILLE: Fri., 7/23, Community Center (formerly New Life Church) APALACHICOLA: Sat., 7/24, Dixie Theater, 21 Avenue E
Melissa E. Starbuck | 67.233.213.210 report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

..., In 1989 Exxon told the cleanup workers the same sto

July 14, 2010     

In 1989 Exxon told the cleanup workers the same story, that the crude oil is not toxic. Some of us are living proof of the toxic exposure, and many others have died. Please view the YouTube video, and help get the message to Gulf residents, BP crude oil cleanup workers, and President Obama. Respirators need to be supplied to oil cleanup crews. Thank you. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5M1J7U2GYA0
Merle Savage | 68.229.9.107 report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

..., Admiral Thad Allen "Operating skimmers in shallow w

July 14, 2010     

Admiral Thad Allen "Operating skimmers in shallow water is challenging" Dauphin Island Resident invents a shallow water oil skimmer, a very simple oil skimmer, dubbed the "SOS". Admiral Thad Allen made a stop in Theodore Thursday to discuss details on the status of skimming operations and skimming equipment. According to Allen he says skimmers are the best line of defense against the crude. Allen says the bigger skimmers are stationed out in the Gulf where the water is deeper, but in areas like Mobile Bay where the water is shallower, the smaller skimming devices are needed. The smaller devices work better in marsh areas and tend to cause less damage to wetlands where all kinds of marine life and animals live. In View of Admiral Allen's statements I asked local businessman David Myer the co-owner of Alafab, Incorporated, a fabrication and machine shop in Mobile, Alabama about his solution for cleaning up the tar balls and light oil sheen in shallow waters. Myer says his skimmer is made and sold in eight foot panels, which easily connect together to make between eight foot and thirty-two foot wide skimmers. The SOS has an inclined front panel made from expanded metal, dropping off in a basket in the rear with a tall back screen. SOS Skimmers come in 3 different models. The first has removable aluminum trays that are ideal when collecting tar balls where crane and pump out services are not available. Myer says the second model has wood fiber absorbent sock in place of the aluminum baskets. The idea here is to capture any light oil or sheen in shallow waters or marshes. Once the sorbent sock is saturated with oil, it is simply removed and disposed of. The last model has the same design except the back is completely removed. A disposable capture net having very fine mesh is attached to the back of the frame, and as it's being pulled, everything in its path is funneled into the net. Once full, it is tied up and completely discarded-therefore, no need for decontamination. Myer invented the skimmer through trial and error and built a few prototypes before he got all the angles and flotation just right to be the perfect shallow water skimmer. Myer say he has demonstrated the skimmer to BP officials who were very interested in his invention. Allen says "There are dozens of different types of skimmers in the waters, but the skimmer a boat uses depends on the type of boat being used. In light of Admiral Allen's statement Myer says his SOS skimmer is very easy to manage - a small boat could easily take 24 feet of skimmer right from the dock to the contamination area. Therefore making this skimming device ideal for a wide range of boat types and sizes, from your little aluminum skiff with a 15hp motor all the way up to a shrimp boat. Myer says that a 24 ft. wide section can easily being pulled by his 14 ft. aluminum boat with a 15 horsepower motor, which is great for skimming water around 12" deep. Panels are very easy to connect and disconnect while floating - there are no loose parts. According to Myer together with his wife they can load all three panels into the water in a matter of minutes and connect them together to create a 24 ft. wide skimmer. Myer says that his factory is capable of building 150 units a week and at a price of $1700 per unit is far cheaper than anything else on the market that I have seen. Or you can call David Myer at 251-895-0010 email dmyer101@gmail.com www.sosmarinesystems,com

David Myer | 98.230.110.127 report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

..., This article discusses BP’s comprehensive strateg

July 13, 2010     

This article discusses BP’s comprehensive strategy to limit its liability in regard to the Deepwater Horizon blowout. http://renergie.wordpress.com/2010/07/12/bps-strategy-to-limit-liability-in-regard-to-its-gulf-oil-gusher/
Brian J. Donovan | 71.99.209.125 report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +1

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