3,200 Gulf wells unplugged, unprotected lie abandoned beneath the Gulf of Mexico
More than 3,200 oil and gas wells classified as active lie abandoned beneath the Gulf of Mexico, with no cement plugging to help prevent leaks that could threaten the same waters fouled by last year’s BP spill. These wells likely pose an even greater environmental threat than the 27,000 wells in the Gulf that have been plugged and classified officially as “permanently abandoned” or “temporarily abandoned.”
Hundreds of Barrier Islands Newly Identified in Global Survey
Earth has 657 more barrier islands than previously thought, according to a new global survey by researchers from Duke University and Meredith College. Barrier islands help protect low-lying mainland coasts against erosion and storm damage, and can be important wildlife habitats.
Tsunami Warnings, Written in Stone
Hundreds of so-called tsunami stones, some more than six centuries old, dot the coast of Japan, standing in silent testimony to the past destruction that these lethal waves have frequented upon this earthquake-prone nation. But modern Japan, confident that advanced technology and higher seawalls would protect vulnerable areas, came to forget or ignore these ancient warnings, dooming it to repeat bitter experiences when the recent tsunami struck.
BP Oil Spill, One Year On: Forgetting the Lessons of Drilling in the Gulf
One year after the BP oil spill began, spurring 4.9 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico, making it the largest oil spill in U.S. history, it’s still far from certain that deepwater drilling has become much safer, as the environmental impact remains uncertain.