"BP Withholds Oil Spill Facts — and Government Lets It"

"BP, the company in charge of the rig that exploded last month in the Gulf of Mexico, hasn't publicly divulged the results of tests on the extent of workers' exposure to evaporating oil or from the burning of crude over the gulf, even though researchers say that data is crucial in determining whether the conditions are safe.

Moreover, the company isn't monitoring the extent of the spill and only reluctantly released videos of the spill site that could give scientists a clue to the amount of the oil in gulf.

BP's role as the primary source of information has raised questions about whether the government should intervene to gather such data and to publicize it and whether an adequate cleanup can be accomplished without the details of crude oil spreading across the gulf.

Under pressure from senators, BP released four videos Tuesday, but it hasn't agreed to better monitoring.

The company also hasn't publicly released air sampling for oil spill workers although Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the agency in charge of monitoring compliance with worker safety regulations, is relying on the information and has urged it to do so."

Marisa Taylor and Renee Schoof report for McClatchy Newspapers May 18, 2010.

See Also:

"Why Is BP Still Running the Show?" (Mother Jones)

"Scientist: BP's Oil Spill Estimates Improbable" (NPR)

"Renegade Refiner: OSHA Says BP Has 'Systemic Safety Problem'" (Center for Public Integrity)

"Why Is the EPA Letting BP Use Dirty Dispersants?" (Mother Jones)

"BP Grilled Over Choice of Dispersant" (Greenspace)

"Less Toxic Dispersants Lose Out in BP Oil Spill Cleanup" (Greenwire)

"BP Told Feds It Could Handle Oil Spill 60 Times Larger Than Deepwater Horizon" (Mobile Press-Register)

BP Gulf Response Site