Archive
Govt's Banned Trailers, Unsafe for Housing, Reappear in Gulf
Some formaldehyde-tainted FEMA trailers used after Hurricane Katrina are being resold to oil cleanup workers in the Gulf. Buyers are supposed to be warned that the trailers are not intended for housing, but a report says these rules aren’t always being followed by the middlemen who are selling the trailers.
Warning of Looming Crisis, Louisiana Calls on BP to Fund Mental Health Programs
BP has not responded to a request for $10 million to help Louisiana deal with mental health problems that it blames on the oil spill. The state health department says it is seeing anxiety, excessive drinking and thoughts of suicide in affected communities.
Owners of Ruptured Well Feud Over Blame, Liability
Anadarko Petroleum owns one-fourth of the well spewing oil into the Gulf of Mexico, and approved of the well's designs. But it says BP's recklessness is to blame for the disaster.
Fort Bliss Says It Will Examine Its Handling of Brain Injuries
After soldiers' reports of problems, officials at Fort Bliss tell a congressman that they will review the base's care for traumatic brain injuries. But the base is now providing information that seems to contradict earlier statements.
Grab a Helping of Stimulus Data from Our Latest Recovery Tracker
ProPublica’s updated Recovery Tracker follows the spending of stimulus money down to the local level. It also identifies hundreds of vendors not listed on Recovery.gov.
Habitat for Humanity to Look at Drywall
Habitat for Humanity International has established an internal task force to research defective Chinese drywall after ProPublica and the Sarasota Herald-Tribune reported that a New Orleans branch of the non-profit built more than 200 homes with the drywall and then ignored homeowners’ complaints about it.
Treasury's 'Point Man' on AIG Bailout That Benefited Goldman, Owned Goldman Stock
According to the New York Times, the Treasury's 'point man' on the AIG bailout, which resulted in billions of dollars for Goldman, also owned stock in the investment bank. He was also Goldman's former CFO.
Pentagon Shifts Its Story About Departure of Leader of Brain Injury Center
The Pentagon now says that a general who led the military’s effort to handle brain injuries was asked to step down. A spokeswoman for the general had earlier said that the reassignment was routine.
EPA's Initial Testing Finds Dispersants Roughly Equal, But Raises Questions
Tests by the EPA don't show significant differences in the toxicity of dispersants, but how they mix with oil is uncertain. An agency official says the regulation of the products may need to be reviewed after the BP disaster in the Gulf.
BP Fined $5.2 Million for False Reporting
BP America has been fined by the government for “false, inaccurate, or misleading” reports about energy production on tribal lands in Colorado. It is the first enforcement action taken by the revamped successor to the Minerals Management Service.
Health Effects After Exxon Valdez Went Unstudied
The Exxon Valdez disaster was a missed opportunity for answering questions about worker health now being asked in the Gulf. Both Exxon and the government say they haven't done research on long-term health problems among that spill's cleanup workers.
After 3 Weeks, BP Handed Over Samples Requested By Scientists
After first refusing, BP finally provided researchers at the University of South Florida with oil samples from the Gulf of Mexico. But the company came through only after getting pressure from lawmakers.
Take a Look at the New ProPublica.org
We have redesigned our website to make it more usable, put things in better context and to make it cleaner and easier to navigate.
Pentagon Issues New Policy for Diagnosing and Treating Brain Injuries
The new rules address weaknesses in the handling of mild traumatic brain injuries, requiring rest periods and enhanced tracking for soldiers exposed to blasts.
Gulf Disaster Changes Landscape for Scientists Eager to Do Research
BP has pledged millions for research on its oil spill in the Gulf, but scientists worry about how well the money will be spent. A report says Gulf Coast governors are demanding that the money be given to universities in their own states.
Scientists Predict Larger ‘Dead Zones' in Gulf
Federally-funded scientists predicted a "larger than average" dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico this year. It's unclear whether the oil spill is contributing to it.
Gulf Cleanup, Foreign Assistance, and Jones Act Confusion
Contrary to some claims, the Jones Act of 1920 hasn't kept foreign vessels from helping clean up the Gulf oil spill. Fifteen foreign vessels are already helping, said Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen.
Relief Wells Getting Close, But Could Take a Few Tries
The relief wells that BP is drilling in the Gulf of Mexico are nearing the ruptured Macondo well, but intercepting the oil flow is unlikely to happen on the first try. The Ixtoc spill in 1979 and the Montara spill last year, both in much shallower water, demonstrate the difficulty involved.
Q & A: Former SEC Chairman Sees Financial Reform as Changes on the Margins
Arthur Levitt, the former head of the Securities and Exchange Commission, discusses his view that Congress’ financial reform legislation does little to protect investors. And he says consumer protection measures are not as strong as they should be.
BP Document: Big Plans for Deepwater Drilling
A BP document shows the oil company had big plans to push deepwater drilling.
