Today, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released a study showing that contaminants from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill caused lung and adrenal gland lesions that contributed to the high rate of dolphin deaths in oiled areas. Collin O’Mara, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation, made the following statement on the study:

"For the past several years, BP has spent millions of dollars on television and in newspapers trying to convince all Americans—and the Courts—that the Gulf has recovered. In March, BP released a report that repeatedly tried to discredit any link between the huge rise in dolphin deaths and BP oil. 
 
"This new federal study proves conclusively that BP is misleading the American people and puts the “smoking gun” in BP’s hands. The facts are clear: the company’s ‘grossly negligent’ actions killed dolphins in the northern Gulf. And while we may never know the full extent of the damage, because only a small fraction of dolphin carcasses are ever found, NOAA’s scientific research indicates a direct link between BP’s oil spill and the horrible deaths experienced by dolphins. No amount of public relations spin can change these scientific facts.
 
"BP needs to quit misleading the American people, accept responsibility for its actions, stop dragging this out in court, and allow restoration to begin. The Gulf has waited long enough."
































 
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