Critics of restoration projects financed by BP money say there should be more public input
There should be more opportunities for the public to participate in assessing the damage to natural resources caused by the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill, residents of St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes and representatives of several environmental groups said during public hearings Wednesday and Thursday. Restoration projects also should be approved more quickly, so oil spill damage can be reversed, several officials said.

BAYOU LA BATRE, Alabama -- For the children of south Mobile County, the effects of 2010’s Deepwater Horizon oil spill didn’t wash away as shorelines were cleared of tarballs and as waters reopened to fishing.
Their pains are still evident every day at school.
A number of children and teens whose parents lost their jobs are living in houses with no electricity or running water, so they’re coming to class in dirty uniforms, according to counselors. Some are washing their clothes and taking showers at school, hoping their classmates don’t notice.

Since the media has stopped paying attention to the after-effects of the oil spill, BP has launched a nauseating public relations campaign that claims the Gulf Coast is as good as new, and perfectly safe for tourists.

In the video below, you can watch multiple Gulf Coast families talk about how the spill has affected the health of their children, friends and family members. Once you’ve watched it, tell us how eager you are to book that Gulf Coast vacation.

MOBILE, Alabama -- The first round of proposed oil spill restoration projects for Alabama will be up for public comment at meetings Monday and Tuesday.
The Alabama projects were selected by the Deepwater Horizon Natural Resources Damage Assessment trustees, a group consisting of representatives from the Gulf states and the federal government. The group created a Draft Early Restoration Plan, which will be finalized after the public comment period ends.