2018 Second Extraordinary Session ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 16
BY SENATOR MORRELL
A RESOLUTION
To urge and request BP P.L.C. to institute medical monitoring and treatment, and to publish
advisory medical protocols to all Louisiana residents and clean-up workers who were
exposed to chemicals related to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
WHEREAS, fishermen, oystermen, shrimpers, firemen, police officers, members of
the United States Coast Guard, the Louisiana National Guard, animal clean-up workers,
various other public health workers, countless public servant professionals, as well as private
citizens and residents of Louisiana all came out to defend the state's coast, our way of life,
and our coastal economy, as a result of the highly toxic effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil
spill disaster; and
WHEREAS, during the response to the disaster, Louisiana residents were exposed
to the chemicals related to the spill, including petroleum, arsenic, benzene, dangerous heavy
metals, and dispersants such as Corexit, a chemical banned in Britain, which were used in
unprecedented amounts and these chemicals were forced upon all residents and those
involved in the clean-up efforts of the oil spill, in never before seen quantities; the effects
of which are becoming readily apparent with the passage of time and are now proving to
have devastating effects on human health and wildlife, as has already been seen and proven
by scientific studies; and
WHEREAS, there has been an alarming and distinct uptick in the number of cancer
cases since the oil spill for workers involved in the response to the disaster, and scientists
expect that number to dramatically increase in the next two years; and
WHEREAS, there has also been an alarming and distinct uptick in the number of
cancer cases in the last few years of Louisiana residents who lived in areas near the oil spill
and exposed to toxic chemicals in the water and air; and
WHEREAS, the number of Louisiana residents who were exposed to toxic chemicals
and who will potentially develop cancer is unknown; and
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WHEREAS, there has been an alarming number of chronic conditions that people
are suffering from, including but not limited to dermal, ocular, respiratory, nasal conditions,
neurological problems as well as depression, PTSD, and memory loss; and
WHEREAS, to date, BP has compensated only forty-two people for their chronic
medical conditions but has not compensated anyone from a diagnosis of cancer related to
the oil spill; and
WHEREAS, the state of Louisiana has been and will continue to be burdened with
covering the costs of astronomical and growing medical bills for these BP victims; and
WHEREAS, the state of Louisiana should take steps to protect its people and prevent
more of its citizens from continuing to suffer such dire and drastic consequences; and
WHEREAS, it has been almost a decade since the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and
Louisiana citizens are still suffering severe medical and financial hardships due to
increasingly high medical bills and loss in their quality of life; and
WHEREAS, the financial strain that diagnosis and treatment has already and will
continue to place on the Louisiana healthcare system is incalculable; and
WHEREAS, the total compensation paid out by BP for losses to businesses and
property through the economic class action settlement is over thirty-three billion dollars, but
the total compensation paid out by BP for medical conditions in the medical class action
settlement to citizens across Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida is approximately
sixty-five million dollars; and
WHEREAS, action must be taken, and BP should be held responsible for the toxic
chemicals they have released that caused so many Louisiana citizens and workers to contract
chronic and life-threatening illnesses, extreme suffering, and even death; and
WHEREAS, BP should, since it has specifically acknowledged exposure of these
chemicals to our citizens, give a public advisory and protocols and/or medical monitoring
on how to seek early detection and early diagnosis and treatment to save medical costs and
lives for the citizens of Louisiana; and
WHEREAS, BP should implement an independent study and discovery process into
the particular reasons why Louisiana citizens are suffering from cancer and chronic
conditions; and
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WHEREAS, BP should implement an independent medical monitoring program and
treatment for Louisiana citizens suffering from cancer and other chronic conditions due to
their exposure to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Louisiana Legislature does
hereby urge and request BP P.L.C. to institute medical monitoring and treatment, and to
publish advisory medical protocols to all Louisiana residents and clean-up workers who were
exposed to chemicals related to the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
governor, to the secretary of Louisiana Department of Health, and to BP P.L.C.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
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