1. •Human health risks from exposure to toxins – including dispersants in the air and water and emissions resulting from “burns” used in the “clean-up” as well as the crude oil - are grave, especially for children, the elderly, workers, volunteers and those with respiratory ailments.  These include risks of cancer, weakened immune systems, lung, liver and kidney damage, infertility and birth defects.  In addition, fishermen in Alaska, working around oil and dispersants from the Exxon Valdez oil spill, developed cold and flu like symptoms that for some have lasted 20 years.
   

1. •Sea and marine life and water bottom destruction occurring below the surface level from oil and dispersants
   

1. •Social and economic breakdown of fishing families and communities put out of work by this oil and gas industry-caused disaster
   

1. •Industry’s accountability for causing one of the worst oil spills in US history
   

1. •Government responsibility and accountability and inadequate regulatory agency oversight
   

1. •Stop all deep water offshore drilling until a full safety review of this disaster has been done
   

Louisiana Bayoukeeper® knows that leadership and first response, to this disaster, should be led by local fishing communities.  They hold indisputable knowledge of the beaches, inner-coastal waters, marshes, and wetlands.  The local fishing families are unparalleled as tenacious community leaders in the unfolding response to the BP Gulf oil spill.