3 years later, BP garners criticism and praise

A little more than three years ago, the name of an oil industry giant praised for its good corporate citizenship in the Bayou Country became a dirty word.

For BP, a return to normalcy might have appeared as difficult to achieve as the return to normalcy some families and businesses whose lives were affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and in some cases still are.

But business community voices in the Tri-parish region are speaking publicly about their appreciation for the beleaguered firm’s work, jobs and contributions, with some expressing hope that the recognition will become more universal.

A statement issued by the Terrebonne Economic Development Authority earlier this month appeared strategically timed, coming on the heels of criticism by Gov. Bobby Jindal and his coastal czar, Garrett Graves, of the oil company.

“Three and a half years later, BP is spending more money on television commercials than they have on actually restoring the natural resources they impacted,” Jindal told a gathering of the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council in New Orleans. “BP needs to stop spending hundreds of millions of dollars on their public relations campaign telling us how great they are and start proving it by addressing their Clean Water Act and Natural Resources Damage liabilities now.”

Graves criticized BP for portraying itself as a victim, with some blame for that being placed on Gulf area residents who have allegedly made phony claims.

At ground level, the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon disaster is seen as a mixed curse. Some people who were not doing that well in fishing and other businesses benefited from payments by BP. But others either were not able to access the benefits enjoyed by the victors.

Court claims are still up in the air, and criticism directed at BP includes claims that the money it has available for penalties is short.

But last week the Terrebonne Economic Development Authority issued a statement on behalf of its board backing up BP.

“More than three years after the tragedy of the Deepwater Horizon accident, BP continues to work in our communities making a positive difference in south Louisiana,” the statement reads. “We encourage our state officials and community to continue to support, embrace and recognize that the face of BP in Louisiana is made up by the neighbors, friends, family members and businesses of Terrebonne Parish.

The time has come for our state to move forward in a productive fashion with BP and view them as a major business that has a positive history in our state and could have an even more positive future here. The people and businesses of Terrebonne Parish have a business relationship with BP that spans more than 40 years.”

The statement notes that BP “chose Terrebonne Parish to locate its Learning Center that trains thousands of BP employees and team members from its partner companies in offshore operations, transportation and logistics. The company has expanded this investment in workforce development to Fletcher Technical Community College, which is using a $4 million investment by BP to construct an Integrated Production Technologies Facility. More than $1 million from BP has been utilized in our public school systems to upgrade classroom technology and to train hundreds of school teachers in the latest science and math learning techniques.”

“BP is very important to our community and the state’s future,” the statement concludes. “The company has stood by its commitment for more than three years and demonstrated its faith in our area. It’s time we reciprocated by showing our willingness to reach out to them again as full partners for a better Terrebonne Parish. For those who place a premium on the quality of life in south Louisiana, one can only imagine what we would be left with if BP and our other oil and gas companies would suddenly disappear. Certainly this is not a prospect worth considering.”

Many local voices would disagree with that statement.

Crab fishermen and buyers have noticed shortages of their target species, which, while not directly attributable to the Macondo spill, are suspected of possibly being related.

Despite efforts of the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board, out-of-state buyers are still expressing a distrust of Gulf seafood, now seen as the most tested and most scrutinized seafood in the world.

Interviews with representatives of BP itself – which has presented staunch defenses to criticism – indicate the firm has been heartened by the TEDA remarks.

“It’s heartening to hear that BP’s contributions to Louisiana communities, both economically and educational are noticed and appreciated,” said company spokesman Jason Ryan. “In fact, in Louisiana, BP supports more than 7,600 jobs and currently invests more than $500 million a year with local businesses. We appreciate the support of those in the community who recognize our investments in Louisiana’s future. The political rhetoric from some state officials undermines the state’s reputation as a friendly venue for business.”

BP 3 years laterCOURTESY PHOTO