Oil-Degradation Expert Concerned over Deepwater Oil Rigs Canned by EPA-

In 1998, United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) assigned one of its top scientists to the University of Georgia, partly to investigate the probability of an offshore drilling rig accident in the Gulf of Mexico and how to respond if such a disaster occurred. Research Microbiologist David Lewis expressed concern that a rig explosion could damage the Gulf stream and scatter contaminants in deep ocean currents to environmentally sensitive areas on all sides of the Atlantic. However, EPA officials under President Clinton terminated the project. According to the ENN, EPA officials in the Office of Water (OW) worked with the wastewater industry to stop Lewis’ research. Lewis, who was terminated in 2003, filed two federal whistleblower lawsuits that are pending in Georgia. A summary of the Lewis’ proposed research, which EPA nixed, is available at www.hallmanwingate.com.