Has anyone outside of the Gulf Coast area actually seen the difference between water and sand before and after the BP oil spill in April?
On Thursday, July 15, three Gulf residents came to Louisiana Flair to share their stories about how their community has been affected by this catastrophe.
The three spoke as a part of "Gulf Voices," a program working with the Clean Energy Works Coalition of Virginia, to set up conferences around the country to voice the need for a clean air energy bill as well as to keep communities outside of the Gulf area involved in the relief effort.
Captain Dan Kipnis spoke about the charter boat business, Chris Sehman spoke about the restaurant business and Aimée Dominique spoke about life as a normal resident of the Gulf area. All three had one common message: Clean energy and an alternative to fossil fuels are needed now, but it cannot be accomplished without the help of the entire nation.
“The Senate needs to do something in the next three weeks, or I am going to vote for someone else,” said Kipnis.
Between fishing being essentially shut down, oysters being out of the question and the charter boat industry being destroyed in the Gulf, the economy in the southeastern U.S. is in serious trouble.
Virginia is in a crucial location to make an example of how to create clean and green living. Its climate, shoreline and proximity to D.C. make Richmond a prime starting location for the push for clean energy.
“We’re angry in the Gulf, and we’re tired of seeing government and big oil in bed together,” said Gulf citizen Dominique. “Everyone write a hand-written letter to a congressman, senator or government official, saying that a clean energy bill is imperative.”
“This is all our Gulf - not just Florida and Louisiana’s. It is America’s Gulf,” Sehman said.
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