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BP yesterday released a report on the causes of the April 20th explosion on its Deepwater Horizon oil rig. The report is based on an internal investigation, and the company was immediately criticized for spreading the blame instead of taking responsibility for the events that led to 11 deaths and the most catastrophic oil spill in the history of the US. The international oil giant found that there were 8 events that led to the disaster, citing mechanical, engineering, and human failures. It blames the oil rig owner Transocean, and contractor Halliburton, for major oversights and flawed construction. Transocean called BP’s findings “self-serving”, and Halliburton said the report contained, “inaccuracies.” There seems to be a general consensus, from environmental groups to members of Congress, that this internal investigation was an attempt to shift the spotlight and limit BP’s liability. Representative Edward J. Markey responded to the report by saying, “Of their own eight key findings, [BP] only takes responsibility for half of one.” The malfunctioning blow-out preventor from the Deepwater rig was recovered from Gulf waters on Saturday and placed under the custody of the US government. It will be examined as part of anticipated investigations conducted by various US departments that could lead to criminal charges.

GUEST: Kieran Suckling, the Founder and Executive Director of the Center for Biological Diversity

Find out more at www.biologicaldiversity.org.