In light of recent unfortunate, unforeseen events at BP we have had to make some decisive decisions to counteract the events of the situation. We have come up with a four step plan to get this situation under control and eliminated. The first step is to stop the leak, the second step is to clean up what has spilled, third is to fix the problem and update our equipment to ensure this does not happen again, and the final step is to setup a wildlife reserve. The first step is to stop the leak. To do this we at BP are in collaboration with many experts to resolve the issue. We must concentrate our efforts to reach this goal as the plan does not matter if we do not accomplish this first and very important step. We are exhausting all our resources to figure out a solution that is fast and effect for the short term. Our goal is to get the leak stopped so we can continue our plan we have set in place. BP is continuing to work with the U.S. Coast Guard and other federal agencies and contractors to safely and effectively stop the oil well and to minimize its environmental impact. We are doing absolutely everything in our power to eliminate the source of the leak and contain the environmental impact of the spill. We are determined to fight this spill on all fronts, in the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico, in the shallow waters, and on the shore. More than 2,500 people are working in the response effort following the sinking of the Transocean Deepwater Horizon drilling rig. BP's team of operational and technical experts is working in coordination with many federal, state and local government agencies, organizations and companies.
BP, the U.S. Coast Guard and other Federal government agencies have liaised with governors and homeland security and emergency preparedness and environmental protection staff from Louisiana, Alabama, Florida and Mississippi as well as Texas. In addition, to enhance ongoing coordination, U.S. Coast Guard's local personnel are embedded in each state's Emergency Operations Centers. Project-specific coastal protection and spill response plans are being implemented consistent with the national, region and state oil spill response plans that are already in place and with input on priority locations from state and local experts. . Once we have it stopped we will look to the future and a more permanent fix. The second step is to clean up the damage caused by the leak and managing the waste caused by the leak. The following are the sort of the wastes anticipated and how are they being handled. This includes solid waste such as the oil contaminated material which may also include personal protective equipment, sorbents, and debris). It can also include non-contaminated material (trash recovered from beaches cleaned preemptively or trash generated by support operations). The second type of waste is recoverable oil & oily water. This is the sort of the waste is typically generated during skimming operations. This also includes the effort to separate the oil and water and send to the appropriate recycling/disposal facility. Decontamination water is the third sort of waste. This is the water generated by on shore decontamination of equipment and personnel. This is sent via vacuum truck to an approved disposal facility. The fourth sort of waste is the dead animal carcasses. The US Fish and Wildlife Service is responsible for this will be collecting and storing animal carcasses. We at BP will fully cooperate with the US Fish and Wildlife Service and provide any assistance to facilitate this process.
The next step in the clean up process is disposing off the waste collected during the cleanup effort. Our strategy at BP will be re-use, recycle and disposal. The waste collected during the cleanup effort is likely all non-hazardous and disposal sites have been identified, audited and approved as approved Landfills or permitted liquid recycling/disposal facility. We at BP are also evaluating different recycling options for certain materials. All Waste is collected near the point of origin and stored in the appropriate container and as necessary, waste containers are moved to staging areas. All the waste is transported to appropriate disposal facility and disposed. All the waste volumes are being tracked. BP has established on shore decontamination sites are being established to decontaminate equipment. Sites will have fully-lined decontamination areas and closed-loop water treatment systems.
In response to the sinking of the Deepwater Horizon rig and the attendant oil discharge, BP have announced a $500 million commitment over a 10 year period to create a broad independent research program to be known as the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative. The GRI will investigate the impacts of the oil, dispersed oil, and dispersant on the ecosystems of the Gulf of Mexico and affected coastal States. The Initiative will also develop improved oil detection, characterization and remediation technologies.
BP is committed to work closely with Gulf Coast governors and state and local environmental and health authorities to determine the next steps for this important initiative. Wildlife rehabilitation is a key part of BP's oil spill response effort planning.
The primary objective of rehabilitation is to care for injured animals and return them to their natural environment. BP has been a long-standing supporter of wildlife rehabilitation and educational programs along the Gulf Coast. Several years ago BP had built and donated a mobile animal recovery trailer to the State of Louisiana which has been used primarily for education and training. Rehabilitation focuses on the adverse effects of oil on a wide range of species found within the biologically diverse Gulf Coast ecosystem. These effects could be internal and/or external effects on wildlife. Accidental exposure impacts are complex, but are best counteracted through a cooperative effort of veterinarians, biologists, and rehabilitation specialists with oil spill response experience. In Conclusion we at BP would like to assure the American People that the Gulf of Mexico oil spill is their top priority, along with rebuilding trust and confidence in BP and ensuring that such an accident never happens again. Our company is committed to mitigating damage from the oil spill. BP has been clear from the outset that all resources available to the company should be applied to meeting our responsibilities in addressing these events. The task is by no means complete and we have a long way to go but our team continues to work relentlessly and not rest until we make this right.