Even Paradise Has Problems: The BP Oil Spill is Still One of Them

Seventeen years ago I purchased my piece of paradise in Gulf Breeze, a picturesque community near Pensacola, Fla. But even paradise has its problems; BP is one of them.

One year ago, BP's Deepwater Horizon exploded off Louisiana's coast killing eleven and injuring 17. A slow motion catastrophe crept across the gulf toward sugar-white Pensacola Beach. BP's oil penetrated inland waterways, killing marine and wildlife, destroying habitat and decimating the fishing and tourism industry. BP's carelessness hurt countless Gulf Coast families. Friends and neighbors lost jobs, businesses and homes.

My waterfront home value dropped overnight. Still recovering from two horrendous hurricane seasons , the BP spill devastated our real estate market. "The hit to our real estate market couldn't have come at a worse time, lowering property values in an already bad housing market," says real estate broker, Celeste Folga, who specializes in Gulf Breeze waterfront property. "A year later," says Folga, "potential buyers express concerns about the effect of the oil on water quality and local fishing."

Potential buyers and tourists ask, "Can you eat the seafood?" The answer is yes, but even locals want reassurance. Established in the early 1930s, Joe Patti Seafood, a Pensacola icon, guarantees its seafood's safety. They've altered business practices to alleviate fears. At joepattis.com a statement about the shrimp reads: "Our Royal Reds, at present, are coming from the tip of South America, the clear cold waters of the Antarctic Ocean. These are the same species as the ones in the Gulf or on the East Coast." You wouldn't have seen that pre-BP spill. Joe Patti's now tags seafood origins; the Georgia Coast, Key West, or Apalachicola - areas that escaped BP's oil.

Pensacola's fishermen have concerns. Friend and neighbor, Capt. Mark Tryon of Gulf Breeze, says "the fishing seems OK," but he raises concerns for the future. "I've had days where all the fish I catch are large, and it's a great day, but I wonder about the smaller fish. Where are they? They represent our future business."

Tryon collected just three months of emergency payments from BP after the closure of his fishing areas. Tryon refused to jump on the BP handout wagon. "There are a lot of dishonorable people profiting from the BP spill," say's Tryon. The most disappointing part of the recovery is the processing of claims. "It doesn't pay to be honest. Ethics and principles have cost me while undeserving people line their pockets," says Tryon.

Local BP claim centers are staffed with paper shufflers, not decision-makers; they collect paperwork and send it north for processing. Tryon is frustrated with Obama BP oil spill Czar Ken Feinberg and vague reimbursement formulas that keep changing. In addition to lost fishing revenue, Tryon's fishing leases dropped in value. He doubts BP will compensate for the losses.

Northwest Florida has leadership fighting for us. Congressman Jeff Miller, R-Fla., says "A year later, we can look back and see that the Gulf Coast has come a long way, but still has a long way to go. The oil is mostly gone, but the damage done to our economy remains. The response from the citizens of Northwest Florida was extraordinary, as volunteers partnered with local, state, and federal officials to quickly cleanup the oil from our beaches. I am, however, outraged with the job Ken Feinberg has done with the claims process and I am frustrated that the Administration has still not made the economic recovery of the Gulf Coast a priority. We still have a way to go, but I will continue to hold BP and the other responsible parties accountable for its mistakes."

Florida Sen. Don Gaetz is doing his part. Gaetz filed Senate Bill 248, the Oil Spill Recovery Act, legislation that ensures our community receives the assistance we need. Under the bill 70 percent of any settlement or fine paid to Florida by BP is set aside for Northwest Florida. Says Gaetz, "It promotes economic diversification for Northwest Florida and directly benefits the disproportionately affected counties." The Florida Senate passed the legislation and the House placed HB 1309 on its second reading calendar. Residents trust Gaetz to pursue this legislation for Northwest Florida.

There's still a lot of fight left in northwest Florida. BP and the Obama administration's poor handling of the spill and recovery efforts haven't beat us yet. But the quality of life in our Gulf Breeze paradise has been affected. We won't know the real ramifications of the BP oil spill for years to come.