BOULDER, Colo., April 19 (UPI) -- The BP oil spill caused social disruption and psychological stress among gulf residents similar to the aftermath of the Exxon Valdez spill, a study indicates.
Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder's Natural Hazards Center say that as with the Alaska incident, those social and psychological impacts will likely last for years, a university release said Tuesday.
"Just ask the residents of Cordova today whether they are over the Exxon Valdez," said study co-author Liesel Ritchie, referring to the Alaska community generally considered "ground zero" for the 1989 oil tanker spill.
Like the Exxon Valdez, the aftermath of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico will almost certainly include "contested" scientific evidence concerning ecological damages, secondary traumas resulting from an extended claims process and litigation, and significant community conflicts and mental health problems, the study authors wrote.
"Given the social scientific evidence amassed over the years in Prince William Sound, Alaska, we can only conclude that social disruption and psychological stress will characterize residents of Gulf Coast communities for decades to come," they said.
