Frequently Asked Questions:
1. Do you pay volunteers? And where do I go for a job with oil spill clean-up?
We DO NOT pay volunteers. Volunteers with Gulf Response Involvement Team (GRIT) are provided with equipment and food needed to accomplish volunteer activities but are not compensated for their travel, work, time or lodging. If you are interested in paid work please contact British Petroleum or one of their contractors. Anyone seeking employment associated with the oil spill cleanup can also visit the Louisiana Workforce Commission or call (225) 342-3111.
2. I want to help with the animals. What training do I need?
GRIT is NOT working directly with wildlife recovery. At this time the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries are conducting oiled wildlife recovery. They have informed us that they do not need volunteer assistance at this time and that they will inform us of any request for volunteers on an as needed basis. Certification and training are required for anyone who may participate in any role during an oiled wildlife response. If you have the required training or are a wildlife specialist, you can contact our partners, National Audubon Society or National Wildlife Federation directly for more information.
3. I want to volunteer in future months. What volunteer opportunities will you have?
We do not know the extent or duration of the oil spill response. Given the magnitude and duration of the spill it is likely that there will be significant volunteer opportunities in the months to come and this work could potentially expand into future years. If you are unable to volunteer at this time please visit our website in the future for a list of events that may better fit your schedule. We are diligently working to identify volunteer opportunities over the next 3-4 months and will post those schedules as soon as they are available.
4. I just made a donation. What will my money do?
Your money will be used to support organizations participating in GRIT. GRIT has several volunteer coordinators in the field throughout south Louisiana and donations are used to cover operating expenses associated with travel, housing and equipment. Donations also support volunteer activities such as beach clean-ups and marsh restoration by providing port-o-lets, tents, disposal containers, personal safety equipment, food and water.
5. I am out of state. How can I help?
We are extremely grateful for the volunteer interest from across the nation and we realize that many interested volunteers cannot travel to Louisiana for single day volunteer events. Please understand that it is difficult to secure the resources and capabilities to house, feed and transport volunteers for extended time periods. But there are things you can do:
� Make a donation to GRIT to be used to plan and implement volunteer activities, including beach clean-ups and marsh restoration.
� Stay informed about Louisiana�s disappearing coast and educate others on the national importance of Louisiana�s wetlands.
� Write your elected officials and tell them you support restoring Louisiana�s wetlands.
6. What kind of training is required? Where can I get trained locally?
No previous training will be required for GRIT volunteer activities.
7. I�m not physically capable of volunteering outside. Is there somewhere else I can help?
GRIT organizations are focused on addressing environmental impacts and most of our work is conducted outside. Other social service organizations are focused on the economic and social impacts of this disaster and may provide indoor volunteer opportunities. Please visit the Louisiana Serve Commission at www.louisianaserve.org or call (225) 342-3125 to find out about these other opportunities.
8. Why do I have to be 18 years old to volunteer?
Safety training and medical assistance will be available at all GRIT volunteer events, but volunteers are ultimately responsible for their own safety. Some volunteer activities can be hazardous and only volunteers of the legal age of majority can be accepted.
9. I have an idea on how to stop the leak or I have a product to help with oil spill clean-up. Should I send it to you?
GRIT does not endorse, forward, submit, or communicate information about ideas to stop or contain the leak, nor do we pass on information or accept unrequested items related to oil spill clean-up products. If you have a product, idea or technology that you would like to submit, please click here (http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/go/doc/2931/546759/) or call (281) 366-5511 to submit it to the proper authorities.
10. I am collecting supplies for the oil spill cleanup. Where can I send them?
PLEASE do not send supplies without contacting us first. We have published a list of needed supplies related to oil spill clean-up here. If you are able to donate any of the items requested on this list please email mel@btnep.org. If the item you wish to donate is not listed, please email us to inquire about unrequested items. We have limited space available for storage and distribution and only those items listed can be accepted. We appreciate your generosity, but please understand that sending items that we have not requested may only complicate the response process and consume limited storage capacity.
11. Where can I sign up a group to volunteer?
We understand that groups or organizations want to volunteer together and we will try to accommodate that request. If your group is less than 10 people please register each individual separately online. If your group is larger than 10 people please email us at coalition@crcl.org and provide us with the following information for each member of your group: name, address and email.
12. Why is BP controlling the oil spill cleanup?
Unfortunately, responding to a spill of this magnitude requires significant financial resources. Under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, the responsible party is required to pay for the cost associated with clean-up. The State of Louisiana, local parishes and non-profit organizations have very little capacity to incur the significant financial costs associated with oil spill response. Consequently, spill response activities costs must be agreed to and paid for by British Petroleum. Donations to GRIT have allowed us to initiate some volunteer activities on our own, but the extent and magnitude of this spill event will require financial support and approval from British Petroleum.
13. If I am trained, can I get out and clean up on my own?
NO. The authorities will not allow you to clean up oiled areas unless you are officially a part of the response effort. Oil spill cleanup not only requires proper training, but also proper equipment and disposal. Hazardous materials cannot be disposed of in a regular dumpster or it will lead to larger environmental impacts. We strongly discourage any volunteer activities without coordination through an official response entity.
14. I signed up a while back, why haven�t I been contacted?
Our staff is working extremely long hours to fight the impacts of the oil spill and plan opportunities for volunteer engagement. Please understand that our organizational capacity is limited and in addition to our volunteer effort, our organizations are working at the local, state and federal levels to address various implications of the spill. We share your frustration with both the crisis and the response and we hope to resolve this issue in the next few weeks. Please bear with us as we secure the resources and establish a coordinated and safe volunteer effort to deal with this unprecedented spill.
15. Are you going to have long term opportunities?
Absolutely! Many of our conservation organizations have been utilizing volunteers for coastal restoration for more than a decade prior to the BP Oil Spill and it will be more important than ever to continue our efforts to restore this precious ecosystem.
16. Do you provide housing or travel for volunteers?
Unfortunately, we are not able to provide housing or travel to volunteers. Given the scale and duration of the spill it is difficult to secure the resources and capabilities to house and transport volunteers for extended time periods. We will supply all volunteers with the necessary food and refreshments while they are conducting volunteer activities. Volunteers are responsible for their own transportation to and from specific event locations. If you are traveling a long distance to one of our volunteer events please consider making overnight accommodations at a local hotel or campground to help offset the impacts to these industries.
17. I don�t have money to donate and can�t volunteer, what else can I do?
We understand that not everyone can donate or volunteer, but you can still support our commitment to coastal Louisiana by taking just a minute to call or write your member of Congress and encourage them to support and expedite efforts to protect and restore Louisiana�s wetlands. The BP Oil Spill has helped many people across the nation learn that even before the spill, coastal Louisiana was losing wetlands at an alarming rate. The fight to restore coastal Louisiana won�t end when the oil stops and we need your help to remind our national leaders that Louisiana�s coastal wetlands are a national treasure and worth protecting. Please visit our websites for more information on Louisiana�s disappearing coast.
Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program
Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana
National Audubon Society
The Nature Conservancy