Oily legacy of war mars Lebanon coast

A cascade of seaside buildings in this northern Lebanon village glows pink in the Mediterranean sunset. But the rocky shore below remains a thick, sullen black – marred by the residue of 4 million gallons of oil that polluted 75 miles of coastline when it spilled from a power plant bombed by Israel during last year's Israel-Hizbullah war.

The oil is an unsightly reminder of the war's devastation and a symbol of a halting recovery that has been hampered by a paralyzed government and a heavy reliance on foreign aid. Months of political deadlock and battling Islamic militants, as well as periodic bombings and assassinations, have also complicated postwar reconstruction.

Lebanon's government claimed in July to have distributed $230 million to more than 70,000 people so far. But efforts have fallen far short of reaching the 1 million people displaced during the war and repairing the large number of damaged buildings and infrastructure. While 51 bridges damaged during the war have been rebuilt, 40 still await repair. Entire neighborhoods in South Lebanon remain in ruin.

With so many problems still needing attention, the oil spill remains a low priority for the Lebanese government and international donors.

"The political situation is really crippling ... internally and internationally," says environmental activist Wael Hmaidan. "It's impossible to get the spotlight on anything but politics."

The government's initial $15 million cleanup, which began after the war ended last August and concluded in February, swept up 60 to 70 percent of the oil and helped contain most of the spill's economic and environmental impact. That represented a step forward – given that the spill caused $200 million in environmental damage and $250 million more in indirect costs, according to estimates by Greenline, a Lebanese nongovernmental organization.

People can now swim and fish. But they must avoid obvious globs of leftover oil, and large patches of thick muck are plastered on the rocky shores that make up most of the affected coast. Unknown amounts are still buried in the seafloor.

Both sources of residual oil could repollute the sea if left untouched. Marine life killed during last year's spill or still contaminated today also poses a longer-term threat to the ecosystem.

Yet cleanup efforts halted six months ago. The government needs to raise another $135 million to finish the job.

The Ministry of Environment (MoE), tasked with coordinating cleanup, defends the half-year hiatus.

Just one-tenth of the money needed has come in, and that includes the estimated value of equipment and expert advice, points out MoE spokesperson Ghada Mitri.

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