Conflict of interest: BP decides on testing lab and cleanup contractors

The following is a list of areas where BP may have a conflict of interest in the Deepwater Horizon disaster:

-The laboratory chosen by the federal government to test water and marine animal tissue samples is a Texas lab which includes BP as a major client.

-Local animal rescue workers who volunteered to treat contaminated birds and collect data were blocked by the government; they were informed that such work must be contracted by a company selected by BP.

-Sylvia V. Baca, who is involved in overseeing the Minerals Management Service, served for eight years as a high executive with BP.

-Federal and state websites providing guidance to fishermen featured links that direct them to a BP site offering contracts limiting rights to future claim filings against the company.

-The Joint Information Center, a public affairs collaboration between regulators and industry, includes 10 BP workers in its staff.

Many other potential conflict of interest items can be found here.