When the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill eclipsed the loss of the Exxon Valdez as America 's largest disaster of this kind , Ott travelled to the Gulf of Mexico to assess the damage from the spill and to speak with affected communities . She said that people were experiencing severe medical conditions and dying as a result of oil in their blood . In an interview with Rose Aguilar , she expressed concern about the health issues in the Gulf following the spill , detailing some who had evacuated and criticizing public officials for their response . She cautioned workers involved in cleaning up the mess to be wary of the health effects of going near the oil slick , saying that those who had been affected by the spill from the Exxon Valdez had suffered long-term consequences of a medical nature . She also cautioned workers to guard against the perils of another ' money spill '
Deepwater Horizon oil spill
Deepwater Horizon oil spill
Riki Ott