Am I the only one noticing these rumors?

The latest rumors are saying:
1) The nuclear option (30kt) for sealing the leak(s) is still on the table.
2) A massive evacuation of affected areas is being planned.
3) The "affected areas" may extend 200 miles inland.

Facts:
1) Daily oil output is still not known but the number keeps being increased.
2) Gov. Jindal has requested funding for up to 6,000 LNG troops for up to 90 days to assist in oil cleanup, evacuation, and securing of critical infrastructure. That request has been granted. No Actual Mobilization has been seen other than the 600 who are building barriars along coastal islands.
3) Fumes from the leak are being blamed for causing health problems among workers.

What are y'all's thoughts on this subject, WITHOUT violating Forum Rules???

It is certainly an enviromental disaster, but the rumours are clearly OTT.
I doubt that a nuclear weapon will be used to seal the well, and IF this dramatic option IS decided on, I doubt that any evacuation would be needed, a small nuke, detonated in a deep hole submerged in deep water is unlikely to have much effect on land. The area would probably be closed to shipping.

The main concern is the damage to wildlife and fisheries which is very severe, the direct effects on human health are probably limited to those directly exposed, for example by assisting with the clean up.

Small numbers may need to be evacuated from communities right on the affected coastline.

As for the affected area extending 200 miles inland, that depends on how you define affected. But I would not expect any significant effect that far away.

Hurricane Alex might scupper the nuke option, I doubt if they have the time to drill the hole to put the nuke down by the middle of next week.

Am Fear - I agree - unless of course they've been drilling for the Nuke option since disaster day -5 or something like that. I'm not buying the full scale evacuation. I think it'd be cheaper to make BP pay damages than to make BP finance an evacuation.

rumours from unnamed sources aren't worth repeating. When there are reputable sources people who want to be believed give them. When they don't it's because it's made up.
The Sock

It is a disaster that was waiting to happen and “Drill Baby Drill” has become "Spill Baby Spill"

Of course you are going to get a lot of the foil hat crowd posting their stuff, and considering the lack of solid information from reliable sources the paranoids are justified in their suspicions.
The only real problem with the paranoids is that they go from suspicion to forming elaborate theories based only on the lack of information.

Perhaps our resident oil well plumber can shed some light on the subject of what the options actually are? Blast?

My research into the "nuclear option" quickly led to documents showing that the local radiological contamination from undersea detonations was orders of magnitude worse than that created by atmospheric detonations. Essentially, all the fallout was contained by the seawater.

The question may become, which is worse, localized radioactive contamination, or widespread oil contamination. Of course, we already have the widespread oil contamination, so it may be too late to choose. Rather than either/or, it may be both!

Full disclaimer: I just bought a home on the beach in the Northeast. I sure hope we don't get seriously fouled this far north!

Nuke? No way.

No American president would set off a nuke on or anywhere near American soil, for any reason (other than testing -- which we haven't done since 1992).

Everyone in the hemisphere would flip and just about everyone in our 50 states, for good reason.

Who would trust the federal government to nuke an oil leak? Nothing about this disastrous episode in our history inspires confidence in government.

I had not heard of this "option" until this thread.

Can hardly bear to look at the news reports anymore. The Gulf debacle is horrifying, depressing and heart-wrenching. I am so very sorry for everyone and everything in and along the Gulf that are being directly affected.

IMHO, both sides have acted in a very adolescent manner and we now suffer from it. It is too bad.

We now sit almost helpless as entire industries are destroyed and wildlife are eradicated. It makes me sick.

My $.02

I agree that there is no way we ever would nuke the leak.

However, I have read that the oil in the water will increase the temp of the water and potentially increase the force of a hurricane making landfall. That might be the reason for the additional NG troops on the ground or maybe they are just there to assist with clean-up if a storm blows more in. I wouldn't read much into that other than perhaps good planning on the Gov's part. Better to have more NG troops on hand than not enough!