July 4, 2010 – On America's holiday, the 4th of July, oil from the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill continues to pour into the Gulf of Mexico. The worst environmental disaster in U.S. history leaves little time along the coast to celebrate the country's independence. The oil spill's effects are painfully obvious from the wetlands and bays of Louisiana to the beaches of Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.
Officials who had openly voiced worries that Hurricane Alex would push oil into Louisiana's marshes saw their fears realized over the last two days. On Friday, when Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal and Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser did an aerial inspection, they flew over newly oil impacted areas of marshlands around the Northwest Pass of the Mississippi River near Venice. Yesterday, oil could be seen from above hitting the marshes in the Southeast corner of Biloxi Bay on the coast of St. Bernard Parish. (See slide show below for pictures of both areas.)
Meanwhile, the oil tanker turned oil skimmer "A Whale" was allowed by the Coast Guard to begin a 48-hour test of its oil recovery abilities. It will be working through today in a 25 square mile area near the BP oil spill site. No results have been announced so far.
Read about the skimmer "A Whale" and see a slide show of 20 pictures, plus video:
Gulf oil spill: Will it go to work? World's biggest oil skimmer reports for duty (video, pictures)
Gulf oil spill: A Whale, world's largest skimmer now being tested in the Gulf of Mexico
Most recent Gulf oil spill update:
Gulf oil spill update: EPA news, NOAA map, what South Florida can expect, oiled beaches (pictures)
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Sad, but to be expected in a society built around oil.
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