Oil Spill 3 Days from Florida - Obama Halts New Drilling

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Oil spill 3 days from Florida; Obama halts new drilling


<!-- Article Photos --><!-- findit dukeCMS/exposure/templates/mini_photo_gallery --><!-- featurephoto --><SCRIPT language=javascript type=text/javascript charset=utf-8> $(function() { // widen the cutline div if there are no controls // control showing and hiding of photos var num = 0; $('#articlePhotoControlsLeftButton').live('click', function() { if (num > 0) { num = num - 1; $('#articlePhoto' + (num + 1)).hide(); $('#articlePhoto' + num).show(); $('#articlePhotoControlsRightButton').removeClass('photoControlButtonInactive'); if (num == 0) { $('#articlePhotoControlsLeftButton').addClass('photoControlButtonInactive'); } } }); $('#articlePhotoControlsRightButton').live('click', function() { if (num >= 0 && num < (4 - 1)) { num = num + 1; $('#articlePhoto' + (num - 1)).hide(); $('#articlePhoto' + num).show(); $('#articlePhotoControlsLeftButton').removeClass('photoControlButtonInactive'); if (num == 4 - 1) { $('#articlePhotoControlsRightButton').addClass('photoControlButtonInactive'); } } }); }); </SCRIPT>Greenpeace/The Associated Press

Birds fly over oil on the water near Breton Sound Island near the Louisiana coast. The spill is about 125 miles wide and 40 miles long.



The Associated Press
Published: April 30, 2010
Updated: 4 min. ago

State officials say the oil from the massive spill in the Gulf of Mexico could hit northwest Florida beaches by Monday, and Gov. Charlie Crist declared a state of emergency in several Panhandle counties in the spill's path.

Oil oozed into Louisiana's ecologically rich wetlands Friday as storms threatened to frustrate desperate protection efforts. The White House put a hold on any new offshore oil projects until safeguards are in place to prevent rig explosions like the one that caused the spill.

Boats patrolled coastal marshes early Friday looking for areas where the oil has flowed in, the Coast Guard said, and the state of Louisiana diverted thousands of gallons of fresh water from the Mississippi River to try to flush out the wetlands, though that effort was being hampered by wind.

The National Weather Service predicted winds, high tides and waves through Sunday that could push oil deep into the inlets, ponds and lakes that line the boot of southeastern Louisiana. Seas of 6 to 7 feet were pushing tides several feet above normal toward the coast, compounded by thunderstorms expected in the area Friday.

Crist's executive order covers Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Bay and Gulf counties. It expires in 60 days unless extended. The order says "The resulting oil slick is generally moving in a northerly direction and threatens Florida's coast."

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http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/ap...ters-along-la-shore-path-spill/news-breaking/

 

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Re: Oil Spill 3 Days from Florida - Obama Halts New Drilling

Gulf of Mexico oil spill threatens Florida coast


<!-- end story-rail -->By CHRISTINE ARMARIO and SUZETTE LABOY

<!-- begin /production/story/credit_line_format.comp -->Associated Press Writers

<!-- end /production/story/credit_line_format.comp -->MIAMI, Fla. -- Florida officials, residents and hoteliers were keeping a watchful eye Friday on a looming oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico expected to reach the state's northern shores by Monday.

Gov. Charlie Crist declared a state of emergency for Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Bay and Gulf Counties, saying the 600-square-mile oil slick is moving in a northerly direction and expanding.

"Oil continues to spill from the well and efforts to stop the discharge have failed and may not succeed for an extended period of time," Crist wrote in the executive order.

More than 200,000 gallons of oil are leaking per day from the well, which exploded on April 20 near Louisiana and sank two days later. Heavy winds and high tides have complicated efforts to hold back the spill.

Florida Panhandle counties said they were closely monitoring the situation.

"We're trying to be as prepared as possible," said Sonya Daniel, public information manager for Escambia County, where officials were considering declaring a local state of emergency.

In a letter to federal officials, Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink said the spill could have a devastating impact on the state's $65 billion tourism economy, environment and fishing industry.

"With the threat to our state's economic well-being, I am imploring the federal government to take every action possible to protect our beaches and our economy," Sink wrote Friday. "This has to be an 'all hands on deck' effort, and continued coordination with Florida is imperative."

Federal officials are investigating the cause of the explosion and President Barack Obama sought to assure Gulf Coast communities Friday that the government is prepared to meet its responsibilities.

The potential environmental effect in Florida was unclear, but one coral reef expert said the oil could get caught up in the Gulf stream and threaten Florida's mangroves and coral reefs.

"We don't have a good prediction, but there is no question that it's conceivable that it could, depending on the wind and where that oil goes, if it gets caught up in the loop current, it can be smeared all along east and west coast of Florida," said Dr. Robert Dodge, Dean of Nova Southeastern University Oceanographic Center.

Florida has 84 percent of the nation's coral reefs, he said.

Dr. David Palandro, scientific support coordinator for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, said the main concern in Florida was the beaches in the Panhandle and seagrass. There is also a concern about Florida's wildlife, including manatees, sea turtles which their nesting season is coming up, shore birds and horse fish.

The last time they saw an oil disaster of this magnitude was in 1993 in the Tampa Bay.

"I'm hoping we don't face the worst," Palandro said.

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Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/04/30/1606731/gulf-of-mexico-oil-spill-threatens.html#ixzz0mcc79bMi