In a tragic world record of ecological damage, the gobs of tar and oil residue from the massive dumping of BP have been able to spread and five U.S. states that share the American coast of the Gulf of Mexico: Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas this week, which until now had escaped the pollution slick started two and half months ago.
Coast Guard officials confirmed the existence of traces of oil in around the beaches of Galveston Texas. Although the amount is quite small compared to other affected areas, the Texas authorities have organized a cleanup operation, which British Petroleum will pay invoice. As he reiterated the state commissioner Jerry Patterson, "any beach in Texas affected by the spill will be cleaned quickly and the account shall be paid by BP."
As explained specialists in marine studies, was only a matter of time before one of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico came to the huge coastal area of \u200b\u200bTexas. Since the loss of the platform "Deepwater Horizon" occurred April 20, authorities have found traces of tar and oil in a coastal area of \u200b\u200bnearly nine miles long. The first damage was recorded at the mouth of the Mississippi River nine days after the explosion of BP facilities.
The inexorable advance of the discharge is also deep into Louisiana. Since the effects of the oil slick by tar balls are starting to detect within the estuary of the Great Lake Pontchartrain, north of New Orleans. This aquifer intrusion from the rear of Louisiana has coincided with several days of bad weather that has prevented completion of work containment at sea.
To date, all efforts made in cleaning the waters of the Gulf of Mexico have captured some 88 million liters of water contaminated with oil. In total, British Petroleum has paid U.S. $ 3,120 million to meet all expenditures. Figure does not include the compensation fund of $ 20,000 million forced by the Obama Administration.
federal government scientists have estimated that there is more than a 60% chance that the slick-driven undercurrents begin to gradually around the Florida peninsula and up the coast eastern United States. At the risk of a portion of the millions of gallons of oil spills to date can reach the beaches of Miami and the spectacular area of \u200b\u200bthe Florida Keys.
According to Roger Helm, Chief Scientific Officer of the dumping investigation organized by the Department of Interior, "the distribution of oil in water is greater and worse than expected, with very real potential to cause both alterations significant in the food chain as the disappearance of endangered marsh areas. " His prognosis would have become more pessimistic in recent days, as the oil slick has spread along the coasts Gulf of Mexico "exceeding the response capacity of the world" (Pedro Rodriguez - ABC - Spain)
Louisiana wetland ecosystem affected by the oil spill
Oil slick threatens Florida coral reef
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