Taken in 2010 following the Deepwater Horizon spill, this photo shows an oil covered pelican. Of particular concern today is the spill’s continuing impact on sea turtles and dolphins. Courtesy of Louisiana Governor’s Office.
AUSTIN, Texas – Nearly three years after the Deepwater Horizon spill, a new study says the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster is far from over.
Oil still is washing ashore, said Doug Inkley, a senior scientist for the National Wildlife Federation and lead author of the report. Inkley said the impact continues to be felt by wildlife, including sea turtles and – of particular concern – dolphins.
“We know that dolphins are still dying in high numbers in the areas that have been affected by the spill,” he said, “and that these ongoing deaths – particularly in a species at the top of the food chain – are a strong indication that something is seriously amiss in the ecosystems of the gulf. ”
The April 20, 2010, explosion on BP’s Deepwater rig killed 11 people and ultimately sent more than 4 million barrels of oil into the gulf, in the largest environmental disaster in U.S. history.The full impact of the spill won’t really be known for years, but Inkley said the other major concern now is the continued loss of the gulf’s coastal wetlands.
“They have been in dramatic decline for decades,” he said. “In fact, in the last 80 years, Louisiana alone has lost coastal wetlands the size of the state of Rhode Island. Restoring Gulf coast wetlands is urgent, and it’s critical for maintaining the gulf’s rich fish and wildlife resources as well as the local economy.”
Capt. Ryan Lambert, owner of Buras, La.-based Cajun Fishing Adventures, has made a living in the gulf for more than 30 years. Lambert said the spill led to unprecedented – and continuing – coastal erosion.
“There’s total islands gone,” he said. “There are large areas of marsh that are gone. And what it’s doing is, it’s taking away the vegetation and the things that held the marsh into place. So now, every time you get a tidal surge or just day-to-day tides coming in and out, we’re losing marsh at a rate more rapid than I’ve seen in all my years here.”
The report’s release comes as BP and other companies involved are on trial in federal court in New Orleans for violations of multiple environmental laws. The Department of Justice has concluded that BP was grossly negligent. BP says the spill was a tragic accident resulting from multiple causes and involving multiple parties.
The report is online at nwf.org.
Magnitude Of Gulf Oil Spill Still Unfolding
Taken in 2010 following the Deepwater Horizon spill, this photo shows an oil covered pelican. Of particular concern today is the spill’s continuing impact on sea turtles and dolphins. Courtesy of Louisiana Governor’s Office.
AUSTIN, Texas – Nearly three years after the Deepwater Horizon spill, a new study says the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster is far from over.
Oil still is washing ashore, said Doug Inkley, a senior scientist for the National Wildlife Federation and lead author of the report. Inkley said the impact continues to be felt by wildlife, including sea turtles and – of particular concern – dolphins.
“We know that dolphins are still dying in high numbers in the areas that have been affected by the spill,” he said, “and that these ongoing deaths – particularly in a species at the top of the food chain – are a strong indication that something is seriously amiss in the ecosystems of the gulf. ”
The April 20, 2010, explosion on BP’s Deepwater rig killed 11 people and ultimately sent more than 4 million barrels of oil into the gulf, in the largest environmental disaster in U.S. history.The full impact of the spill won’t really be known for years, but Inkley said the other major concern now is the continued loss of the gulf’s coastal wetlands.
“They have been in dramatic decline for decades,” he said. “In fact, in the last 80 years, Louisiana alone has lost coastal wetlands the size of the state of Rhode Island. Restoring Gulf coast wetlands is urgent, and it’s critical for maintaining the gulf’s rich fish and wildlife resources as well as the local economy.”
Capt. Ryan Lambert, owner of Buras, La.-based Cajun Fishing Adventures, has made a living in the gulf for more than 30 years. Lambert said the spill led to unprecedented – and continuing – coastal erosion.
“There’s total islands gone,” he said. “There are large areas of marsh that are gone. And what it’s doing is, it’s taking away the vegetation and the things that held the marsh into place. So now, every time you get a tidal surge or just day-to-day tides coming in and out, we’re losing marsh at a rate more rapid than I’ve seen in all my years here.”
The report’s release comes as BP and other companies involved are on trial in federal court in New Orleans for violations of multiple environmental laws. The Department of Justice has concluded that BP was grossly negligent. BP says the spill was a tragic accident resulting from multiple causes and involving multiple parties.
The report is online at nwf.org.