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Updated: Drilling Rig Disaster Could Send Oil Spill Into Gulf Islands National Seashore

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A weather forecast predicts that oil from a drilling rig disaster in the Gulf of Mexico could coat portions of the Gulf Islands National Seashore coastline. AccuWeather.com graphic.

An oil spill from the sinking of an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico could wash ashore in the coming days at Gulf Islands National Seashore, according to a forecast from AccuWeather.com.

AccuWeather.com meteorologists predicted the ocean current in the Gulf of Mexico will switch to a southerly direction and could push "oil on the surface of the ocean towards the southeastern U.S. coastline."

Gulf Islands officials were watching the developing situation but had not taken any precautions as of Thursday evening.

“We are monitoring real close, and we’re ready to act if it appears there’s going to be an environmental threat, but there aren’t any indications at this time of any imminent threat," said Chief Ranger Clay Jordon.

The National Park Service was staying in contact with both the U.S. Coast Guard and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The NOAA forecast said "the oil should remain offshore for at least three days; however, inclement weather forecast for 23-25 Apr will impact response and recovery operations."

As of midday Thursday, the Gulf of Mexico current was taking oil from the sunken rig away from land, but meteorologists expect the current to change course as a storm from the Rockies begins to move towards the Mississippi Valley, AccuWeather.com said in a release.

"Surface oil washing upon beaches in Louisiana and Mississippi could be devastating for life along the coast," the company said.

While portions of Gulf Islands National Seashore are nesting grounds for four species of sea turtles, Chief Jordan said the nesting season typically doesn't arrive in earnest until June and July.

Comments

I live right in the center of the target area this is so hard for everyone to see the impact on the enviroment. Sea Birds are nesting right now thousands of them and most of them will be lost. The local sea food industry will be devistated and will not recover for years if not decades. The estuarys and salt water marshes will be destroyed cutting off the food chain for the Gulf of Mexico and it cannot be cleaned up. This is more damaging than the worst hurricane in history someone better act fast and spare no expence in trying to save anything that we can.


Is Obama Republican? No! I'm not blaming anyone but fox news for blowing this out of proportion. If Bill Oreilly hadn't jumped on this so fast the oil spill probably wouldn't be as big as it is now, who knows? I think the real enemy here is plastics. Once all the oils gone how are we going to charge anything with no credit cards? I can't really swipe my Visa solar power at the check out now can I.


What part of plastic is made from oil don't you understand? If you use plastic,you use oil.


It's not quite that simple, Anon. Many thousands of tons of plastic are not made from petroleum at all, but rather from renewable biomass such as corn starch or vegetable oils. These materials are called bioplastics, and you are going to see more and more of them in the future.


Bob, What's the source of the energy to convert those raw materials to bioplastics? Maybe oil?

We are all part of the problem. We all consume energy, and most of us have no control over where that energy comes from. When you turn on a light switch you are at the mercy of the local utility and wherever or however they decide is the most economical for them to get the electricity at that moment. Might be nuclear, coal-fired power plant, a large dam on the Colorado River...whatever. Unless you are totally self sufficient, unless you grow all of your own food, make your own clothes from the wool of sheep that you have raised, make your shoes from the leather of cattle that you have raised.......if you ever buy anything in a store, or travel by any means other than walking....then you are part of the problem.

Ride a bike? Good for you (so do I). Where do you think the bicycle came from? Materials that were mined and manufactured and transported to your local bike shop by a fossil fuel burning truck.


Lars, I'm not unfamiliar with the central thrust of your argument. I taught a course on sustainable earth concepts and practices for many years, and when I could find the time for it, I wrote instructors manuals and student guides for environmental texts. I'm now retired and no longer preach the gospel (I'll leave that task to enthusiasts like yourself), but I still try to live by sustainable earth principles.


I have something to say on this subject. For the one whom suggested the rigs be safer, they are. Exactly what you describe is what we have on these rigs. That's right, I work in the GoM and am proud of it. I am actually educated too for that one who things we need more education. I am a Medic and Safety Officer onboard a rig that was close enough to watch the Deepwater Horizon explode, burn, and sink. To say that we had sorrowful hearts out here is to put it mildly. This affected every person working in the oil field. But more importantly it affected the lives of all 126 crew members that were on that rig, especially the 11 men that were lost at sea to this horrific accident. You dont blame the President for this accident. The technology on these rigs is outstanding. There is a manual shut off on the Blow Out Preventer Stack (BOP Stack) tha is located on the ocean floor of this well. It can not be activated. There are computers that sense this and set off alarms. And then there is the man behind all the buttons. Unfortunately the equipment is made by man and sometimes does not provide the security it is designed to do. This well blow out happened so fast that the men had less than 4 minutes to react and 10 minutes to muster and escape. I personally know men that were on that rig that had to jump because they couldn't make it to the lifeboats fast enough. I am friends with family of two of the men that lost there lives trying to stop the blow out. Please remember that lives were lost in attempt to stop this from happening. And for the tree huggers and environmentalist out there, try wiping your arse with bark instead of toiler paper. Bio fuels are a grand thing, I agree. Solar power is awesome. But do you realize that it takes more energy from hydrocarbons to produce those products than those same products will produce. We need development of new energy sources for certain. But until that time comes, we are dependent upon fossil fuels. Drilling is safer than it has ever been. This accident is a rare occurrence. The impact the spill will have is of great importance to our coastal states. I grew up on the beaches of South Louisiana and love to bring my children to Alabama and Florida. So I understand how this will impact us, but to go off half cocked and argue about whom is to blame is just crazy people. There will always be drilling no matter who is in office. The thing here is 11 men lost there lives, wives, sons, daughters, and parents lost their loved ones. 115 men and their families will be forever affected by this tragedy as well. If you have any doubt as to who this tragedy affects the most. There are some videos on the Facebook website and a Condolences page on Transoceans website. Go to Facebook, search Deepwater Horizon, see the faces of the men that lost their lives.


This just points to the need for a clean alternative to oil. Ethanol is the answer. No beaches were ever closed due to an ethanol spill.


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