Gulf Restoration Network

BP Oil Drilling Disaster: Spill Comes Ashore, Booms Ineffective Blog - BPs Oil Drilling Disaster in the Gulf of Mexico Friday, 30 April 2010 05:57

photos courtesy AP.

As the oil is pushed ashore by strong winds, booms are showing their limitations.  We're glad to see federal military resources being brought to this slow motion tragedy, but we're going to need more help, as this fragile ecosystem is hammered by the river of oil, still uncontrolled, coming ashore.  Looking at the recent maps, it's clear Louisiana will take the initial brunt as weather brings the sheen and worse into marsh area to the East of the mouth of the Mississippi River, but we're receiving reports of sheen as far up as Lafitte on the West Bank of the river. 

We welcome Administrator Lisa Jackson of the EPA, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to the area to investigate and observe the crisis, and we're relieved to hear that this accident will allow current plans for off-shore drilling expansion to be reconsidered.

Aaron Viles is GRN's campaign director