'It's Not Over': Oil Remains as Life Goes On 6 Months After BP Spill

[sabra]

Source: ABC News

Life in the Gulf Shows Signs of Progress as Slick and Questions Still Linger

There is evidence that the Gulf of Mexico is healing: The deserted marina in Venice, La., once invaded by camera crews and work boats, has been reclaimed by charter boat captains who haul yellowfin tuna off their skiffs and hang them up with pride. Only 7 percent of the Gulf is still closed to fishing. The fishermen -- and their smiles -- have returned.

But 40 miles south of New Orleans, oil from the BP spill six months ago continues to leach into the landscape.

...

Through the narrow canals toward Barataria Bay, where some of the most prized shrimping grounds in the world can be found, Frank Lamere and his cleanup crew have been working on the same marsh for four months.

He said the oil spreads for miles. "It's definitely here. Look at the green grass under it. It's gonne die," said Lamere, a former fisherman. He and his workers call the area the toilet.

Peter Lehner, executive director of the Natural Resources Defense Council, cited official estimates that say 50 percent of the leaked crude could still be in the Gulf.

"Some has been picked up, but of course not much of it," Lehner said. "Recently scientists are discovering underwater oil plumes. Every time they look again, they see oil in the sediment."



Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/WN/bp-oil-spill-months-louisiana-gulf-coast-struggles/story?id=11927147

[Hubert Flottz]

1. Anyone who really believed that oil was just going to go away...

was dumber than W!

[TheWraith]

3. Actually, the oil is just going to go away...

...eventually. But even in warm tropical waters that harbor ample bacteria that can break it down, it's going to take time. And what's left is going to take longer than the the first amount of oil, due to the fact that with the season changing, the Gulf waters are going to be slightly cooler and less favorable to the bacteria that would break the stuff down. Also, oil near the surface will break down vastly faster than anything in deep water, due to weathering and temperature.

[Javaman]

4. Oh there were several here on DU that believed as much...

as soon as the WH paraded out their "expert" to say "all is well", there was nothing but a massive flame war between those who fell in line with the talking point and those of us, who, you know, prefer reality.

[Stuckinthebush]

5. Prefer reality?

Are you saying that there is no natural mechanism to break down oil?

[Javaman]

8. Ugh, no.

Look at what I wrote.

I got into some major flame wars with a few fools on here about just that. They were parroting the position of the WH about 75% of the oil just vanishing.

[beforeyoureyes]

2. It is insanity to eat fish that come out of these waters

I know that the fisherman are trying to make a living, but I wouldn't feed this my children. Huge amounts of oil is unaccounted and the use of toxic dispersents went way beyond even the large amount reported in the media.

It is truly striking that media cycles run this fast and how quickly a catastrophe of such a large proportion fades away.

[cutlassmama]

7. Yep. I won't be eating any for at least the next 10 years

[Romulox]

6. BP was allowed to supervise its own spill, so it instituted a coverup instead of a cleanup

Nice to have friends in high places. :shrug: