Tar Balls at Aransas National Wildlife Refuge

[ensho]

http://blog.buzzflash.com/contributors/3228


This is just a quick heads-up about tar balls possibly from the BP spill discovered at the Aransas NWR on the central coast of Texas. (Among many other things this is the winter home to the Whooping Cranes.) I drove down to the central coast for a couple of days to specifically check for incoming oil, and a wildlife officer at the Aransas NWR told me the tar balls are presently being tested for links to BP. I fear it is only wishful thinking to mention these tar balls may turn out to be related to other, older sources. The officer I spoke with is clearly expecting the worst, if not now then in the near-term. Despite claims to the contrary by NOAA and others, oil could easily spread into the Western Gulf. I was living in Galveston in the summer of 1984 when a 2.8 million gallon spill from a tanker south of Cameron, La., moved west into Galveston. It's not unusual for Red Tide to spread west even when the Loop Current is at its strongest.

The Aransas refuge has miraculously survived despite being next door to some of the world's worst polluters for decades. It is a breathtaking place and an ecological cornerstone for the Western Gulf of Mexico. One can only hope the news from Aransas is good, but...
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the death count will go up and up

[joeybee12]

1. The effects of this disaster will be felt for years and years and years...n/t

[obxhead]

3. Make that decades and decades and decades

and I think your a little closer to the truth.

[joeybee12]

7. Certainly won't recover in my lifetime probably...

especially if this drill, baby drill mentality is gripping BOTH Democrats and Republicans.

[ShortnFiery]

2. Why are there not more oil tankers sucking up the oil instead of that toxic dispersant being used?

:(

Tragic.

[obxhead]

4. The dispersant hides it from view, therefore it's not 'spilled'

[greencharlie]

9. out of sight... out of mind :D

[bdamomma]

6. none of those CEO's gives a crap about the environment

more concerned about making millions of dollars a day. just really sucks this incident is going to have ramifications for years/decades.

[naaman fletcher]

8. I don't think they have the capability. nt

[Botany]

5. Damn Texas past Houston, the Keys, and maybe Vero Beach Florida