Oil Spill Explosion in Gulf of Mexico has a Hard Future of Cleanup Ahead
On April 20th, 2010 a Deepwater Horizon oil drilling rig exploded and killed 11 workers, spawning what is predicted to be the biggest oil spill in this country’s history. The oil is spilling out at over 5,000 barrels a day due to the three breaks in the well pipes and hit the Louisiana coastline late Thursday night, nine days after the initial spill.
The oil company that owned the oil drill, BP, is completely responsible for the cleanup, although Obama and his office is enforcing environmental reforms, saying they will help the clean up in any way they can, including giving the aide of the Department of Defense, if necessary.
This spill is predicted to be the largest oil spill in US history, larger than the 1989 spill from Exxon Valdez that spilled 11 million gallons of oil into an ecologically sensitive area of the Prince William Sound. The difference between the spills is that in 1989 the cause was an oil tanker which holds a finite amount of oil; this spill is tapped to an underwater oil well which is predicted to spill up to 3 months.
Effect on the Environment
Environmentalist efforts are being spawned everywhere, from Mexican and American volunteers to the oil company workers. The spread of the oil spill to the coastline poses a serious threat for marine habits as well as human health. The Environmental Protection Agency is monitoring the air quality of the affected area to measure the impact of the controlled burning. There are two national wildlife refuges around the area of the spill that has not yet been affected by the spill, but has the potential to be.
It was predicted by local fishermen/farmers that if the oil spill hit the shore, the entire population of shrimp, crab and oysters would be destroyed.
