Update: Oil Just 6 Miles From Florida, Skimmers Deployed Off Pensacola; BP Successful At Cutting Pipe

June 3, 2010

Oil is just six miles from the Florida coast, and skimmer have been deployed near Pensacola in an effort to minimize the impact in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.

Meanwhile, the Coast Guard reported this morning that BP was successful at cutting the leaking oil pipe and will work today to install a cap in an attempt to slow the oil leak. Watch live (when available) by clicking here.

Information released this morning by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection:

  • The latest projections from NOAA indicate weathered oil from the leading edge of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill could impact the Florida Panhandle as early as this week due to a shift in winds and currents.
  • Oil sheen was reported by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approximately six miles from Navarre Pier in Santa Rosa County on June 3.
  • Any potential impacts to Florida’s shoreline will be highly weathered, in the form of tar balls, oil sheen, tar mats or mousse – a pudding-like oil/water mixture that could be brown, rust or orange in color.
  • Skimmers have been deployed near Pensacola with the hopes of removing that oil from near shore waters and preventing and minimizing any potential impacts to Florida.
  • Observations by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) continue to indicate that a small portion of the oil slick has reached the Loop Current in the form of light sheens. Florida continues to monitor the location of the loop current based on NOAA’s daily projections.
  • Approximately 257,750 feet of boom has been placed in Florida along the most sensitive areas of the Panhandle, and counties in the region are moving forward with supplemental booming plans.
  • At this time, there are no indications of any health risks due to the Deepwater Horizon incident. The Department of Health and DEP are closely monitoring health and environmental impacts to Florida’s beaches and will notice an advisory if conditions become unsafe.

Comments

2 Responses to “Update: Oil Just 6 Miles From Florida, Skimmers Deployed Off Pensacola; BP Successful At Cutting Pipe”

  1. Wendy on June 3rd, 2010 2:54 pm

    What we’re not being told: The oil sheen is now within 100 miles of the Dry Tortugas and the no fishing zone has been extended all the way to the Florida Keys. This darn thing has been in the gulf loop current for a long time now and they have been lying to us about it.

    LOOK HERE :http://keysnews.com/node/23778

  2. whitepunknotondope on June 3rd, 2010 9:38 am

    “BP successful…”

    Now that’s something I’ve been waiting a long time to hear.

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