Our Stories

Oil Spill Blobs Start Invading Coastal Areas

Legacy of offshore drilling washes ashore as BP struggles to cap blowout

By Terry Winckler

This page was published 13 years ago. Find the latest on Earthjustice’s work.

May 10, 2010

The oil unstoppably pouring out of the Gulf of Mexico’s sea floor is now unstoppable as it pushes past efforts to keep it out of wetlands. Over the weekend, thick, tarry blobs rode the tide into wildlife refuge areas of the Mississippi delta. It took 12 days, but the invasion has arrived. A land/sea/air effort to keep oil out of Louisiana wetlands has been assembled today, The Miami Herald reports.>

Oil damage to gulf coast wetlands and wildlife spawning areas could last generations, the Christian Science Monitor reports. "The Gulf appears to be bleeding," exclaims an observer as he flies over the spilled oil. See his 5-minute video report.>

Meanwhile, offshore, British Petroleum still can’t find a way to staunch the leak which has put an estimated 3.5 millions of oil into Gulf waters since BP’s well rig exploded April 20. After the containment dome attempt failed over the weekend, BP is hoping to plug the gusher with old tires, golf balls and who knows what else. It will be perhaps three months before a relief well is finished.

Terry Winckler

From 2006–2014, Terry was managing editor for Earthjustice's blog, online monthly newsletter and print Earthjustice Quarterly Magazine.