Oil rig spill started hitting area jutting out

<Update: Go here for today's oil spill news.>

Oil from the Gulf of Mexico offshore drill rig explosion has just started hitting sensitive areas of the Louisiana coast, according to a locally based citizen action group, the Gulf Restoration Network. The group told Earthjustice that it was going out to investigate by airplane and by boat, but had no further information. Authorities hadn't expected the spill to hit land until later tonight or Friday.

Here is a link for local information, news and photos. The New York Times offers a visual depiction of areas and wildlife most endangered by the spill. The Los Angeles Times put together this snapshot of what's at stake. Earthjustice will provide a daily, updated report on the spill as events progress.

Today, after disclosing that the spill was five times worse than previously reported, the federal government and state of Louisiana both made crisis declarations. The White House dispatched top officials from the Homeland Security Department, Environmental Protection Agency and Interior Department to the Gulf Coast, while Louisiana's governor declared a state of emergency.
 

“The battle to restore a proper relationship between man and his environment, and between man and other living creatures, will require a long sustained political, moral, ethical, and financial commitment far beyond any commitment ever made by any society in the history of man. Are we able? Yes. Are we willing? That’s the unanswered question.” – Gaylord Nelson, founder of Earth Day.

When Earth Day was born 40 years ago, there were “spumes of pollution pouring out of smokestacks, people spraying children in parking lots and at picnics with DDT, air pollution in major cities that was basically unbreathable, rivers catching on fire, lakes dying,” says one of Earth Day’s original organizers, Denis Hayes, in this Washington Post video. “It was just deteriorating very rapidly, but what addressed those problems was a wave of legislation immediately after Earth Day.” (For more on Earth Day’s storied history, read this.)

As we celebrate 40 years of Earth Day, we’re also celebrating 40 years of Earthjustice victories – check out 40 of our favorite victories along with stunning photos in this new slideshow made for Earth Day 2010.

We're also celebrating our army of supporters, activist members, and concerned citizens. We have you to thank for each of these major victories, and the many victories and wins in between.

Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ)

As mother, I try to protect my children from exposure to toxic chemicals in household products. But as an environmental attorney, I know only too well that our country's existing system of regulating chemicals is badly broken.

The same law that allowed asbestos to remain on the market long after it had been proven carcinogenic now has parents doubling as forensic chemists scrambling to keep up with the latest research on health risks posed by the items in their homes.

When it comes to protecting our kids from toxic chemicals, parents need a system that meets us halfway. We need to shift the burden from families to the companies who are manufacturing and distributing the chemicals used in these products.

This week, we are one step closer to that goal, with legislation introduced yesterday by Senator Frank Lautenberg.

While the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency mulls over the 42,000 letters sent from Earthjustice supporters and others who expressed support for safety standards protecting rural kids from pesticides, it's important to remember that pesticides aren't just limited to the fields.

Every spring, pet owners slick the backs of their dogs and cats with over-the-counter treatments designed to keep fleas and ticks at bay. The problem is that these treatments, which are also found stocked on shelves of pet stores nationwide in the spray, collar and shampoo form, contain toxic pesticides. Think of it as your very own bottle-o-poison.

The EPA has been keeping a watchdog's eye on these so-called spot-on treatments due to an increase in incident reports where pets have experienced adverse reactions that range from mild to downright serious.