A widespread toxic algae outbreak has shut down oyster season across the Texas coast and caused health problems for many nearby residents.
New polling results reveal that 84 percent of Florida voters and 92 percent of Panhandle voters support a bill approved by a Senate committee that would ensure that BP oil spill fines are spent on Gulf restoration. The poll also showed 75 percent of Florida voters and 82 percent of Panhandle voters are more likely to support candidates who back the legislation.
The Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force today released its final strategy for long-term ecosystem restoration for the region most affected by the 2009 BP Deepwater Horizon disaster, which sent more than 20 million gallons of oil into the gulf. The announcement follows extensive feedback from citizens throughout the region, and was developed following more than 40 public meetings.
A briefing to discuss efforts to restore ecological and economic vitality to the Gulf of Mexico will be held on Wed., Nov. 16, and will feature a host of panelists and lawmakers from all the states affected by last year’s massive BP oil spill.
According to a plan approved by the Coast Guard and obtained by the Associated Press, BP will no longer be responsible for the cleanup of any oil washing up on Gulf of Mexico shores, unless officials can prove it came from the BP well that blew out in 2010, killing 11 workers and sending more than 20 million gallons of oil into the gulf.
Several reports out today detail the bacterial infection behind a string of dolphin deaths that have occurred since last year’s Gulf of Mexico oil spill. Brucellosis, a bacterial infection, has been identified in at least five of 21 tests of stranded dolphins.
The Obama administration has approved BP’s first plan to drill for oil in the gulf since last year’s Deepwater Horizon disaster, which left 11 dead and damaged the gulf ecosystem and the economies of the states that border it. Representatives for the Gulf Restoration Network say the decision is “problematic,” considering the fact that comprehensive safety legislation has yet to be passed through Congress.
Despite recent reports suggesting the FDA’s screening process for gulf seafood contaminants leaves room for improvement, state officials remain confident in the product’s safety.
Though the state Department of Agriculture has begun ramping up its campaign to educate Floridians about the safety of gulf seafood, some remain unconvinced that it is as safe for consumption as the Food and Drug Administration has claimed.
Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., will accept an award for his conservation efforts at an assembly this Friday in Lake Mary.
rss