BP Oil Spill Live Feed Update: Oil Spill Clean Up Efforts Started in New Orleans
Written by David Delano on Tuesday, July 13th, 2010BP Oil Spill Live Feed Update: Oil Spill Clean Up Efforts Begin in New Orleans, Lake Pontchartrain Under Threat – At a time when A Whale Tanker is doing a successful job at cleaning the oil, strong winds had made it possible for oil residues to get pass by the barge separating the Gulf of Mexico from New Orlean’s Lake Pontchartrain.
Lake Pontchartrain had once been a very polluted river but with successful restoration programs it had been a fishing and tourist habitat once more. Many had feared that the BP Oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico would affect them that is why they lined up a protective line in the Rigolets, which connects the Gulf of Mexico to Lake Pontchartrain.
A possible oil sheen is seen as barges lined up to block oil are seen from the air in The Rigolets, which connects the Gulf of Mexico and Lake Borgne to Lake Pontchartrain, in New Orleans, La., Tuesday, July 6, 2010. Oil from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill has infiltrated Lake Pontchartrain for the first time. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
The lake is about 600-square-miles in total area and the tar balls from the oil leak seems to be small but it got state biologist, Brian Lezina some worries. Initial tests says that there is no oil contamination yet but since strong sea current prevents skimmers from working it would allow further oil being spewed plus it will aid the encroachment of oil into the lake.
Fishing had been closed to some parts of the lake as ordered by state authorities as additional barges had been lined up at bayous and passes to stop additional oil from coming in.
Cleanup also began Tuesday and about 1,700 pounds of oily waste has been collected so far. Additional 9,000 feet of special permeable booms are also planned to be lay outed to further protect the lake.
“So far, this stuff has been offshore for the majority of the population in the southeastern portion of Louisiana,” Anne Rheams, executive director of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, said of the oil spill. “This is bringing it closer to home.”