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Could Oil Spill Reach Space Coast Beaches?

April 30, 2010 Some oceanographers say oil could eventually reach Florida's Space Coast after drifting through the Gulf of Mexico. Scientists are monitoring the huge oil slick caused by an accident on an oil rig off the coast of Louisiana last week.

The Deepwater Horizon oil rig is dumping thousands of barrels of oil into Gulf waters.  University of Miami Oceanographer John Van Leer says beaches on the Florida Panhandle are at risk because to their close proximity to the rig, but he says currents could bring the oil all the way around the peninsula to the Atlantic coast.

“The length of time that the spill occurs is going to make a big difference on how many beaches get oil in the Gulf and what the chances are that oil will get through the Straits of Florida to the east coast of Florida,” he said.

The Coast Guard and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection are preparing to place oil containment booms near Pensacola to try to stop the oil from coming ashore this weekend.

 

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