Levels of Impact

The oil reservoir, upon which the Deepwater Horizon was drilling, according to BP Chief Executive Tony Heyward, holds approximately 21 billion gallons of oil. At the peak of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the gusher’s flow was estimated at some 35,000 to 60,000 barrels of crude oil daily, with the resulting oil slick covering an area of at least 2,500 square miles. The spill has been capped by BP for the time being, but with scientists having reported immense underwater plumes of dissolved oil not visible at the surface and with hurricane season now upon us, the oil from the BP spill could continue to spread across the Gulf, reaching communities along the entire length of Florida’s coastlines for months — or even years to come.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is predicting winds to push oil into the Florida panhandle west of Pensacola. As of July 7, 2010, Oil Impact Notices have been posted in Escambia, Walton, and Okaloosa Counties, in addition to Brackin Wayside Park, Henderson Park Beach, and James Lee Park. Tar balls, tar patties and sheen have been reported in Northwest Florida. Protective booming, staging, and boom maintenance is being conducted along the coast of Florida from Escambia to Franklin. Tar balls have washed ashore in Brevard County, Florida (eastern coast), although the source of the tar balls are currently unknown.

A SERT (Florida State Emergency Response Team) Toxicological Data Analysis Cell is providing consistent scientific assessments of collected sampling to allow for informed local/state decision making.