Gainesville Weather
September 06, 2010
Environmental groups renew energy calls
When the Mariner oil rig caught fire last week, it sent chills through many people in Florida—who had just gone through a summer of millions of gallons of oils spewing from the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster. The Florida Chapter of the Sierra Club says the latest blow out should be a sign to Washington that it needs to get back to work on oil industry safety measures.
August 13, 2010
Task force taking a legal look at oil
One branch of the University of Florida Oil Spill Task Force is diving in to the present and future policy towards the oil spill by looking to the floor of the legislature. University of Florida Law Professor Jon Mills says they need to clearly outline policy in to the future so they can prevent the confusion raised with so many unanswered questions.
August 11, 2010
Depression halts relief efforts
What forecasters believed would soon develop into Tropical Storm Danielle has now weakened slightly— but it has the potential to strengthen once again. The system is heading for the Gulf oil spill site and has brought relief efforts there to a halt, with only 30 feet of drilling left before the relief well meets the broken one.
Tropical Depression 5 Causes Delays
BP and Coast Guard Officials have stopped drilling on a relief well in the Gulf as Tropical Depression 5 forms and is projected to head over the oil spill site off Louisiana. The government’s point man for the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico says crews drilling a relief well to permanently stop the oil will suspend their work until storms pass. Retired Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen says the suspension could delay completion of the relief well by two or three days.
August 09, 2010
Blue crab may be key to slick spread
They dwell along the ocean shore, and now scientists are wondering if they hold the key to finding out just how much oil is still in the Gulf. Mote Marine Laboratory Scientist Jim Culter says using blue crab, especially at the larval stage to study the remaining spread of oil may not be the most accurate measure, but it does provide some insight.
August 06, 2010
Task force research is long term
Although containment efforts in the Gulf continue to move closer to a permanent cap, research in to the long term effects of the spill are just beginning . Florida Sea Grant Program Associate Director Mike Spranger says they will be looking into related problems for years to come.
August 04, 2010
Concerned scientists discuss oil
Although oil is no longer leaking from the Deepwater Horizon well, scientists are still concerned about the affects the spilled oil can have on various habitats within the Keys. A conference dedicated to the research efforts will be held.
More waters open to fishing
The Florida Fish and Wildlife conservation commission continues to be one of the many state agencies monitoring oil from the deepwater horizon disaster and where it’s going. Spokesman Henry Cabbage says right now waters closed to fishing include a section of the federal waters of the gulf from the Alabama border to Cape San Blas in Gulf county.
August 02, 2010
Seafood prices will continue to rise due to the Oil spill in the Gulf
Although BP engineers will begin planning for a permenant cap on the leaking oil well in the Gulf today and more waters continue to open to fishing, high seafood prices are not going anywhere anytime soon. Local Markets have not noticed a change in the quality of seafood since the spill, however, Ward’s Supermarket Meat Manager David Dyess (dice) says they have seen a change in cost.
Fishing industry suffers from the spill
The oil leak may be holding under a temporary cap, but people’s distrust is still spewing- and it has hurt many industries. Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson says the seafood industry has been especially hard hit, which is striking considering the amount of prevention they are using.
Visit the UF Office of Research
- Environmental groups renew energy calls
- Questions remain over just how much oil remains in the Gulf
- Researchers continue to find oil under Gulf waters
- Researchers are finding underwater oil offshore Panama City
- Closed shrimp-harvesting area in Escambia County reopens
- First Family vacations in Florida Panhandle to aid floundering tourism industry
- $3 million dollar contribution from BP scheduled to fund behavioral health services
- Coral reefs remain at risk from BP oil spill and global warming
- FWC ends relocation of sea turtle eggs in Franklin, Gulf counties
- Florida Department of Health establishes long-term oil impact health advisory guidance for counties