Large amounts of oil began to wash up on Mississippi’s shores for the first time on Sunday, reported South Mississippi’s local newspaper the Biloxi-Gulfport Sun Herald.
In Jackson County, on the Mississippi coast, “weathered oil” washed onto its beaches. Tar balls and oil were also discovered along the beaches of Pascagoula and Biloxi, both coastal Mississippi cities. In addition, oil was spotted in state waters, prompting the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources to close most of the waters. “This precautionary closure is a result of oil sightings in this general area and the potential impacts on Mississippi’s coastal marine resources,” said the department in an official statement. No fishing is allowed, including catch and release fishing.
Gov. Haley Barbour said in a statement reported by the Sun Herald, “The amount of oil moving into Mississippi waters has greatly increased in the last several days, and the prevailing winds that cause the oil and its residue to move in our direction are predicted to continue — at least until the middle of the week.”
Mississippi is currently building a total of 23 skimmers to clean up the oil. The first one will be ready for use by July 5 and all boats will be completed by Aug. 1, the state’s Department of Environmental Quality announced on Saturday.
Last Thursday, the Associated Press reported that large patches of oil were discovered floating in the Mississippi Sound, worrying local residents.
Mississippi was previously spared a heavy impact from the Gulf oil spill, in comparison to the thick oil washing up on neighboring states Alabama, Louisiana, and Florida. However, recent developments indicate that Mississippi may also suffer from the oil spill disaster.
In Jackson County, on the Mississippi coast, “weathered oil” washed onto its beaches. Tar balls and oil were also discovered along the beaches of Pascagoula and Biloxi, both coastal Mississippi cities. In addition, oil was spotted in state waters, prompting the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources to close most of the waters. “This precautionary closure is a result of oil sightings in this general area and the potential impacts on Mississippi’s coastal marine resources,” said the department in an official statement. No fishing is allowed, including catch and release fishing.
Gov. Haley Barbour said in a statement reported by the Sun Herald, “The amount of oil moving into Mississippi waters has greatly increased in the last several days, and the prevailing winds that cause the oil and its residue to move in our direction are predicted to continue — at least until the middle of the week.”
Mississippi is currently building a total of 23 skimmers to clean up the oil. The first one will be ready for use by July 5 and all boats will be completed by Aug. 1, the state’s Department of Environmental Quality announced on Saturday.
Last Thursday, the Associated Press reported that large patches of oil were discovered floating in the Mississippi Sound, worrying local residents.
Mississippi was previously spared a heavy impact from the Gulf oil spill, in comparison to the thick oil washing up on neighboring states Alabama, Louisiana, and Florida. However, recent developments indicate that Mississippi may also suffer from the oil spill disaster.
