Here’s What The Galveston Bay Oil Spill Looks Like
-
- Crews of workers line the Galveston coast in an attempt to contain the 168,000 gallon oil spill from Saturday.
-
- Many fear that because the recent oil spill occurred in open water, the incident will have a greater impact than the 2010 BP spill.
-
- A worker places oil absorbent snares on the beach on the east end of Galveston Island
-
- Oil-coated trash litters the disaster-stricken coast. The highly pollutant oil — bunker fuel — poses severe risks for coastal wildlife.
-
- As of Tuesday morning, TPWD reports that eight birds have been captured for treatment and 10 birds have been found dead.
-
- Organizations such as the Houston Audubon Society search for and treat birds affected by the spill.
-
- Responders load hundreds of feet of boom onto vessels.
-
- An oil-soaked containment boom lies on the beach. More than 35,000 feet of boom has been deployed in response to the spill.
-
- An aerial view of cleanup operations in the Houston Channel.
Responders are scrambling to contain the slimy mess left by an oil spill in Galveston Bay.
After a barge carrying tar-like heavy fuel collided with a vessel in the Houston Ship Channel on Saturday, cargo exports and imports have been put on hold. That’s raised concerns about the impact on Texas’ oil-dependent economy. The Coast Guard says parts of the channel have been re-opened to limited traffic, but the spill is also expected to have an environmental toll.
Texas Parks and Wildlife personnel report that the spill occurred at a particularly bad time for Gulf wildlife – birds, specifically. As of Tuesday morning, the department says eight birds have been captured for treatment, and 10 birds have been found dead covered in the oil.
Video:
TPWD are searching the coast for affected birds and other wildlife. They say birds have been the only species harmed in the spill so far, but they expect the long-term impact on the Bay to be severe.
