Texas

Energy and Environment Reporting for Texas

Here’s What The Galveston Bay Oil Spill Looks Like

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.

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