Oil plume approaches Mobile Bay

Scientists from the University of South Florida have discovered a major underwater oil plume in the Gulf. The researchers estimate the plume is 22 miles long and 6 miles wide with its thickest concentrations found more than 1000 feet below the water's surface.

Gulf Coast environmental advocacy group Mobile Baykeeper is preparing equipment, volunteers and resources to tackle the massive oil plume headed for the coast of Alabama. Mobile Baykeeper Executive Director Casi Callaway spoke to FSRN earlier today:

"We need actual people on the ground - working, looking, watching, and protecting us. We need more monitoring equipment. We need to know when it is, where it is at all times. And then frankly, we've got to know the plan for sucking oil off the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico. Is that even possible? How can that be done?"

Callaway says the use of dispersants contributes to the higher concentration of oil below the surface, complicates clean up and increases the toxicity of the massive spill. She'd like to see the federal government take a stronger stance in this regard.

"I'm fine with the fact that the EPA is the only one qualified to stop the hole in the middle of the Gulf gushing oil.  I'm not qualified for that. But what I know is that the Environmental Protection Agency needs to protect the environment.  If they say you can't use toxic dispersants then BP should listen to them and not use the toxic dispersants. So, I think the weight of the Federal Government has to be brought to bear. If the President said that and the President is in charge, then no more toxic dispersants, period. That should have been accepted without question."

Casi Callaway also expressed frustration over the lack of cooperation between government officials and committed local volunteers.

"Citizen organizations have fought and fought to get the state and federal governments to allow a volunteer program.  We started getting volunteer calls on April 28th. We started asking for the volunteer plan on April 30th. We got something that was completely uneventful, to put it politely, by the end of the first week of May and it's been a mess. It's been a disorganized mess and its only gotten as far as it has because of the drive of local people. It's been the drive of citizens who want to see more done as a pose to coming from an agency. They're kind of in the 'this is our job' phase as a pose to this is our life."

Two days after the start of an operation to try to plug the gushing well with thick drilling mud, the outcome is still unclear. BP has indicated another 48 hours will be necessary to determine the success - or lack thereof - in stopping the flow of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.