The water in the north of the Gulf of Mexico has been darkened with the oil spilled from the Deepwater Horizon fire nearly one year ago, but luckily no evidence of the oil has been located in Florida Keys waters.
This is great news for these coastal islands, which were dealt a hard ball to their tourism industry in the washout of the fire on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig and preceding oil spill of nearly 5,000,000 barrels of oil.
To remember the occasion, a group of environmentalists plan what they have named a "a street-theater-style mock oil spill … a Hands Across Sands-style event" with talks and a vocal drive aiming to ban offshore drilling. The Group will start their drive from 4 to 5 p.m. April 20 at Higgs Beach, in Key West.
US Marine scientists still continue to test and monitor gulf waters for long-term effects of the crude oil that spewed up from a mile under the water for over 87 days last year.
Ever since the event, the U.S. Coast Guard in Key West has sent from 80 to 100 samples of tar balls and oil found in Keys waters and shores to its testing laboratory in Connecticut.
They are testing for distinctive chemical signature's to match against the Deepwater Horizon oil. However it is reported that most appeared to come from illegal dumping, like a ship's bilge being pumped overboard, or from a long-sunken ship.
Nine deceased dolphins located since November had been contaminated with oil, with BP oil confirmed on six of those. Though, marine-mammal experts said more testing is required to ascertain whether the oil played a role in the deaths of the dolphins.