A grave oil spill took place in the Gulf of Mexico, involving the release of 1.1 million gallons of toxic oil.
Major Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico
This oil spill took place after a pipeline nearby leaked over roughly a million gallons of oil. More specifically, toxic black petroleum was leaked. Federal officials think that this number could actually be higher.
The incident was identified by the US Coast Guard on Friday. They determined this week that the spill came from a pipeline spanning 67 miles off the southeast coast of Louisiana. This region houses the most endangered sea turtles and a whale group consisting of less than a hundred whales.
The exact time when the oil spill began was not specified. However, according to officials, the pipeline was closed at 6:30 a.m. on Thursday. The pipeline was found to belong to Main Pass Oil Gathering (MPOG), based in Texas.
The specific source has not been confirmed yet. Nevertheless, officials think that the oil spill came from an operation owned by JPMorgan. According to Tyson Solcum, who serves as the energy program director of Public System, the control of JPMorgan over a company linked to a serious oil spill shows the clear dangers of banks exercising ownership over energy firms.
Plaquemines Parish authorities explained last weekend that they have been monitoring the case. However, they have not released any new updates.
With this event, environmental groups are urging the Biden Administration to adhere to the wake-up call of the dangers that come with allowing oil companies to bring their strong footprint over coastal waters.
While the amount of oil leaked into the Gulf is massive, it does not go beyond the quantities leaked during the 2010 BP oil disaster. During this event, 134 million gallons ended up being released as an oil rig explosion took place.
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Endangered Species Threatened Further
In the last 50 years, over 44 oil spills have led to the discharge of over 420,000 gallons for each spill in US waters.
The Center for Biological Diversity, a nonprofit organization that focuses on the protection of endangered species, shares that from birds to dolphins to rare whales, animals in the Gulf are under attack after an industry prone to spilling prioritizes profit over other things.
The Gulf of Mexico houses several endangered animals, including the most endangered sea turtle in the world, the Kemp's ridley sea turtle. This endangered species only has a population that does not reach 10,000.
Sperm whales also dwell in the Gulf. Their population roughly lies at 300,000, which is a significant plummet following the height of the whaling industry during the 18th century. Before this time, there were around 1.1 million sperm whales.
The Rice's whale also lives in the Gulf. This species was identified recently, in 2021. It was found that less than a hundred of them lived in the Gulf.
The oil has not reached the shore. However, its wildlife effects are still an object of study. According to an official from the US Fish and Wildlife Service, two oily pelicans were spotted off the coast of Louisiana. These two pelicans were observed to still be active and have the capacity to fly.
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