10/01/05
The federal coordinator for the oil- spill recovery effort following Hurricane Katrina said Friday that several more weeks will be needed to clean up affected areas.
An estimated 190,000 barrels of oil were released into the environment -- the largest spill being an estimated 3.78 million gallons released at Bass Enterprises South, a Plaquemines Parish facility run by the Bass family of Fort Worth, Texas. At that facility, storage tanks shifted and ruptured, releasing oil.
Even with such large numbers, U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Frank Paskewich said Louisiana was fortunate. "The majority of these spills were well-contained," he said.
Of the 190,000 barrels spilled, 65,000 barrels have been recovered so far, Paskewich said.
An estimated 70,000 barrels have dispersed or evaporated, he said, and 55,000 barrels of oil remain to be cleaned up.
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