Oil spill: 'The coast is clear'

Federal officials announced today that the worst may be over for Florida's coastline.

In a press release issued by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, Jane Lubchenco, Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator, said that surface oil is no longer a threat, though Florida's beaches may continue to see the effects of submerged oil for some time.

“For southern Florida, the Florida Keys and the Eastern Seaboard, the coast remains clear,” said Lubchenco.  “With the flow stopped and the loop current a considerable distance away, the light sheen remaining on the Gulf’s surface will continue to biodegrade and disperse, but will not travel far.”

For more on this story, check out the Aug. 5 edition of the Navarre Press or subscribe online.