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• Bryant: $69M more from BP for Gulf restoration

  May 2, 2013 3:14 PM

  JACKSON, Miss. - BP PLC has agreed to pay $69 million more for restoration projects for the Mississippi Gulf Coast following, says Gov. Phil Bryant. The money is part of $1 billion the oil giant agreed two years ago to pay for early restoration work after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon... more »

• Tug captain burned in fire

  March 13, 2013 1:06 AM

  NEW ORLEANS- The Coast Guard released details late Tuesday about a tug fire near Lafitte. The 47-foot tug Shanon E. Settoon collided with a pipeline while pushing an oil barge Tuesday evening. The collision caused a fire. All crew members escaped, but the captain suffered second to third-degree burns... more »

• Tug hits pipeline, erupts into flames

  March 12, 2013 8:51 PM

  LAFITTE- Four people were injured, one severely, when a tugboat collided with a submerged pipeline and burst into flames. WVUE FOX 8 reported Tuesday evening, the tug sank but the barge being towed by it was still floating and remained on fire. The vessel was carrying about 43,000... more »

• Coast Guard: Cause of cruise ship fire was a leak

  February 18, 2013 2:07 PM

  MOBILE, Ala.- A leak in a fuel engine return line is to blame for a fire on the Carnival cruise ship Triumph, that's according to the Coast Guard. The fire paralyzed the ship, leaving it adrift in the Gulf of Mexico until tugboats towed it to Mobile. It... more »

• Coast Guard: Disabled cruise ship is moving again

  February 14, 2013 2:42 PM

  MOBILE, Ala.- A disabled cruise ship in the Gulf of Mexico is moving again toward the Alabama shore, after a towline broke and delayed the ship's slow journey, that's according to Coast Guard officials. A new tugboat has been secured, allowing the Carnival Triumph to continue its way to... more »

• Coast Guard rescues stranded hunter

  January 23, 2013 3:49 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Members of the Cost Guard said a stranded hunter used all the right survival skills to get spotted and rescued today after his boat sank in St. Charles Parish. The Coast Guard spotted a brush fire the hunter used to signal them while they searched Bayou... more »

• Tug boat sinks in Mississippi River Play Video

  January 18, 2013 11:54 AM

  LAPLACE - The Coast Guard says a tug boat carrying 4,000 gallons of diesel and 100 gallons of lube oil sank in the Mississippi River near LaPlace. Petty Officer Alex Washington tells The Times-Picayune no one was on the vessel at the time and no injuries were reported. Washington... more »

• Feds nearing deal with Transocean over Gulf spill

  January 3, 2013 11:06 AM

  NEW ORLEANS- The Justice Department is nearing a $1.4 billion settlement with Transocean Ltd., the owner of the drilling rig that sank after an explosion killed 11 workers and spawned the massive 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Two people with knowledge of the negotiations say Switzerland-based Transocean... more »

• Little time left to head off longshoremen's strike

  December 28, 2012 9:08 AM

  NEW YORK - Commerce could be brought to a near standstill at every major port from Boston to Houston if a walkout by thousands of dockworkers takes place. More than 14,000 longshoremen are threatening to go on strike Sunday - a wide-ranging work stoppage would close cargo ports on... more »

• Tsunami warning lifted for strong Japan earthquake

  December 7, 2012 8:54 AM

  TOKYO - Japan's Meteorological Agency has lifted a tsunami warning for the country's northeastern coast. The warning was issued after a magnitude 7.3 quake struck offshore, swaying buildings across much of Japan. There were no immediate reports of serious damage but several people were reportedly hurt. One coastal... more »

• Bollinger delivers cutter to USCG

  November 22, 2012 2:39 PM

  LOCKPORT- Bollinger Shipyards, Inc. has delivered its fourth, fast response cutter to the U-S Coast Guard. Chris Bollinger, executive vice president of new construction, says the vessel is named after Coast Guard Engineman First Class Robert J. Yered, who exhibited gallantry in action while engaged in military operations with an... more »

• Four burn victims in BR for special treatment

  November 16, 2012 9:41 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Four victims of a oil platform explosion are at a burn unit, getting treatment. The victims were transferred to Baton Rouge General Mid City from a hospital in the New Orleans area Friday evening. The hospital cannot comment specifically on the patients' injuries or care. But,... more »

• Search continues for two missing after platform fire Play Video

  November 16, 2012 10:16 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - The Coast Guard said they are continuing to search for two missing oil platform workers after a cutting torch caused an explosion and fire this morning. Capt. Ed Cubanski told reporters at the noon briefing there were no confirmed deaths. Emergency managers had erroneously reported two... more »

• Judge asked to extend deadline in BP settlement

  November 14, 2012 2:22 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - BP and a team of plaintiffs' attorneys are urging a federal judge to extend a deadline for businesses and individuals to revoke their requests to opt out of a proposed class-action settlement of economic damage claims spawned by the Gulf oil spill. Potential claimants had until Nov.... more »

• Forum: Prepare for Mississippi River changes

  November 12, 2012 10:37 AM

  BATON ROUGE - Speakers at a coastal conference say the mouth of the Mississippi River is moving north, and authorities need to prepare for it. Paul Kemp, vice president of the Louisiana Audubon Society's Gulf Coast Initiative, says the changes present opportunities to get more sediment into eroding coastal... more »

• Recipients picked for BP tourism, seafood grants

  November 7, 2012 3:17 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - More than 100 nonprofit groups and government entities have been picked to get shares of $43.7 million in BP funds to promote the Gulf Coast's tourism and seafood industries following the company's 2010 oil spill. The first round of grants announced Wednesday by court-supervised claims administrator Patrick... more »

• Sandy gains power and aims for Northeast

  October 29, 2012 10:27 AM

  NEW YORK - Hurricane Sandy is gaining strength and has taken a left turn toward the East Coast and its date with two other weather systems. An official with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is calling it "the worst-case scenario." The storm, with tropical storm-force winds extending almost 500... more »

• Hybrid of Sandy, winter storm threatens East Coast

  October 25, 2012 1:20 PM

  WASHINGTON - Government forecasters say a big storm that they're calling "Frankenstorm" is likely to blast most of the U.S. East Coast next week. The storm is an unusual mix of a hurricane and a winter storm. The worst of it could be focused around New York City and New... more »

• BP says old oil from spill exposed by Isaac

  September 5, 2012 3:41 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - BP says Hurricane Isaac's scouring waves exposed deposits of buried tar on the Louisiana coast that were left over from its massive oil spill in 2010. Louisiana officials closed a stretch of beach near Fourchon on Tuesday after scouts said they found large tar mats. BP acknowledged... more »

• Nuclear agency keeping close eye on Isaac

  August 28, 2012 6:28 PM

  WASHINGTON - The Nuclear Regulatory Commission says it is monitoring Hurricane Isaac as it approaches the Gulf Coast. Nuclear power plants in the Southeast have taken precautions such as tying down loose equipment, removing debris that could become airborne in winds of 75 mph or more and topping off... more »

• Hurricane Isaac getting close to shore

  August 28, 2012 6:22 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Hurricane Isaac is getting close the coast of southeast Louisiana and is already bringing storm surge flooding. The U.S. National Hurricane center says the Category 1 hurricane is just 15 miles south-southwest of the mouth of the Mississippi River and is moving northwest near 8 mph.... more »

• TS Helene re-forms in Gulf of Mexico

  August 17, 2012 5:06 PM

  GULF OF MEXICO - The Mexican government issued a tropical storm warning for the coast of Mexico after Air Force hurricane hunters determined that Tropical Storm Helene reformed in the Bay of Campeche today. The storm is headed for the Mexican coast and could be pushed along the coast... more »

• EPA awards La. grant to clean up Gulf 'dead zone'

  August 6, 2012 12:53 PM

  BATON ROUGE - The Environmental Protection Agency awarded a $100,000 grant to Louisiana to help improve conditions in a 'dead zone' off the Gulf coast. The EPA said the zone is an area of low-oxygen water from the mouth of the Mississippi extending west to the upper Texas coast.... more »

• Congress OK's spending BP fines on Gulf

  June 29, 2012 3:53 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Congress has voted to set aside 80 percent of water pollution fines BP PLC is expected to pay for its 2010 oil spill and spend that money on ecosystem and economic restoration in five Gulf states. The House and Senate included the provision in a transportation bill... more »

• The heat remains, all eyes on the Gulf

  June 22, 2012 9:01 AM

  The forecast will remain warm and dry for the next seven days as South Louisiana's weather pattern will continue to be dominated by a large high pressure system centered just off the east coast. This area of high pressure will serve to push temperatures into the low 90s as... more »

• Mississippi mud may be used to stave off erosion

  June 19, 2012 5:12 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - There's mud - lots of it - flowing down the Mississippi River and getting washed out into the Gulf of Mexico every day. Now, in an effort to help stave off the catastrophic loss of the mighty river's threatened delta, the Army Corps of Engineers says it... more »

• Gulfport man gets 12.5 years for oil spill fraud

  June 7, 2012 5:09 PM

  GULFPORT, Miss. - A Gulfport man, identified as the mastermind of a family scheme to illegally obtain about $100,000 in oil spill recovery money, has been sentenced to more than 12 years in prison. The Sun Herald reports U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden sentenced 50-year-old Bobby Earl Keys to 12½... more »

• Study: Job growth if BP fines used for coast

  June 6, 2012 2:42 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A study commissioned by two non-profit groups says thousands of jobs would be created along the Gulf Coast if money from BP oil spill penalties and other sources is dedicated to coastal restoration. The report by the research firm Mather Economics comes as Gulf interests press Congress... more »

• Beryl threatens rain, winds on southeast US coast

  May 27, 2012 12:05 PM

  SAVANNAH, Ga.- Campers at a barrier island on the Georgia coast are being told to leave by the afternoon as subtropical storm Beryl rumbles toward the U.S. Cumberland Island is reachable only by boat and has a number of undeveloped beaches and forests popular with campers. Fred Boyles is superintendent... more »

• Earthquake rocks Mexico City

  May 1, 2012 12:30 PM

  MEXICO CITY - A moderate earthquake off the coast of Baja California swayed buildings in Mexico City Tuesday. Mexico City's mayor says there were no immediate reports of damage in the capital. The U.S. Geological Survey says the 5.0 quake was centered 114 miles off the coast of Cabo... more »

• Halliburton objects to Gulf spill settlement

  April 24, 2012 10:02 PM

  Cement contractor Halliburton is objecting to a proposed $7.8 billion settlement between BP and a plaintiffs group representing more than 100,000 victims of the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Halliburton said in a filing in federal court in New Orleans late Tuesday the settlement improperly seeks to... more »

• Bodies of 2 missing crew found after chopper crash

  March 2, 2012 6:34 AM

  MOBILE, Ala. - U.S. Coast Guard officials say they've recovered the bodies of two crewmen who had been missing since a helicopter crashed in Mobile Bay in Alabama. Authorities say searchers recovered the remains of Lt. Cmdr. Dale Taylor of Snow Hill, N.C.; and Lt. j.g. Thomas Cameron of Portland,... more »

• 1 dead after Coast Guard helicopter crash in Ala.

  February 29, 2012 3:40 AM

  MOBILE, Ala. - The U.S. Coast Guard says one crewmember is dead and three others remain missing following a helicopter crash in Alabama during a training mission. Spokeswoman Petty Officer 2nd Class Elizabeth Bordelon says an MH-65C helicopter crashed Tuesday evening in Mobile Bay, near Point Clear, Ala. The Coast... more »

• Coast Guard: Tank barge emptied, moved after wreck

  February 21, 2012 7:51 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - The Coast Guard says a tank barge involved in a collision on the Mississippi River has been emptied and moved to a repair facility in Westwego. The Coast Guard estimates that less than 10,000 gallons of oil spilled into the river after the barge pushed by the... more »

• House sets aside Gulf oil spill fines for coast

  February 17, 2012 5:45 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - The U.S. House has approved setting aside 80 percent of fines from the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill for environmental restoration work on the Gulf Coast. Late Thursday, the House voted to add an amendment setting aside 80 percent of the fines to the Gulf Coast.... more »

• Low-lying La. prepares for sea level rise

  February 7, 2012 8:41 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - A new state report predicts that Louisiana's coast will see 3 feet of sea-level rise by 2100 and recommends that future designs for such things as levees and roads to take sea-level rise into account. The Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority issued the technical report on Monday... more »

• La. coast prepares for sea level rise

  February 7, 2012 6:44 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - A new state report predicts that Louisiana's coast will see 3 feet of sea-level rise by 2100 and recommends that future designs for levees and roads take sea-level rise into account. The Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority issued the technical report on Monday and opened up a... more »

• La. oil workers missing off stormy Mexico coast

  September 9, 2011 1:55 PM

  MEXICO CITY - Mexico's state oil company says it is searching for 10 workers who were evacuated from a platform in the Gulf of Mexico ahead of Tropical Storm Nate. Four of the workers, who are employed by Houston-based Geokinetics Inc., are from New Iberia. Randy Reed, president... more »

• BP clearing tar balls dumped on Ala. shore by Lee

  September 7, 2011 2:17 PM

  GULF SHORES, Ala. - BP workers used fishing nets to scoop tar balls off Alabama's Gulf Coast beaches Wednesday after the white sands were fouled by gooey, dark gobs churned up by heavy surf from tropical system Lee. Both the company and area officials said it would be days... more »

• Potential storm forming in the Gulf

  August 31, 2011 3:39 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Early this afternoon, a cluster of showers and thunderstorms over the Northwestern Caribbean showed preliminary characteristics for tropical development. Currently the National Hurricane Center has a 30% chance of development over the next 2 days. It is moving to the Northwest, and will enter the... more »

• Dokka, pioneering Louisiana scientist, dies

  August 3, 2011 6:22 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A Louisiana State University geologist who shed light on how forces deep under the ground are behind coastal Louisiana's land loss and sinking has died. LSU officials confirmed that Roy Dokka died Monday. He was 59. Dokka was known for questioning the science underpinning much... more »

• Coastal protection official blames Corps for wetlands loss

  July 18, 2011 5:33 PM

  BATON ROUGE- The governor's point man on coastal protection issues says 1,900 square miles of coast have been lost in Louisiana since 1930. Coastal Protection and Restoration Chair Garret Graves says the problems are only going to get worse unless fundamental changes are made to the Army Corps of... more »

• Experts predict Gulf 'dead zone' growth

  July 18, 2011 3:02 AM

  COLLEGE STATION, Texas- Texas A&M oceanographers say they expect the 3,800-square-mile "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico to expand because of floodwaters flowing from the Mississippi River. The zone is now the size of Rhode Island and Delaware combined. It's where the Gulf waters off the Southeastern Louisiana and... more »

• Suspect arrested in priest's murder

  July 12, 2011 9:52 AM

  WAVELAND, Miss. - Waveland police say a suspect has been arrested in Polk County, Fla., in the death of a Catholic priest from Louisiana whose body was found a beachfront home. Police Chief James Varnell said the suspect was arrested around 6 a.m. Tuesday. Media outlets in Mississippi are... more »

• Feds eye tougher measures to protect sea turtles

  June 24, 2011 3:11 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Federal regulators say they're considering new restrictions on Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Coast shrimpers because of the damage the industry is causing to threatened and endangered sea turtles. The regulatory move by the National Marine Fisheries Service signals the next stage in a growing fight... more »

• USGS maps 1,883 square miles of lost coast in La.

  June 3, 2011 3:09 AM

  NEW ORLEANS- The U.S. Geological Survey says it has mapped 1,883 square miles of land loss in coastal Louisiana since 1932, a figure lower than previous estimates. The agency says land loss rates have slowed from an average of more than 30 square miles per year between 1956 and 1978.... more »

• Shareholders approve Hancock buyout of Whitney

  April 29, 2011 2:06 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Hancock Holding Co.'s proposed acquisition of Gulf Coast banking rival Whitney Holding Corp. was approved Friday by shareholders of both companies. In a joint statement, the two companies said the deal was backed by 98.4 percent of Hancock's shareholders and 98.7 percent of Whitney's common shareholders.... more »

• Claims deadline Wednesday

  April 19, 2011 5:56 PM

  New Orleans- Attorneys are concerned some people affected by the gulf oil spill could miss an important deadline. Wednesday is the last day to file suit against Transocean, the owner of the Deepwater Horizon rig. Attorney Damon Kirin says people may miss out on compensation they are eligible for... more »

• 8 months after spill, oil found on dead dolphin

  April 7, 2011 3:35 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says that eight months after the Deepwater Horizon oil well was capped, dolphins are washing ashore in east Louisiana with some oil from that spilled on their bodies. Spokeswoman Kim Amendola says the dolphins had spots of weathered oil. ... more »

• Hard winter for manatees, as well as dolphins

  March 2, 2011 2:00 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - The nationwide winter cold wave has taken a toll on one of the Gulf Coast's most interesting creatures - the gentle, half-ton aquatic mammal believed to have inspired legends about mermaids. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission data show that Florida manatees have died in near-record... more »

• Projected Gulf coastal land loss dramatic

  March 2, 2011 1:55 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Scientists and others say that without action to protect and restore Louisiana's coast, the Gulf of Mexico will cover large chunks of coastal parishes in 90 years. America's Wetland Foundation and other sponsors released a report Tuesday from the Deltas 2010 World Dialogues conference, which brought... more »

• More dead dolphins found along Gulf Coast

  February 25, 2011 2:44 PM

  NEW ORLEANS- The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says the number of dead dolphins found since Jan. 1 in the area affected by last year's oil spill is now 67, with 35 of them premature or newborn calves. NOAA regional spokeswoman Kim Amendola says five dead calves were reported... more »

• No new beach cleaning needed on Gulf, feds say

  February 11, 2011 5:08 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - The Coast Guard says the cleanup of oiled beaches along the Gulf of Mexico has reached a point where crews, heavy equipment and thorough scrubbing can cause more damage to the ecosystem than leaving what oil is left alone. A Coast Guard report released Friday says... more »

• Many in Grand Isle leery of Feinberg's recovery claims

  February 2, 2011 11:02 PM

  GRAND ISLE - People on Grand Isle are still waiting for their BP checks to come in. They are leery of claims administrator Ken Feinberg's claim that the recovery process will be over in three years. Sarah's Restaurant on the island has lost more than $150,000, but has only gotten... more »

• 91,000 Gulf oil spill claims, just one final payment

  January 31, 2011 2:52 PM

  OCEAN SPRINGS, Miss. - Thousands of people and businesses are awaiting final settlement payments from BP's Gulf of Mexico oil spill compensation fund, but records show that only one has been paid - after BP intervened. The Gulf Coast Claims Facility was set up in August to independently administer BP's... more »

• Judge defends spill decision that miffed AG Caldwell

  January 28, 2011 11:09 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge is defending his decision to appoint Alabama's newly elected attorney general to coordinate all states' interests in the litigation spawned by the Deepwater Horizon explosion that led to the Gulf oil spill. U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier said in court Friday that his appointment... more »

• Potential scams top 7,000 in BP spill compensation

  January 27, 2011 5:03 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - The administrator of a $20 billion fund responsible for compensating victims of BP's Gulf of Mexico oil spill says he has received more than 7,000 potentially fraudulent claims. Attorney Kenneth Feinberg told a Senate panel in Washington on Thursday that 7,575 claims have been deemed to be... more »

• $2.6M deal to settle FEMA mobile home claims

  January 21, 2011 5:40 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Companies that manufactured mobile homes for FEMA after Hurricane Katrina have agreed to pay $2.6 million to resolve thousands of claims the temporary shelters exposed Gulf Coast storm victims to potentially dangerous fumes. Attorneys for plaintiffs and roughly two dozen mobile home makers and their subsidiaries on... more »

• Testing of key oil spill evidence delayed again

  January 21, 2011 4:20 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - Forensic testing of a key piece of evidence in the Gulf oil spill investigation could take twice as long as expected. An investigator with the U.S. Chemical Safety Board - one of the groups monitoring the testing - said Friday his agency has been advised the examination... more »

• BP oil spill claims czar returns to Gulf Coast

  January 17, 2011 1:49 PM

  BAYOU LA BATRE, Ala. - The administrator of BP's $20 billion oil spill claims fund returns to the Gulf Coast this week amid increasing complaints that the program is failing to compensate many in need. Attorney Kenneth Feinberg will meet Tuesday with residents, business owners and fishermen in Bayou La... more »

• Panel: Massive oil spill could happen again

  January 5, 2011 4:48 PM

  WASHINGTON - The presidential panel investigating the BP oil well blowout says that a series of risky decisions that saved time and money caused the disaster - and the incident could happen again without significant reforms. That conclusion is the final word on what led to the massive Gulf oil... more »

• Transocean ordered to turn over safety records

  December 17, 2010 11:51 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge has ordered Transocean Ltd. to turn over a batch of safety records to a government panel probing the deadly rig explosion that spawned the massive Gulf oil spill. The company that owned the ill-fated Deepwater Horizon rig had balked at providing safety records for... more »

• Justice Department sues BP, others over Gulf oil spill

  December 15, 2010 1:14 PM

  WASHINGTON - The Justice Department has sued BP Exploration and Production Inc. and eight other companies in the Gulf oil spill disaster in an effort to recover billions of dollars from the largest offshore oil spill in U.S. history. The Obama administration's lawsuit asks that eight companies be held liable... more »

• Master of fishing boat missing in Gulf of Mexico

  December 13, 2010 6:49 PM

  WHITE LAKE - The Coast Guard is searching for a 49-year-old fishing boat master about 3 miles offshore from the Louisiana coast in the Gulf of Mexico. The fisherman was the master of the 85-foot Miss Carol. The Coast Guard says the master was last seen at about 12 a.m.... more »

• Three hurt in explosion on rig during welding

  December 1, 2010 11:30 AM

  JEAN LAFITTE, LA. (AP) - Three men were burned in an explosion and fire on a workover rig south of New Orleans. All three apparently are going to Baton Rouge General Medical Center's burn unit. They went first to West Jefferson Medical Center. Spokeswoman Taslin Alfonzo says one was going... more »

• Bringing celebrity chefs to tout Gulf seafood

  November 28, 2010 11:33 AM

  NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Drew Nieporent, the New York City restaurant mogul whose Myriad Restaurant Group owns eight world-renowned dining spots, recently spent a few days enjoying a Louisiana fishing trip followed by seafood at some of New Orleans' top restaurants. The trip certainly gave Nieporent a great time. Tourism... more »

• Gulf Coast hopes for post-spill boom from retirees

  November 25, 2010 11:36 AM

  ORANGE BEACH, Ala. - For all the oil spill claims and cleanup work by BP, retirees from the North may be the best survival bet for some Gulf Coast resort towns this winter. After a disastrous summer tourism season and a slower-than-normal fall, Northern and Midwestern visitors known as "snowbirds"... more »

• E-mails show struggle to guess size of Gulf oil spill

  November 25, 2010 11:16 AM

  WASHINGTON - A review of thousands of government e-mails from last summer shows that the Obama administration struggled behind the scenes to determine just how much oil was leaking into the Gulf of Mexico from a broken BP well. The e-mails, obtained by The Associated Press through a Freedom of... more »

• The Food Channel celebrates a Gulf Coast Thanksgiving

  November 24, 2010 7:25 PM

  The Food Channel is giving thanks that the Gulf Coast is recovering from its latest disasters by putting together a Gulf Coast Thanksgiving feast. To see all the recipes and learn how to make them from start to finish, visit their website . more »

• Gulf spill fund gets flood of last-minute claims

  November 24, 2010 11:08 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - The administrator of a $20 billion fund set up to pay for damages from the Gulf oil spill says he received a flood of last-minute emergency claims before a key deadline ended. Kenneth Feinberg said Wednesday that most of those claims likely will be denied because there... more »

• Feds: Oil dispersant worked better than thought

  November 23, 2010 2:00 PM

  WASHINGTON - The federal government now figures that oil dispersants did a better job of breaking up the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico than it first calculated. A new analysis released Tuesday says the controversial chemicals helped break up about 32 million gallons of oil - about... more »

• Experts disagree on safety of Gulf seafood

  November 19, 2010 2:43 PM

  CHARLESTON, S.C. - Experts at an international conference disagreed Friday on whether it's safe to eat seafood from the Gulf of Mexico after the oil spill earlier this year. The government says Gulf seafood is safe to eat. However, Ed Cake, president of Gulf Environmental Associates in Ocean Springs, Miss.,... more »

• Federal waters reopened after Gulf oil spill

  November 15, 2010 3:11 PM

  NEW ORLEANS – The federal government is allowing commercial and recreational fishers back into more than 8,400 square miles of Gulf waters that had been closed after the BP oil spill. The area extends from the Louisiana state water line to due south of the Alabama and Florida state line,... more »

• Jefferson Parish: spill boom anchors dangerous

  November 13, 2010 10:53 AM

  GRETNA - The Jefferson Parish Council says hundreds of 80-pound anchors that once kept oil containment boom in place are now navigation hazards. It wants BP to remove them. Councilman Chris Roberts tells The Times-Picayune of New Orleans that some BP contractors removed boom by cutting it away from the... more »

• Woman who helped spill response goes to D.C.

  November 13, 2010 10:47 AM

  HOUMA - A Terrebonne Parish woman who served as a go-between during the Gulf of Mexico oil spill - aiding communications among fishermen, BP and government agencies - is back from a trip to Washington, where she shared her experiences. Julie Falgout, wife of former shrimp boat captain Dean Falgout,... more »

• 17 families get extra time in FEMA trailers

  November 12, 2010 11:45 AM

  GALVESTON, Tx - The City Council approved a plan that allows 17 families still living in government-provided mobile homes since 2008's Hurricane Ike to stay in the temporary housing. The trailers will be handed over to a non-profit group who will be responsible for the management of the group of... more »

• Rig owner complains of BOP delays

  November 10, 2010 2:10 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - The owner of the rig that exploded in the Gulf of Mexico has told federal investigators that the now infamous blowout preventer is in danger of corroding and its value as a key piece of evidence may be compromised. Transocean lawyer Steven Roberts says in a letter... more »

• Temporary sand berms could become permanent

  November 4, 2010 10:40 AM

  BATON ROUGE- Governor Bobby Jindal announced this week that the state would use $100 million to convert temporary sand berms into permanent barrier islands, which scientists say could turn into a silver lining from the Gulf oil spill. Jindal wants to pump more sand onto the berms and add... more »

• Number of people denied BP money up sharply

  November 1, 2010 3:54 PM

  OCEAN SPRINGS, Miss. - BP's claims chief says the number of residents being denied compensation for the Gulf of Mexico oil spill is rising sharply because of a flood of new claims without proper documentation or with no proof at all. Some 20,000 people have been told they have no... more »

• Security zone put in place around Deepwater Horizon

  October 27, 2010 3:35 PM

  Federal authorities have ordered a security zone be created around the Deepwater Horizon’s wreckage in order to protect any evidence that may still be near the blown well. The zone extends 750 feet in all directions from the wreckage site and its debris field, and companies that could enter the... more »

• DHH reopens Terrebonne oyster harvesting area

  October 14, 2010 4:46 PM

  Louisiana health officials are reopening an oyster harvesting area in Terrebonne Parish, after it was closed in response to the Gulf oil spill. The Department of Health and Hospitals announced today that oyster harvesting Area 19 is being reopened just before sunrise Friday, after it had been deemed safe by... more »

• Nungesser: Fight continues with BP, Coast Guard

  October 11, 2010 5:33 PM

  Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser said local officials continue to regularly fight with U.S. Coast Guard officials and BP representatives about the response to the Gulf oil spill. Nungesser said oil continues to appear in the marshland and on the shores of his parish. However, Nungesser said Monday he's concerned... more »

• Blowout preventer testing not started

  October 6, 2010 5:27 PM

  A Coast Guard official tells The Associated Press that the 300-ton device that failed to stop the massive Gulf of Mexico oil spill has not been analyzed a month after it was raised from the seafloor. NASA says the blowout preventer is on shore and at its facility in New... more »

• Panel: Government held back oil spill worst-case scenario

  October 6, 2010 11:53 AM

  The White House blocked efforts by federal scientists to tell the public just how bad the Gulf oil spill could have been. That finding comes from a panel appointed by President Barack Obama to investigate the worst offshore oil spill in history. In documents released Wednesday, the national oil spill... more »