Tag Archives: Deepwater Horizon oil spill

Coral reefs remain at risk from BP oil spill and global warming (08/16/2010)

August 16, 2010NewsBP oil spill, Deepwater Horizon oil spill, Donna Green-Townsend, Florida Museum of Natural History, Gustav Paulay, oil spill and coral reefsDonna Green-Townsend

Aired on WUFT on August 16th, 2010

The Obama administration will no longer allow new deep water drilling projects to go forward without environmental reviews, as happened with BP’s Deepwater Horizon. The administration announced the new policy today (Monday) after the White House Council on Environmental Quality reported that BP got environmental exemptions based on decades-old data. Shallow-water drilling will also be subjected to stricter environmental scrutiny under the new policy.

Tar balls continue to wash up on Gulf shores despite the positive spin the President tried to give by vacationing in the Panhandle over the weekend. The big questions remain, ‘just how much oil remains in the water column below the surface and what will the impact be on coral reefs in the Gulf?’. Donna Green-Townsend talked with Gustav Paulay from the University of Florida about those issues. Professor Paulay is the Curator of Invertebrates at the Florida Museum of Natural History. Paulay says in addition to the Florida Keys, there are several other coral colonies at risk in the Gulf.

Sea Turtle Nesting Season Prompts Quick Response In Light Of BP Oil Spill (06/14/2010)

June 14, 2010NewsBP oil spill, Caribbean Conservation Corporation, David Godfrey, Deepwater Horizon oil spill, Donna Green-Townsend, turtlesDonna Green-Townsend

Aired on WUFT on June 14th, 2010

No one is watching the traveling oil plumes in the Gulf of Mexico more than David Godfrey. Godfrey is the Executive Director of the Caribbean Conservation Corporation, which next week will change its name to “The Sea Turtle Conservancy”. This not-for-profit organization is continuing the turtle research and conservation efforts started by the late Archie Carr, the internationally acclaimed sea turtle expert from the University of Florida. Godfrey talked with WUFT’s Donna Green-Townsend and says his staff is at alert status because of the BP oil spill.

Florida CFO Alex Sink Weighs In On Oil Spill, Negative Publicity and Tourism Dilemma

May 27, 2010NewsAlex Sink, BP oil spill, Deepwater Horizon oil spill, Donna Green-TownsendDonna Green-Townsend

Aired on WUFT on May 27th, 2010

Florida CFO Alex Sink wants people to know that Florida’s beaches are beautiful, the fish are biting and the only oil on the state’s beaches is suntan oil. Sink is worried that all the coverage on the oil spill has caused people to make vacation reservations elsewhere. Sink, who is running for Governor, wants to use $25 million dollars from BP to fund a global advertising campaign to get the word out that Florida’s beaches and waters are free of oil and open for business. She talked with WUFT’s Donna Green-Townsend.

Wild Iris Books Offers Its Store As Dropoff Point For Oil Cleanup Supplies (05/12/2010)

May 12, 2010NewsBP oil spill, Cheryl Krouth, Deepwater Horizon oil spill, Donna Green-Townsend, Lola Haskins, Wild Iris BooksDonna Green-Townsend

Aired on WUFT on May 12th, 2010

Area residents are being encouraged to contribute needed items for oil cleanup. The Wild Iris Bookstore has agreed to be a drop-off point through Monday morning (May 17th) for items ranging from toothbrushes to towels and shovels. This effort came about when a Gainesville writer met up with a group of activists who were holding a meeting over another contaminated site. Donna Green-Townsend talked with writer Lola Haskins and one of the owners of Wild Iris Books, Cheryl Krouth about how others can get involved. For more information about ways to help you can go online to http://www.epa.gov/bpspill/whatyoucando.html