Oil Spill Gulf of Mexico 2010: Worse than Exxon Valdez

The current oil spill Louisiana is threatening to eclipse the Exxon Valdez disaster of 1989 — the country’s worst — when 11 million gallons of oil gushed into the Prince William Sound in Alaska over two months.

The Gulf spill has already begun wreaking havoc on the habitat of fish, birds, and other native wildlife. Meanwhile, fisheries are scrambling to catch all they can as the oil creeps closer.

Oil damage to Florida’s delicate coastlines might be especially difficult to clean, experts say. But Louisiana, still healing from Hurricane Katrina, will likely suffer the largest ecological impact.

BP, the company behind the failed drill, is working with the government, scientists, and anyone who will help to stop the estimated 5,000 oil barrels leaking into the ocean every day. Engineers are considering sealing the leak with a dome-shaped pump, which could take weeks to develop.

The oil spill Gulf of Mexico 2010 is also bad news for the Obama administration. The President recently lifted a ban on offshore drilling, but a White House representative said that new projects are once again restricted pending a review of the situation.