Tar Balls are Worst Impacts Expected for Keys From Gulf Oil Spill

KEYS TOURISM ADVISORY  May 22, 2010 • 3:15 p.m.

Officials: Tar Balls are Worst Impacts Expected for Keys From Gulf Oil Spill

KEY WEST, Fla. -- Local and federal officials sought to sort fact from speculation Saturday, telling attendees at a special city commission meeting the worst effect the Florida Keys should get from the Transocean/BP oil spill is tar balls.

Representatives from the U.S. Coast Guard and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary briefed a standing-room-only-audience at Old City Hall.

U.S. Coast Guard Key West Sector Captain Pat DeQuattro said his Unified Incident Command’s cleanup plan concentrates on mitigating tar balls, if they come to the Keys.

NOAA officials are confident with exposure to heat, weather, dispersants and evaporation, any of the oil sheen presently in the Gulf Loop Current that got close to the Keys would likely transform into small tar balls. Tar balls, they said, would have a lot less impact than a major spill and are less toxic.

“A (oil) sheen over time will break down, will become weathered (and) will evaporate.” said DeQuattro. “If we’re to be impacted, it will more likely be tar balls.”

Sean Morton, superintendent of NOAA’s Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary said, for the present time, the Gulf Loop Current was actually taking the light oil sheen towards the southwest, away from the Keys.

“In the 72-hour (spill trajectory) forecast, what NOAA is predicting is that the sheen and tar balls that could be observed in the water are moving west, away from the Florida Keys,” Morton said.

Although the island chain has not seen physical impacts from the Gulf oil spill, Keys lodging and other visitor-related businesses have been hit hard with reservations cancellations and calls from nervous visitors confused by speculative reports of a looming environmental disaster in the Keys.

“Yes, our economy has been effected by this because of the perception that the Keys has oil on it or tar balls coming up from the spill,” said Key West Mayor Craig Cates. “We do not. Key West is open for business (and) the water is clear, this fishing is great, the weather is fine and Memorial (Day) weekend is coming up.”