Response To Charlie Crist's Letter

On the same day that Florida Governor Charlie Crist's was written, there was an immediate response. U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke. “Today I signed a fishery disaster declaration for Florida for the same reasons I declared a fishery disaster in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama." Locke wrote. In less than a day he responded that there would be help and money set aside to help Florida's fisheries, from commercial all the way to recreational fisherman. A supplemental amount of $15 million for a backstop, and $5 million for economic assistance was the amount that was said to be available. I think that it is really great that this is being done, and the rapid response shows that proper people are in place. Now if we could only get that kind of efficiency to stop the oil spill?!

A Letter From Governor Crist To Secretary Gary Locke

I recently came upon a letter from Charlie Crist to Gary Locke. He had written a letter on behalf of the fishing industries and other businesses in Florida affected by the deep horizon oil spill in the Gulf. He asks that Secretary Locke make a determination of a commercial fishery failure under the provisions of section 312(a) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. He writes that through misinformation of the spill has affected tourism and the seafood consumption in a whole. "It is by a mistaken impression from the news that the entire Gulf has been tainted," he states. He asks for help as we try to help preserve the fishing industry as whole and and to keep more peoples jobs from being lost.

The Deepwater Horizon oil spill trajectory hindcast/forecast based on the Navy GOM HYCOM

I recently received an email with very interesting information on the oil spill in the Gulf. It is trying to predict and track the trajectory of the oil that is spilling. With joint effort between the Ocean Circulation Group and Optical Oceanography Laboratory of the University Of South Florida they are using ocean currents and simulated drifter particles. Vertical particles were released every 3 hours which simulated the continual oil spill. The movements of the particles were not perfect observations, but rather by estimations. Nothing can be a definite due to unknown forecasts. Those tests along with other combined tests are really cool and also scary at the same time.

ECHO: After The Field Trip

After attending my field trip to ECHO I have developed a much better understanding of what they are all about. I am ashamed to say that I really never knew about them or what they are all about. I was entertained and amazed right off the bat when we first entered their work place. To see the amount of plants and animals they had working together blew my mind. I am excited to try some of their techniques that I learned in my household, and can see myself interning or helping out at their complex in the future. It was a great trip and would recommend it to anyone!

ECHO: Before The Fieldtrip

Tonight I was looking through the website for ECHO (Educational Concerns For Hunger Organization) and am looking forward to my trip tomorrow. To see something with this positive of a message and mission, I do not know how anyone could not be. The mission satement "is to equip people with resources and skills to reduce hunger and improve the lives of the poor," with the vision of "honoring God through sustainable hunger solutions." Thee idea has been around since the 70's, which was started in Haiti, and continues to thrive today. Tomorrow should be exciting, and I should learn much more about the organization.

Next Attempt To Fix Oil Spill Could Be Even More Costly

From what I have read in the paper and have seen in the news, BP is still struggling to fix their oil spill dilemma. The attempt to dump heavy material on top of the well has failed, and their next attempt seems to be costly. The next plan of action is to cut the pipe to give it a clean circumference. They would then "cap" it in hopes of stopping the spill. The problem with this though is that the bigger hole is going to release the flow of oil to another 20 percent! Will this work? Who knows, but their needs to be something done fast...