By Eileen Fleming
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wwno/local-wwno-930115.mp3
New Orleans, La. – Coast Guard Rear Admiral Paul Zukunft says government teams are finding oil only in parts per billion in the water. Environmental groups are not so sure, saying more time is needed before the government issues an all-clear.
"At the peak of this spill, had we had a significant hurricane and a storm surge that could have brought all of this oil further inland, that would have been absolutely devastating. So in many respects Mother Nature was our benefactor."
Zukunft says 560 miles of coastline are still being cleaned, with most of it remaining in the wetlands of Louisiana. Some residual oil is being cleared off beaches in Florida and Alabama. He says the beach cleaning should be finished by the end of this year, in time for tourists to book next summer's vacations.
For WWNO, I'm Eileen Fleming.