By Eileen Fleming
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wwno/local-wwno-911329.mp3
New Orleans, La. – The Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation has been leading efforts to improve water quality in the estuary system. It's seen a replenishment in recent years of fish and other marine life. But 1,000 pounds of oil and waste managed to find it's way through miles of protective wetlands.
Foundation spokesman John Lopez:
"What's going to keep a massive amount of oil out of Lake Pontchartrain is kind of the good fortune we've had already, where the oil's not really prone to come our way, and in the rest of the summer basically that that continues. So we're going to need some good luck."
New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu and officials from neighboring St. Tammany Parish are calling for more vessels to clean up the oil. The foundation says it's applying for funds to add oil to the list of pollutants it's tracking in the lake.
For WWNO, I'm Eileen Fleming.