By Eileen Fleming
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wwno/local-wwno-905159.mp3
New Orleans, La. – NOAA says parts of the oil slick are moving into waters off eastern Alabama and the western tip of the Florida panhandle. Some large patches of sheen are moving onto the west Florida shelf and south to Cuba. Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen says there are also reports of oil hitting island areas off Alabama.
"There's reported oil that's been in contact in the western portion of Mississippi Sound, and reports of tar balls on Dauphin Island and some sheening offshore. And we have teams that are going to investigate that right now."
The closures now total more than 31 percent of federal waters in the Gulf, or nearly 76,000 square miles.
For NPR News, I'm Eileen Fleming in New Orleans.