Gulf of Mexico

Wetlands and marshlands that once protected New Orleans and the surrounding areas from storm surge have been depleted over the years. Here, the $1.1 billion Lake Borgne Surge Barrier outside New Orleans in 2015.

To Fight Coastal Damage, Louisiana Parishes Pushed To Sue Energy Industry

6:45pm January 23, 2017

by Tegan Wendland

Louisiana has a $90 billion plan to fight coastal erosion. Gov. John Bel Edwards says suing oil and gas firms, which have contributed to the damage, will help foot the bill. But he faces obstacles.

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Richie Blink, born and raised in Plaquemines Parish, La., south of New Orleans, works for the National Wildlife Federation. He got in touch with an archaeologist to take a look at some shards of pottery that were eroding into the Gulf of Mexico. Blink hol

Louisiana History Washes Away As Sea Levels Rise, Land Sinks

10:08am January 04, 2017

by Tegan Wendland

Louisiana's coastline is disappearing into the Gulf of Mexico, taking with it many historic sites. Archaeologists are scrambling to document what they can before it's gone.

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The Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion on April 20, 2010, killed 11 people and resulted in the nation's largest offshore oil spill.

BP To Pay $18.7 Billion To Settle Gulf Coast Oil Spill Claims

12:31pm July 02, 2015

by Brian Naylor

The agreement with the U.S. government, five Gulf Coast states and more than 400 local governments comes five years after the Deepwater Horizon spill.

Fresh oil puddles on the white sand in Orange Beach, Ala., during the BP oil spill in 2010.

5 Years After BP Oil Spill, Experts Debate Damage To Ecosystem

12:23am April 27, 2015

by Debbie Elliott

An effort is underway to figure out how the BP oil spill harmed the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem. The damage may not be as dire as feared, but researchers say it's too soon to know the long-term impacts.

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Blue crabs brought back to Tony Goutierrez's dock in Hopedale, La. For the past few years, his traps have been coming up empty. "It's sad to see it go, but it's going — this way of life is going to disappear," he says.

Appetite For Gulf Seafood Is Back, But The Crabs And Oysters Aren't

1:55pm April 23, 2015

by Laine Kaplan-Levenson

Five years after the BP oil spill, the public has stopped asking whether seafood from the Gulf is safe to eat. But now there's a supply issue, and fishermen worry about the future of their industry.

Judge Denies BP's Attempt To Avoid Up To $18 Billion In Fines

12:20pm November 14, 2014

by Bill Chappell

Last month, the company asked the judge to reconsider a ruling that could trigger fines under the Clean Water Act. And on Thursday, he said no. The company says it will appeal.