The oil well is sealed! However, the impacts of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico are still being felt not only in environmental degradation, but more importantly, in the stressed and harmed lives of individuals and families who lost income and jobs in the wake of the disruption. The economic and social impacts on individuals, families and communities will require years to overcome.
There is a great deal of scientific debate and uncertainty related to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and its effects on the Gulf of Mexico. This material is designed to make you aware of ongoing and future research and to prepare you for some of the potential conflicting findings and conclusions being drawn while scientists continue to understand both the shortand long-term ecological effects of the spill on the near-shore and offshore ecosystems.