In April 2010, the oil rig Deepwater Horizon exploded, and in the following days, weeks and months, that oil spewed from the well making its way into the water column and the shoreline. 

 

A massive effort to understand the potential environmental and human health risks associated with both the oil and chemical dispersants was undertaken by a number of state and federal agencies as well as academic and independent scientists.

 

Together, these groups took thousands of air, water, sediment and seafood tissue samples to ascertain the risk of exposure to human, wildlife and the natural environment.

 

The Alabama Coastal Foundation created an informational booklet, a comprehensive report, and a powerpoint presentation through a cooperative agreement funded by the US Environmental Protection Agency. We hope you will use thses reseources as a reference to help you understand the sampling and monitoring that took place in the wake of the oil disaster.