At the end of last month, Governor Charlie Crist declared a state of emergency for Escambia, Gulf, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Bay, and Walton Counties upon the advent of the massive oil spill. The spill originated when a well exploded near Louisiana; the complication led to the spewing of 200,000 gallons of oil per day. Combined with inopportune weather and tides, the six hundred square mile oil spill threatened to bring serious calamities on the entire Gulf Coast’s economy, fishing industry, and environment. With a $65 billion tourism economy, the state of Florida has a right to worry.
Immediately after the news of the spill broke, condominium owners received calls concerning cancellation policies. It was quite obvious that the oil spill would be a calamity to the tourism market. Also struck was the fishing industry: as far north as the mid-south many customers questioned ordering seafood due to the chance of receiving contaminated fish.
The economy aside, one of Floridians’ main concerns was their beautiful wildlife and environment. The state of Florida has eighty-four percent of the nation’s coral reefs, along with one of the most fragile seawater ecosystems on the planet. Manatees and sea turtles, whose mating season was coming up at the time of the spill, were at a serious risk.
