Feds: La. plan for sand barrier to protect coast could push oil deeper and into Miss.

Feds: La. barrier plan could push oil onto Miss.

NEW ORLEANS — Federal officials say Louisiana’s request for a coastal sand barrier to block the oil slick pushing in from the Gulf of Mexico could inadvertently funnel oil deeper into unprotected areas and onto neighboring Mississippi.

Documents released Wednesday show federal officials are concerned the barrier could alter tides and end up driving oil east — into Mississippi Sound, the Biloxi Marshes and Lake Borgne.

Eager to build the berms before the damage gets worse, Louisiana officials say they would delay construction on parts of the barrier to meet the concerns, raised by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Gov. Bobby Jindal and leaders from several coastal parishes want to ring the state’s southeastern coastline with a $350 million network of sand berms.