Coast Guard dispatching 80 vessels to lay 100,000 feet of boom to attack Gulf oil spill

Coast Guard sending 80 vessels to attack oil spill

MOBILE, Ala. — A U.S. Coast Guard spokesman at the command center in Mobile, Ala., says officials aren’t taking a passive approach to the Gulf oil spill.

Lionel Bryant said Wednesday the plan is to send out about 80 vessels to deploy more than 100,000 feet of boom in waters off Florida, Alabama and Mississippi.

He says two Coast Guard cutters will conduct offshore skimming operations farther offshore.

Bryant also says crews may try to do another controlled burn while continuing to use disbursements.