EPA says tests show moderate health concerns with air 50 miles from Gulf oil spill

EPA: Moderate health concerns with Gulf air

NEW ORLEANS — The Environmental Protection Agency says the air in some places along the Louisiana coast poses a health risk to vulnerable people.

The EPA says recent air sampling shows a moderate health risk in Venice and Grand Isle, two Louisiana towns about 50 miles from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill site.

The agency says anyone unusually sensitive to low-quality air should avoid “prolonged or heavy exertion.”

EPA’s warning comes as concerns grow that the Gulf oil spill may be fouling not just the water and shores but also the air.

The agency says the levels of chemicals found in air samples have not been linked directly to the BP spill. But odor-causing pollutants associated with oil have been detected.

Online:

EPA response on BP spill air quality: www.epa.gov/bpspill/air.html