Authorities reported 20 to 100 gallons of fuel had overflowed onto pavement and into a sewer, which wasn't a big deal. It wasn't until 10 a.m. that they reported the spill was actually closer to 1,500 gallons. more ›

Today marks the dubious anniversary of the beginning of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. By the time the well was capped nearly three months later, around 4,900,000 barrels of crude oil were released into the Gulf. Relatives of the 11 oil workers who lost their lives on the Deepwater Horizon flew over the site of the disaster today in commemoration. Vigils were held throughout the Gulf and President Obama renewed his vow to hold BP and others companies involved in the building of the oil rig responsible for "the painful losses that they caused." The words "never forget" are often bandied about to remind me of other tragedies, the most obvious example being the September 11 terrorist attacks (and we'll be reaching the tenth anniversary of that tragedy in a few short months). The Gulf oil spill is, in my opinion, a "never forget" moment. more ›

Sandblasting the inside of a pipeline seems like a pretty bad idea. But a a new kind of petroleum tied to last summer’s oil spills in Romeoville and the Kalamazoo River may be doing just that. Those claims come from a report making waves all over the U.S. and Canada detailing “DilBit” a kind of oil that is flowing with growing frequency under communities in suburban Chicago and Northwest Indiana on its way to area refineries. more ›

It took a few weeks to get the oil line that leaked in Romeoville back up and running and finally Enbridge Energy, the company that owns both lines, is getting the pipeline that leaked into the Kalamazoo River earlier this summer back up and going. Enbridge promises the issues that caused the leak have been fixed and they'll be under the close watch of the feds who aren't happy about either spill. There's been a regional increase in gas prices with the two pipelines shut down but now that those are both back, experts expect those price spikes to ease. more ›

Here's some sunshiney news for your sunshiney (whoops) Friday afternoon: the oil leak in Romeoville? Yep, still seeping oil, according to the EPA. In a press release, the EPA said, "Contrary to published reports, EPA has determined that while the spill is being contained, the release of oil from the pipeline has not stopped." This contradicts Enbridge's claims that the oil leak had been shut down within an hour of the leak being reported. The EPA was to hold a press conference this afternoon to outline deadlines for Enbridge to clean up the spill. Meanwhile, some EPA devices that were stashed at a school were misidentified as "suspicious device." Oops. Oh, and oil prices in the Midwest are going up with the pipeline shut down. Double oops. more ›

To call it in an "oil spill" in the same sense of the Gulf of Mexico disaster is hyperbole, but one can't help but ignore the fact that a spill in Romeoville that occurred yesterday is from a pipeline run by Enbridge, the same company who's in charge of the pipeline that spilled 800,000 gallons (~19,500 barrels) along the Kalamazoo River in Michigan in late July. Officials estimate around 2,000 gallons of crude oil may have spilled from a pipeline in suburban Romeoville yesterday, a rate of 50 gallons per minute with the leak taking 40 minutes to close. more ›

In an effort to show that the Gulf Coast is "open for business," President Obama made a quick trip to the coast this weekend, accompanied by First Lady Michelle and daughter Sasha (Malia's off at camp). The Obamas hit the Florida panhandle for a mix of work, play, and photo ops as Obama met with Coast Guard and clean-up workers while also taking in some food, miniature golf, and a swim in the Gulf with Sasha. Said Obama: more ›

As clean up of the Kalamazoo River oil spill continues, EPA officials continue to downplay fears that the spill has spread and is threatening Lake Michigan. The EPA's Ralph Dollhopf told the media, “There is no anticipated inflow (of oil) into the city of Kalamazoo. We are confident we can contain the oil upstream.” And another EPA official, Susan Hedman, disputed claims by Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm that there was oil on Lake Morrow, an important milestone for potential spread of the oil downriver. Other experts have also spoken up saying, that while this is certainly a disaster for local wildlife, damage to Lake Michigan is unlikely. more ›

Bad news out of Michigan where reports say that oil from this week's spill has breached Morrow Dam and is now travelling downriver, as far as halfway from the spill site to Lake Michigan. The reports come even as Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm's office and the EPA continue a public dispute over the spill's reach. Granholm's officereleased photos (one is above) that claim to show an oil sheen Lake Morrow while EPA officials deny the claim. Officials are also suggesting the evacuation of as many as 50 homes located near the original spill site near Battle Creek, Michigan. more ›

There were mixed messages coming out of Michigan yesterday where workers continued to clean up an oil spill on the Kalamazoo River near Marshall. The EPA has officially taken over clean-up duties and is now reporting that over one million gallons of oil leaked into the river and is affecting a 25-mile stretch of the river between Marshall and Battle Creek. U.S. Rep. Fred Upton (R, St. Joseph) indicated there were no hitches in the clean-up: “They seem to be getting everything. The system seems to be working at the moment.” But Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm blasted the clean-up efforts. Calling the response "anemic," and "wholly inadequate," she added, “I’m very angered. We need for the responsible party (Enbridge Inc.) and the EPA to step up. The situation is very serious.” Rep. Mark Schauer echoed Gov. Graholm's anger, questioning the time it took Enbridge Energy Partners, the company that owns the pipeline, to report the leak and that officials might be underestimating how much oil entered the river. The EPA's takeover of the clean-up was underscored by the fact that Enbridge had been warned twice since late 2008 about possible pipeline corrosion and monitoring issues. more ›

As BP struggles to keep the oil gusher in the Gulf of Mexico contained, residents continue clean up and keep an eye on the weather as we head into the heart of hurricane season, and Tony Hayward mulls an early retirement, there's still a disaster to handle. And one of the biggest aspects of the region's recovery will be on the coastal wildlife that's been devastated by what's happened. Brookfield Zoo has lent a hand, taking in five American white pelicans from the region who had been stuck in the oil. The Zoo will also keep an eye on the pelicans to see what the long-term effects of their exposure to the oil spill. According to the Zoo: more ›

A story with only tangential connections to our area but a story we've followed all the same: 86 days after the disaster began, BP announced this afternoon they have successfully capped the oil guhser and that no more oil is spilling into the Gulf of Mexico. The oil company is now testing the integrity of the well, measuring the pressure to see if the well can be shut with cement next month. If pressure in the well is below a certain threshold, it means oil could be leaking from elsewhere and the company will have to begin a new search. BP Vice President Kent Wells said, "I'm very pleased that there's no oil going in the Gulf of Mexico, in fact I'm excited that there's no oil going in the Gulf of Mexico. Where I'm holding back my emotion is we're just starting the test. I don't want to create a false sense of excitement." And now the massive clean-up effort of the devastated region, will continue in earnest. more ›

Chicago-based photographer Jane Fulton Alt has had a love affair with New Orleans, one we discussed with her last year as her Hurricane Katrina-related "After The Storm" exhibit showed at the Chicago Cultural Center (many of the photos from which you can see in her collection Look and Leave). In the wake of the recent Gulf of Mexico oil spill gush, she's returned to the (now literally) Dirty Coast for inspiration for her latest project, Crude Awakening. Of the inspiration for the project, she says: more ›

Perhaps it is an understandable focus on the World cup (and the ref from Mali who robbed the U.S. squad) that has otherwise focused the Trib’s ed board, but it has been a weird week in their on-again, off-again engagement with the oil disaster in the Gulf. As the country’s outrage over the BP spill seemed to be flowing stronger than the massive underwater plumes of oil, there has been a strange stream of oddly complacent pieces on the paper’s Opinion pages. more ›

An update to an earlier post, it's reported BP has agreed to start a $20 billion fund for those affected by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. The oil giant tentatively agreed to the fund after a meeting this morning with President Obama. The fund will be overseen by Kenneth Feinberg who was responsible for oversight of the 9/11 victims compensation fund. One problem in getting to that number? No one's sure what BP's final liability will come in at; they've already spent $1 billion on clean-up. And, as CBS 2 reports, there is still fear of a ripple effect that could be felt it many ways locally, given the BP plant in Whiting, Indiana and the past issues with that plant and Lake Michigan as well as future issues. more ›

Last night, President Obama made the first Oval Office address of his presidency, using the speech to discuss the Gulf of Mexico oil spill as well as the ongoing recovery efforts along the coast (read a full transcript here). Calling the spill "the worst environmental disaster America has ever faced," Obama claimed that within two to three weeks, a cap could be in place that would contain as much as 90 percent of the oil gushing into the Gulf. He also discussed the "recklessness" of BP and talked of a compensation fund provided by BP but controlled by a third party. Obama also used the speech as a platform for energy reform, pushing for less dependence on oil. Following the speech, BP issued a statement, saying, "We share the president's goal of shutting off the well as quickly as possible, cleaning up the oil and mitigating the impact on the people and environment of the Gulf Coast. We look forward to meeting with President Obama tomorrow for a constructive discussion about how best to achieve these mutual goals." more ›

President Obama is headed down to the Gulf Coast this morning for another trip to examine the situation in regards to the BP oil spill, a two-day trip to the coast and his fourth trip to the Gulf since the oil spill overall. Upon returning to Washington, D.C. tomorrow night, Obama will make his first Oval Office speech to the nation to address the situation. Obama will begin in Gulfport, Mississippi this morning where he'll meet with local residents before trekking east to the Alabama coast and finish the tour in Pensacola, Florida. more ›

Someone clued in BP or the city about today's planned flash mob protest because when folks arrived at the BP Bridge they found it closed off and under guard by Millennium Park security. We asked the guard who ordered the bridge closed and he said he had no idea, he had simply received the assignment to do so. The plan had been to go onto the bridge and sit down under black umbrellas to show displeasure with BPs handling of its tragic Gulf Oil Spill. more ›

As heartbreaking photos of the oil spill's effect on the wildlife of the Gulf Coast made the rounds on the internet and the spill itself stretches even further east, President Obama took to Larry King to address the situation. Calling it "unprecedented," Obama also expressed outrage at the situation, saying, "You know, I am furious at this entire situation, because this is an example of where somebody didn't think through the consequences of their actions. And it is imperiling not just a handful of people, this is - this is imperiling an entire way of life and an entire region for, potentially, years." The federal government has also charged BP $69 million for clean-up costs. more ›

Now that BP's "top kill" effort has failed and oil continues to gush into the Gulf of Mexico, the spill already hitting Mississippi and Alabama shores and creeping towards Florida, anger over the continuing catastrophe continues to grow. The group Seize BP is hoping to, well, seize the growing anti-BP sentiment with the Seize BP Week of Action which kicks off tonight with protests around the country, including right here in Chicago. The protest gets underway at 5 p.m. at BP's Chicago office, located at the corner of Michigan and Randolph. The last Seize BP protest in Chicago was sparsely attended so the organizers hope more recent developments up the attendance. more ›

• The autopsy on a Northwestern University student found dead this weekend in the University library was inconclusive. Meanwhile, the autopsy on the man who died during Bike The Drive died of natural causes.
• It looks like that oil spill in the Gulf will be continuing throughout the summer after BP's efforts to plug the hole failed.
• A nice mash-up mapping the locations and times for this year's Movies in the Parks screenings.

As President Obama hits the Gulf Coast for another visit, we checked back in with the Google Earth plugin that allows you to compare the oil spill to the size of cities. Needless to say, it's pretty mind-boggling. And keep in mind, this is only surface area. The oil plumes extend hundreds - if not thousands - of feet deep. more ›

With all this talk of BP locally in the wake of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, you might want to check this out, live video from the oil gush in the Gulf. Today, BP will attempt a "top kill," a technique meant to clog the damaged well and stop the flow of oil. However, BP claims it won't broadcast the procedure itself, scheduled to start sometime this morning. President Obama is scheduled to visit the Gulf Coast on Friday, his second trip there since the spill amidst reports that even his usually cool demeanor is beginning to heat up with the ongoing catastrophe. more ›

• Mayor Daley today said that he wouldn't increase property taxes for the 2011 budget.
• Authorities have released the contents of Phil Pagano's suicide note.
• A look at a Naperville-based company who's making some money from BP's clean up efforts in the Gulf.

Illinois senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) toured Louisiana yesterday with Louisiana senators Mary Landrieu and David Vitter, along with some officials from the Obama administration to address the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Durbin remarked on BP’s handling of the spill, deemed by the White House as the worst in U.S. history, saying “In my mind, BP no longer stands for British Petroleum. It stands for Beyond Patience.” He went on to say that the Obama administration would pressure BP to clean up the spill and bear the cost. more ›

As the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico worsens each day - the latest discovery being the plumes of oil - BP is prepping itself for the inevitable crush of lawsuits. And to help with this impending legal action, the oil mega-company has enlisted longtime ally Kirkland & Ellis to represent it. Lawsuits over the 1989 Exxon-Valdez spill lasted two decades and some speculate the lawsuits surrounding this spill will dwarf that. Already the filings have begun. According to the Tribune: more ›

It's been over three weeks since the explosion that led to the current Gulf Coast oil gush and while BP insists there's room for optimism, the spill grows larger, the disaster reaching epic proportions. And while a new clean-up solution has come from, of all people, Kevin Costner, there's still plenty to be angry about. Anger over the incident led to protests this week at BP office locations around the nation, including here in Chicago. Yet despite the outcry over the spill, the turn-out for Wednesday's protest was extremely low (estimated at no more than a dozen people). Still, Chicagoist Flickr pool contributor Katie Scully stopped by to snap some photos of those who came out to show their displeasure with BP, which has also dealt with dust-ups over environmental issues in our neck of the woods. more ›

Emotions have been pretty heated over the recent oil gush in the Gulf of Mexico just off the Louisiana coast. The controversy reaches to BP's policies, its response, and the ongoing troubles of containment. Now, some want to fight back. Tomorrow has been declared "Seize BP National Day of Action" by the group Seize BP and a series of protests across the nation are aimed at the oil company. The Chicago protest will happen tomorrow evening, Wednesday May 12 at 5:30 p.m. at BP's Chicago office at the corner of Michigan and Randolph. Protesters have also gone after President Obama in the wake of the oil gush to protest his offshore drilling policy, approved just weeks before the Gulf incident. more ›

Things are a mess at the Caterpillar plant in Rockdale (near Joliet) this morning after a holding tank overflowed, sending 65,000 gallons of oil sludge spilling out into the surrounding area. Of that, 6,000 gallons wound up in the Des Plaines River. By Sunday night, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency officials claimed the spill had been contained and, according to spokeswoman Maggie Carson, "there is no evidence of a fish kill or harm to water fowl." Ginny Narsete, a spokeswoman for the U.S. EPA, said there was not enough oil or sludge in the water to cut off the oxygen supply to any fish in the river, the biggest danger in these situations. Of course, it was a three mile stretch of the Des Plaines that was affected, so while it's not out of the question there wasn't much harm to wildlife, it's still 6,000 gallons of oil sludge; that's going to mess with some part of the eco-system, right? Officials insist there is no eminent danger to any humans living in the area, though. more ›

SFist witnessed a new apartment building tszuj the skyline with spectacular, gaudy turquoise aplomb, the (informal) renaming of the Mission/SOMA neighborhood border, the return of the Maltese Falcon, the Mayor Gavin Newsom mea culpa-ing over his Hawaiian getaway during the oil spill, and double-decker buses hitting the streets of San Francisco. Oh, and some baseball player named Barry Bonds is a liar whose pants, it seems, are totally on fire. LAist continues to cover the... more ›