Baseline Monitoring to be Conducted on Pinellas County BeachesOfficials from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the Pinellas County Department of Environmental Management are scheduled to perform baseline monitoring on Wednesday, June 9, along the gulf coast from Anclote Key to Fort De Soto Park. Scientists will take samples to document the current conditions of beaches in preparation for the possibility of oil residue from the Deepwater Horizon spill making landfall in the future. There is no imminent threat of oil reaching Pinellas County. Samples will be taken from boats and the beaches and sent to a lab for analysis. In the event that oil reaches the Pinellas coastline in the future, the baseline monitoring results will be help to determine the extent of environmental contamination. For information on the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, call the toll-free Florida Oil Spill Information Line at (888) 337-3569 or visit www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com. For information on volunteer options in Pinellas County, visit www.pinellascounty.org/oilspill2010.htm, and select Volunteer Opportunities.
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