The second in a series of programs examining the impact of the oil spill on the Gulf of Mexico – and particularly the impact on Pinellas County – was held late Wednesday at the Seminole campus of St. Petersburg College.
“The Gulf Oil Crisis: Next Steps for Tampa Bay” took a close look at how the Tampa Bay region has been impacted by the spill, and how the area might prepare itself for similar future incidents.
One of the panelists, oil industry expert Dan Bedard, spent some time before the session discussing, among other things, the impact on the county. He noted that while Pinellas County has managed to avoid environmental damage from the spill, there’s been quite of a bit of economic damage.
Tourists in northern states and in Europe have avoided Florida vacations because of the perception that the oil spill has damaged shorelines in the entire state. Restaurant owners, hotel operators and others have suffered serious losses as a result.
