The first day of July, the 73rd day of the oil spill, brings another statistic. The first day of July, the 73rd day of the oil spill, brings another statistic. Based on the federal government's highest estimates for the amount of oil gushing per day, reports the Associated Press, the spill is expected to surpass 140 million gallons of oil today, exceeding the amount of the previous largest spill in the gulf, the Ixtoc I, off Mexico's coast from 1979 to 1980.
The tally looms as July 4 approaches, normally a high revenue weekend along Gulf beaches. Hotel prices are down as much as 30 percent, the Times-Picayune reports, and airline deals abound.
Meanwhile clean-up efforts are idled until high seas from Hurricane Alex calm enough for oil skimming efforts to resume.