NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Federal authorities are seeking to contain and clean up the damage from a decades-old oil well in southeast Louisiana that spewed crude and natural gas for more than a week.
Upwards of 79,000 gallons (299,047 liters) of “oily water mixture” have been recovered near Garden Island Bay in Plaquemines Parish at the edge of the Mississippi River Delta Basin, the U.S. Coast Guard said Monday. The region is still recovering from the effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill 15 years ago.
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An aerial view shows the affected area of marsh environment near Garden Island Bay, Louisiana on April 27, 2025. (U.S. Coast Guard via AP)
An aerial view shows the affected area of marsh environment near Garden Island Bay, La., on May 1, 2025. (U.S. Coast Guard via AP)
An aeril view shows the affected area of marsh environment near Garden Island Bay, La., on May 1, 2025. (U.S. Coast Guard via AP)
An aerial view shows the source of the discharge near Garden Island Bay, La.,, on May 4, 2025. (U.S. Coast Guard via AP)
An aerial view shows the affected area of marsh environment near Garden Island Bay, La., on May 1, 2025. (U.S. Coast Guard via AP)
“Gaining control of the discharge is a vital milestone, but it marks only the beginning of our work," U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Greg Callaghan, who is coordinating the federal response, said in an emailed statement.
"The Unified Command is fully committed to an exhaustive cleanup effort and will remain on site for as long as necessary to ensure the removal of oil and the safety of both the community and the ecosystem,” Callaghan added.
Authorities say they have deployed more than 20,000 feet (6 kilometers) of containment booms. The cause of the leak remains under investigation, officials said.
The U.S. Coast Guard said it has “successfully secured” the well that's responsible for the leakage, owned by the firm Spectrum OpCo, LLC. But the total amount of discharged oil remained “unknown."
“Spectrum OpCo sincerely regrets the incident and its potential impact on our neighbors and remains fully engaged and resolutely committed to assisting with the cleanup,” the company said in an emailed statement.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, stated it is “providing on-scene scientific support” such as tracking the spread of the spill and identifying natural resources at risk.
So far, only one bird covered in oil has been reported by federal authorities.
Plaquemines Parish has 20 pending lawsuits against oil and gas companies for failing to clean up infrastructure and surrounding coastal wetlands. Last month, a jury ordered Chevron to pay more than $740 million in damages to the parish.
Louisiana U.S. Rep. Troy Carter said that the spill called attention to the “clear and present danger” posed by cutting federal employees at agencies like NOAA who have experience handling oil spills.
“We owe it to our communities, our environment, and our future generations to safeguard Louisiana’s coast — before it’s too late,” Carter said.
Brook covers Louisiana government, infrastructure and environmental issues from New Orleans. He is a Report for America corps member.
An aerial view shows the affected area of marsh environment near Garden Island Bay, Louisiana on April 27, 2025. (U.S. Coast Guard via AP)
An aerial view shows the affected area of marsh environment near Garden Island Bay, La., on May 1, 2025. (U.S. Coast Guard via AP)
An aeril view shows the affected area of marsh environment near Garden Island Bay, La., on May 1, 2025. (U.S. Coast Guard via AP)
An aerial view shows the source of the discharge near Garden Island Bay, La.,, on May 4, 2025. (U.S. Coast Guard via AP)
An aerial view shows the affected area of marsh environment near Garden Island Bay, La., on May 1, 2025. (U.S. Coast Guard via AP)
NEW YORK (AP) — Thousands of nurses in three hospital systems in New York City went on strike Monday after negotiations through the weekend failed to yield breakthroughs in their contract disputes.
The strike was taking place at The Mount Sinai Hospital and two of its satellite campuses, with picket lines forming. The other affected hospitals are NewYork-Presbyterian and Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx.
About 15,000 nurses are involved in the strike, according to New York State Nurses Association.
“After months of bargaining, management refused to make meaningful progress on core issues that nurses have been fighting for: safe staffing for patients, healthcare benefits for nurses, and workplace violence protections,” the union said in a statement issued Monday. “Management at the richest hospitals in New York City are threatening to discontinue or radically cut nurses’ health benefits.”
The strike, which comes during a severe flu season, could potentially force the hospitals to transfer patients, cancel procedures or divert ambulances. It could also put a strain on city hospitals not involved in the contract dispute, as patients avoid the medical centers hit by the strike.
The hospitals involved have been hiring temporary nurses to try and fill the labor gap during the walkout, and said in a statement during negotiations that they would “do whatever is necessary to minimize disruptions.” Montefiore posted a message assuring patients that appointments would be kept.
“NYSNA’s leaders continue to double down on their $3.6 billion in reckless demands, including nearly 40% wage increases, and their troubling proposals like demanding that a nurse not be terminated if found to be compromised by drugs or alcohol while on the job," Montefiore spokesperson Joe Solmonese said Monday after the strike had started. "We remain resolute in our commitment to providing safe and seamless care, regardless of how long the strike may last.”
New York-Presbyterian accused the union of staging a strike to “create disruption,” but said in a statement that it has taken steps to ensure patients receive the care they need.
"We’re ready to keep negotiating a fair and reasonable contract that reflects our respect for our nurses and the critical role they play, and also recognizes the challenging realities of today’s healthcare environment,” the statement said.
The work stoppage is occurring at multiple hospitals simultaneously, but each medical center is negotiating with the union independently. Several other hospitals across the city and in its suburbs reached deals in recent days to avert a possible strike.
The nurses’ demands vary by hospital, but the major issues include staffing levels and workplace safety. The union says hospitals have given nurses unmanageable workloads.
Nurses also want better security measures in the workplace, citing incidents like a an incident last week, when a man with a sharp object barricaded himself in a Brooklyn hospital room and was then killed by police.
The union also wants limitations on hospitals’ use of artificial intelligence.
The nonprofit hospitals involved in the negotiations say they’ve been working to improve staffing levels, but say the union’s demands overall are too costly.
Nurses voted to authorize the strike last month.
Both New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani had expressed concern about the possibility of the strike. As the strike deadline neared, Mamdani urged both sides to keep negotiating and reach a deal that “both honors our nurses and keeps our hospitals open.”
“Our nurses kept this city alive through its hardest moments. Their value is not negotiable,” Mamdani said.
State Attorney General Letitia James voiced similar support, saying "nurses put their lives on the line every day to keep New Yorkers healthy. They should never be forced to choose between their own safety, their patients’ well-being, and a fair contract.”
The last major nursing strike in the city was only three years ago, in 2023. That work stoppage, at Mount Sinai and Montefiore, was short, lasting three days. It resulted in a deal raising pay 19% over three years at those hospitals.
It also led to promised staffing improvements, though the union and hospitals now disagree about how much progress has been made, or whether the hospitals are retreating from staffing guarantees.
Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Nurses strike outside Mount Sinai West Hospital, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
FILE - A medical worker transports a patient at Mount Sinai Hospital, April 1, 2020, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)
