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Tar Washing in on Alabama Beaches Post-Isaac

Ben Raines/Press-Register
/
The Press-Register

Officials say they're finding tar balls on Alabama's beaches in the wake of Hurricane Isaac's landfall last week.

Representatives from the cities of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach said Wednesday workers are seeing significantly more tar deposits on the sand than before Isaac struck. The tar is weathered and old, and it's not considered dangerous.

The cities believe tar is breaking off from large, submerged mats that were left from the BP oil spill in 2010. But tests have yet to confirm whether the tar is linked to the BP well or something else.

A BP spokesman says the petroleum giant has response teams in the area.

Officials say the tar balls are appearing in the greatest numbers around the Fort Morgan peninsula in Baldwin County.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.

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