Coast Guard Finishes Oil Burn

The Coast Guard has completed a controlled burn of the oil spill spreading in the Gulf of Mexico. The process involved setting up fireproof barriers and then setting the oil between them ablaze. This was the first time a burn was possible since last week, due to high winds and rough seas. Rep. Charlie Melancon, who represents most of Louisiana's coastal area, said the guard would continue to skim the oil and burn as much as possible before the weather turned bad again. Also on Wednesday, a 100-ton device designed to funnel the oil was loaded onto a barge headed toward the oil rig that exploded April 20. Known as a cofferdam, the massive contraption of concrete and steel is the best short-term hope to controlling the tens of thousands of gallons spewing out of the site every day. BP engineers have succeeded in capping one of the three leaks, which will allow the company to focus on the main leak. The oil slick is still about five to 10 miles from the shoreline.