Environmental writer, Wendee Holtcamp, visited St. Tammany Parish, located along the Northshore of Louisiana. Many shrimpers and fishermen work here. The area perfectly exemplifies the fact that even though the oil hasn’t hit in full force, it has started impacting the economy. “At first, impact was primarily due to the perception that oil was all over,” Renee Kientz, Communications Director for St. Tammany Parish Tourist Commission, told Wendee “Our charter fishermen, swamp tours and other water-related businesses were experiencing a decline in business — and a lot of phone calls from concerned would-be visitors.” Wendee decided to pay Dr. Wagner’s Honey Island Swamp Tour a visit, and got to see several alligators, from small to massive. The big concern is that if this area gets a big hurricane — which is very possible with the storm predictions this year — storm surge could very easily bring oil into these fragile inland marshes.”

For more about Wendee's trip, read her blog, The Wendee Holtcamp Report.