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USA GULF OIL SPILL
Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill
A plastic American flag sits in a pool of oil as people walk across the beach at Gulf Shores, Alabama, USA on 4 July 2010. Usually the weekend of July 4, when the USA celebrates its independence from British rule, is a busy time for the Gulf Coast but the threat of oil on the beaches and rough waters caused by what is left from Hurricane Alex have kept people away. The BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill, which began two months ago, is the largest in US history and continues to threaten wildlife, the ecosystem and the economy of the Gulf Coast as BP and government officials attempt to stop the flow and remove what has already been released. photo by Dan Anderson/ European Pressphoto Agency

