State awarded oil spill research funding from BP

STARKVILLE — BP PLC announces $25 million in research grants to study the effects of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill and response. And, some of that funding is coming to an institute led by Mississippi State University (MSU).

It says the first studies will get baseline data about the distribution, composition and ecological interactions of oil and dispersant.

A news release says the grants are the first in a $500-million commitment to study effects of the spill and response on environment and public health.

It says $10 million each will go to the Northern Gulf Institute, headed by MSU, and the Florida Institute of Oceanography hosted by the University of South Florida. Louisiana State University will get $5 million.

The Florida institute comprises 20 institutions in Florida. The Northern Gulf Institute includes LSU, Florida State and Dauphin Island Sea Lab.