Scientist says Gulf floor still oily, dead

GULF OF MEXICO — A University of Georgia scientist has gone public with video and slides showing how oil from the BP spill remains stuck on the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico. The images demonstrate that the oil isn’t degrading as hoped and has decimated life on parts of the sea floor.

At a science conference in Washington, Samantha Joye aired early results of her December submarine dives around the BP spill site. She went to places she had visited in the summer and expected the oil and residue from oil-munching microbes would be gone by then. It wasn’t.

She also showed pictures of oil-choked bottom-dwelling critters.

At the same meeting Saturday, federal officials announced the start of the gulf restoration planning process that BP will pay for.