News - National
Economy: Oil cleanup both bonanza and bust
Posted: Aug 27, 2010 6:19 AM by Bea Karnes, News First 5
Updated: Aug 27, 2010 6:20 AM
An Associated Press analysis finds some places have done pretty well since the Gulf oil spill while others have been hit by a double-whammy.
The worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history has spurred something of an economic boom in some communities where cleanup operations are based. But other area's haven't been as lucky. They're too far away from the cleanup to serve as a staging ground for masses of workers, but close enough to experience severe losses in tourism, fishing and drilling.
Sales tax revenue in Gulf states showed a stark difference, up 80 percent in June in front-line cleanup towns, but down 45 percent in towns that lost out on both the cleanup and tourist trades.
The cleanup has become its own industry, according to some business owners in some front-line places.
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