Jun
19
Gently Down the Stream
By Jodi LaMarco
According to Gary Mast of the USDA, nitrogen used to fertilize corn crops for biofuels in the Midwest could contribute to a seasonal “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico.
Runoff carries the fertilizer down the Mississippi River and into the gulf, spurring a boom of tiny organisms. When the organisms die and decompose, oxygen at the bottom of the gulf is used up, making the water unable to support life.
The USDA has set aside 2.3 million acres of buffer zones since 1997 to prevent the nitrogen from reaching waterways. Last year’s "dead zone" covered approximately 6,662 square miles.
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