In La., signs of regrowth seen in oiled marshes

BARATARIA BAY, La. (AP) — Shoots of marsh grass and bushes of mangrove trees already are starting to grow back in areas where just months ago photographers shot startling images of dying pelicans coated in oil from the massive Gulf oil spill.

Scientists say the marsh across the Louisiana coast is healing itself, giving them hope delicate wetlands might weather the worst offshore spill in U.S. history better than they had feared. Some marshland could be lost, but the amount appears to be small compared with what the coast loses every year through human development.

Experts had feared the spill would kill plant life and dissolve the wetlands it was holding together. State, federal and BP cleanup efforts were focused on preventing that from happening.