Concerns are also growing over the long-term environmental affects. Homeland Security Director Michael Chertoff is describing the hurricane as ” probably the greatest environmental mess we’ve ever seen in this country.” A major oil spill has been spotted near the Louisiana town of Venice on the Mississippi River. But cleanup crews have been unable to reach the spill. The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality said a flyover revealed a leak from tanks capable of holding 85,000 barrels of fuel.