Would it adversely affect plant life? Maybe, but I don't believe that anyone knows enough about the dynamics that affect the concentration in rainwater, let alone whether it could actually adversely affect the growth of plants in the concentrations that rain water “might” have in it. Would it reach the East Coast? No one really knows. What might you guess? Would it kill “millions” of people like some news sources are screeching? What do you suppose?
There's a lot of BS going around about this stuff, and very little actual scientific evidence. Remember when Carl Sagan, and his scientific cronies, stated that the Middle East oil well fires were going to plunge us into something akin to a “nuclear winter”? Well, they were all shooting from the hip. They had no scientific evidence to make such prognostications. In short their predictions never transpired because they didn't have enough knowledge to make those conclusions. Especially embarrassing for scientists who errantly lecture us on systems that they don't understand. I'm picking on scientists as I've a few scientific degrees myself, but I learned enough to realize what I didn't know, so it's a fair critique.
As to the Gulf region being “permanently” destroyed by oil? Again, horse throw of the highest order. Oil will screw up the wetlands for a few years, but oil doesn't stick around very well. It evaporates, is oxidized by UV, and eaten by bacteria. Eventually, nature will repair itself. It might not happen in my lifetime, but I'm a geezer already. 100, 200 years, it's really a snap of the fingers to nature. These subterranean reservoirs of oil have let loose in the past, and the Gulf's still there (but the Gulf's been around for a bazillion years, even though we won't be). Don't worry about nature, it'll take care of itself. Time is on its side.
Best to concentrate on plugging the leak, and pumping as much of that dangerous oil out of the ground before it can leak again. Think of oil exploration as a method of cleaning up potential oil spills. The sooner you can remove it, the safer we'll all be.
Oh, yes. Never, ever trust the SF Chronicle for a worthwhile story on the environment. They're incapable of summoning either the scientific acumen, or the objectivity to do the job properly.
Just sayin’.
It is being dispersed into oil which is lighter then water and eventually floats up to the surface in slicks.
But what about the crap that’s in the air?
BP Oil Spill - Toxic Gases Spreading Inland, Scientist Says Move Out (WWL, Channel 4)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4q-msqPnkD4&feature=related