US lawmakers tried to get BP to broadcast the Gulf Leak live on the internet. Now, they decided the US government should do it as well. On Thursday they started streaming live video of the Gulf oil spill from 5,000 feet below sea level.

Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., said “this may be BP’s footage, but it’s America’s ocean. … This footage will aid analysis by independent scientists blocked by BP from coming to see the spill.”

You can now watch the oil flow live in various places, including this UStream feed and Senator Bill Nelson’s website.

PBS also published this widget: