Justice Department won't say whether key piece of oil spill evidence is on its way to shore

NEW ORLEANS – The Justice Department won't say if the blowout preventer that failed to stop oil from gushing from BP's undersea well into the Gulf of Mexico is on its way to shore.

Spokeswoman Hannah August declined comment Monday.

The 50-foot, 300-ton device, which was lifted to the surface Saturday, is expected to be analyzed at a NASA facility in Louisiana.

It is unclear, meanwhile, exactly when the final plugging of the well will take place.

Relief well drilling was supposed to resume after Labor Day. The government's point man on the spill response said Saturday he wanted to wait before giving a firm updated timeline. BP said recently it didn't expect to finish the relief well until mid-September.

The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, killing 11 and leading to the massive oil spill in the Gulf.