MISSISSIPPI RIVER OIL SPILL RESPONSE UPDATE
NEW ORLEANS (30 July): Efforts to clean up and contain up to 420,000 gallons of oil spilled in the Mississippi River continue Wednesday.
The following is the latest information:
•Under authority of the existing safety zone the Captain of the Port has temporarily closed the river at Algiers Point from mile marker 93 to 95 while responders work to contain the secondary release that occurred this morning.
•Water intakes downriver of the Crescent City Connection have been closed as a safety precaution against possible spread of oil while monitoring the spill.
•The damaged barge, DM 932, shifted with dropping river levels and released additional oil. An amount is unknown and clean up personnel are on scene, deploying 600 feet of boom in addition to the extensive booming all ready in place.
•More than 105,000 gallons of an oil/water mix has been recovered to date.
•More than 2,000 responders from four oil spill response organizations are currently deployed throughout the region affected by the spill.
•The responders are using three tugs, 108 work boats, six barges with two more on the way, 35 skimmers and 14 vacuum trucks on scene to clean up the spill.
•Approximately 148,000 feet of boom and sorbent boom is deployed.
•A plan to salvage the barge has been approved and is being implemented.
•103 vessels have been decontaminated and released and operations are accelerating.
•The Unified Command is working diligently to ensure personal safety, to expedite pollution cleanup and to resume commercial traffic as soon as possible.
•An incident Web site has been established at www.neworleansoilspill.com
•Oiled wildlife can be reported by calling 504-393-0353.
NEW ORLEANS (30 July): Efforts to clean up and contain up to 420,000 gallons of oil spilled in the Mississippi River continue Wednesday.
The following is the latest information:
•Under authority of the existing safety zone the Captain of the Port has temporarily closed the river at Algiers Point from mile marker 93 to 95 while responders work to contain the secondary release that occurred this morning.
•Water intakes downriver of the Crescent City Connection have been closed as a safety precaution against possible spread of oil while monitoring the spill.
•The damaged barge, DM 932, shifted with dropping river levels and released additional oil. An amount is unknown and clean up personnel are on scene, deploying 600 feet of boom in addition to the extensive booming all ready in place.
•More than 105,000 gallons of an oil/water mix has been recovered to date.
•More than 2,000 responders from four oil spill response organizations are currently deployed throughout the region affected by the spill.
•The responders are using three tugs, 108 work boats, six barges with two more on the way, 35 skimmers and 14 vacuum trucks on scene to clean up the spill.
•Approximately 148,000 feet of boom and sorbent boom is deployed.
•A plan to salvage the barge has been approved and is being implemented.
•103 vessels have been decontaminated and released and operations are accelerating.
•The Unified Command is working diligently to ensure personal safety, to expedite pollution cleanup and to resume commercial traffic as soon as possible.
•An incident Web site has been established at www.neworleansoilspill.com
•Oiled wildlife can be reported by calling 504-393-0353.