[StBernard] Skimming Vessels Being Deployed to Chandeleur Islands, With Long Streamer of Oil Sitting Just Outside of the Islands into the Gulf

[Westley Annis]

Skimming Vessels Being Deployed to Chandeleur Islands, With Long Streamer of
Oil Sitting Just Outside of the Islands into the Gulf

 

British Petroleum and the U.S. Coast Guard conducted flyovers of the
Chandeleur Islands to monitor the oil sitting just on the Gulf of Mexico
side of islands. There is a streamer, or a long stream of oil one to two
miles away from the Chandeleur Islands, reaching from the southern tip to
the middle of the islands. 

 

Parish officials deployed skimming vessels to the area to conduct immediate
skimming activities in that area, and St. Bernard Parish President Craig
Taffaro and other local officials are requesting other resources in order to
appropriately respond to this. All agencies involved will continue to
monitor this threat and respond as needed.

 

A total of 50 vessels deployed from all three command centers in St. Bernard
to conduct boom deployment, reconnaissance and repair as well as trawling
operations. An additional five vessels deployed with Coast Guard pollution
investigators and observations personnel.  Crews deployed 9,100 feet of hard
boom and 9,200 feet of soft boom in the past 24 hours. The command centers
received 14,500 feet of soft boom today.

 

Three jack-up barges are deployed in St. Bernard Parish waters as staging
areas. One is stationed at the Chandeleur Islands, another is stationed in
middle of Breton Sound and one is at the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet. Two
others are being readied for deployment. One will sit in the staging area at
Breton Sound Marina to assist in decontamination activities. The other will
be dispatched as needed. Additionally, five vessels involved in the Vessels
of Opportunity Program are being used as supply vessels for these jack-up
barges. 

 

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