[StBernard] Patch of tar balls 3 miles long being recovered in St. Bernard Parish

[Westley Annis]

Patch of tar balls 3 miles long being recovered in St. Bernard Parish

 

St. Bernard Parish Oil Spill Operations resumed response and recovery
operations Monday, following the hurricane drill due to Tropical Depression
Bonnie. Flyovers and vessels on the water have confirmed several areas of
oiled marsh on Brush Island, Gardner Island, Twilight Harbor, south of
Fiddler Point and east of Point Gardner. 

A 3- to 4-mile long and 3-mile wide band of tar balls was discovered today
in area of Comfort Island. Two skimming task forces were deployed to the
area in the late afternoon and were able to recover approximately five
barrels of this product. Due to the vast area of tar balls in this area, not
all of the product was able to be recovered. A flyover will be conducted
over the area early tomorrow morning to determine possible impact to Comfort
Island. Skimming task forces will be deployed as needed to get back on the
tar balls and recover the rest of this product as needed. 

A flyover conducted this afternoon discovered a 10-mile long, quarter-mile
wide streamer of emulsified oil 3 miles off the northern tip of the
Chandeleur Islands today. Skimming vessels will be deployed to the area this
afternoon and will be able skim this area of oil early in the morning if it
is still located in our area of operation. Members of Unified Command at
Hopedale have alerted officials in Mississippi that this band of oil may be
headed their way, and that we will do everything possible to recover this
product before it hits their waters.

The Louisiana National Guard was successful in recovering 26 bags of oiled
sand off of the sand berm just outside of the Chandeleur Islands today. This
berm continues to work as a barrier to keep oil and tar balls out of St.
Bernard Parish waters. 

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