[StBernard] Forty Barrels of oil/water mix collected by new Marsh Flusher

[Westley Annis]

Forty Barrels of oil/water mix collected by new Marsh Flusher

St. Bernard Parish oil spill operations received 7 confirmed reports of
oiled marsh yesterday. There have been 5 confirmed oil sightings today of
either oiled marsh or shoreline.

A new marsh flushing technology has been put into use to clean the oil
impacted grassy marsh areas. No other technology has been introduced to
effectively clean these vital areas which provide a habitat and nesting area
to countless species of birds. This marsh flushing method was first tested
in St. Bernard Parish and has been approved by the Department of
Environmental Quality for use in this disaster to flush the oil out of the
marsh.  

The marsh flushing system uses an articulating arm which reaches into the
marsh and flushes the affected area with clean water at a low pressure,
directionally at a low height, ultimately flushing out the affected marsh
area and depositing the waste into a specially designed shallow water
skimming mechanism. 

Just yesterday the marsh flushing system collected 40 barrels of oil/water
mix. St. Bernard Parish has one marsh flushing system in use, and two more
are on the way to assist in oil spill response. With over 125 miles of marsh
in St. Bernard Parish having been affected by this disaster, the marsh
flushers are a ray of hope that something can be done to help save our
fragile wetlands.