[StBernard] Severe Weather Plan activated for St. Bernard Parish Branch oil spill operations

[Westley Annis]

Severe Weather Plan activated for St. Bernard Parish Branch oil spill
operations

 

St. Bernard Parish Branch oil spill operations is keeping a close eye on
Invest 94, a low pressure system currently located over the southeastern
Gulf of Mexico. This system is accompanied by a large area of showers and
squalls. There is currently a 70% chance of this system becoming a tropical
cyclone during the next 48 hours as it moves west-northwestward at 5 to 10
miles per hour. 

 

Incident Command in Houma has activated the severe weather plan for oil
spill operations. Non-essential personnel will be released from all staging
areas and oil spill assets and resources will be moved to a pre-existing
staging area on higher ground in the parish by noon Wednesday. This staging
site, located in Chalmette at the Port, is already in use as an off-site
staging area for oil spill resources, making the plan run even smoother. All
vessels will be moved to safe harbor. 

 

To prevent boom displacement and possible environmental and wildlife impact
this might cause, hard oil containment boom is being retrieved from parish
waters as part of the severe weather plan. 

 

As it becomes clear to Unified Command as to the severity and expected
duration of this weather system, the time frame of when to stand up oil
spill operations will be decided. 

 

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