NEW ORLEANS — The Coast Guard is scheduled to oversee an in-situ burn for a crude oil discharge near Garden Island Bay, Louisiana, Wednesday.
Watchstanders at Sector New Orleans received the initial report of the oil discharge around 4p.m. on April 26.
The source has been secured since Sunday, May 4. To date, 116,429 gallons of oily water have been recovered.
Containment boom was deployed to prevent the spread of oil; however, the oil is trapped within the floating marsh, in an area inaccessible for mechanical recovery.
In-situ burning involves the controlled burning of discharged oil. It is one of several response options aimed at reducing environmental impact when responding to spills in marshland habitats.
“The decision to implement an in-situ burn was based on careful evaluation of environmental conditions and guided by our commitment to minimize long-term impacts to the ecosystem,” said Capt. Gregory Callaghan, Commander, Sector New Orleans and Federal On-Scene Coordinator. “We are deeply grateful for the swift action, technical expertise, and steadfast support of our local, state, and federal partners. This collaboration is critical to executing a safe and effective response and is a testament to the strength of the relationships we have built over the years of joint planning and training.”
T&T Group has been contracted to conduct the in-situ burn.
Operations are scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. and estimated to last until 4 p.m. Operations may continue into Thursday if necessary.
Both the one nautical mile radius vessel safety zone and the two-mile, 2,000 feet elevation temporary flight restriction remain in place. The public should avoid the area to protect themselves and allow responders to safely continue response efforts.
To date, there have been four oiled birds and one alligator observed. Three of the birds have been captured and one has since been released back into its natural habitat after successful rehabilitation. The public is encouraged to report any observation of impacted wildlife to the Wildlife Hotline Phone Number at 832-514-9663.
Observations of oil should be made to the National Response Center at 800-424-8802. Individuals or businesses directly impacted by the incident can contact 1-866-601-5880 for assistance and information.
The cause of the incident is under investigation.
The Unified Command will continue to release imagery and updates from the response site as they become available.
Coordinating agencies and response stakeholders include:
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA)
- Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE)
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)
- Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF)
- Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ)
- Louisiana Department of Energy and Natural Resources (LDENR)
- Plaquemines Parish Government
- Forefront Emergency Management (FEM)
- Environmental Safety & Health Consulting Services Inc. (ES&H)
- Clean Gulf Associates (CGA)
- Wild Well Control
- Couvillion Group
Media should direct inquiries to well59response@gmail.com.
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