Marine
Debris Project To Be Rescheduled
Posted:
6/23/06
The volunteer-based
Marine Debris Marking & Mapping Project on Calcasieu Lake,
Moss Lake and West Cove scheduled for Saturday, June 24, has
been postponed due to adverse environmental conditions and
ongoing clean-up operations surrounding the 70,000 barrel
oil and wastewater spill at CITGO’s Indian Marais on-site
drainage facility. The event will be rescheduled in July.
“Given
the current environmental conditions, with approximately 15,000
barrels contained as of Wednesday, June 21, visible sheen
located at the Calcasieu Point Landing, and coupled with the
volunteer orientation of this effort—the current risk
to boaters was simply too uncertain,” said Louisiana
Sea Grant’s Port Specialist Justin Farrell. Closures
that affect the project include the Calcasieu Ship Channel
and Moss Lake. Additionally, it was uncertain whether additional
closures would be forthcoming.
Heavy
rainfall in the Lake Charles area earlier in the week caused
flooding and problems at CITCO’s waste water storage
tank area and secondary containments. The official cause of
the spill remains under investigation. In response to on-going
recovery and containment efforts on the Calcasieu Ship Channel,
the U.S. Coast Guard, Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator’s
Office (LOSCO), and the CITGO Lake Charles Manufacturing Complex
have created a Unified Incident Command. Likewise, CITGO has
established the following hotline at (800) 213-5540 and a
direct line for claims relating to boat cleaning at (337)
708-7177.
Hurricane
Rita scattered residential, industrial and vegetative debris
throughout the estuary system, creating a hazard for recreational
and commercial boaters, as well as their vessels and gear.
In an attempt to make the lake safer, the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of Coast Survey,
Louisiana Sea Grant College Program (Louisiana Sea Grant),
Coastal Conservation Association (CCA), Lake Charles Power
Squadron, LSU AgCenter, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and
Fisheries and the Lake Charles Pilots continue to move toward
marking and mapping as much of the marine debris as possible.
Anyone
with information or data on known marine debris locations
are asked to contact Tim Osborn, Tim.Osborn@noaa.gov,
(337) 291-2111; Justin Farrell, jfarrell@lsu.edu
or (225) 578-6348; or Kevin Savoie, KSavoie@agcenter.lsu.edu,
(337) 475-8812; or visit www.laseagrant.org/debris.
Project updates will also be posted to this site.
This effort
is made possible with involvement of NOAA's Office of Coast
Survey with the funding and support of NOAA's Marine Debris
Program, which is part of the NOAA Office of Response and
Restoration (National Ocean Service). The NOAA Marine Debris
Program works with other NOAA offices and partners to support
national, state, local and international efforts to protect
and conserve our nation’s natural resources and coastal
waterways from the impacts of marine debris.
Back
to Main
