Gulf’s surface oil not a threat to Southern
Florida, Keys, and East Coast
NOAA (July 30, 2010)
Southern Florida, the Florida Keys, and the East
Coast are not likely to experience any effects
from the remaining oil on the surface of the
Gulf as the oil continues to degrade and is
hundreds of miles away from the loop current,
according to a new NOAA analysis. This analysis
assumes the Deepwater Horizon/BP wellhead will
remained capped.
(MORE)
Preparations
Are Made to Resume Relief Well Drilling
(July 26, 2010)
After suspending operations and evacuating as a
precautionary measure to protect the safety of
response personnel and evade the threat of then
Tropical Storm Bonnie, Development Driller II
and Development Driller III have returned to the
well site and are making preparations to resume
drilling the relief wells.
(MORE)
Administration-Wide
Response to the Deepwater BP Oil Spill
(July 23, 2010) National Incident
Commander Admiral Thad Allen provided a briefing
to inform the American public and answer
questions on the progress of the
administration-wide response to the BP oil
spill.
(MORE)
Operational
Update
NEW ORLEANS (July 19,
2010) Coast Guard Rear
Adm. Paul Zukunft, the Federal On-Scene
Coordinator for the largest oil spill response
in U.S. history, today outlined recent efforts
relating to the Deepwater Horizon Response. The
overall response effort consists of 40,122
people; 5,640 vessels; and 116 aircraft on the
job.
(MORE)
Sea
life mistaken for tar balls
SARASOTA COUNTY (July 15, 2010)
Over the past few days
many of you may have heard rumors or received
e-mails about tar balls on Siesta Key Beach.
These are not tar balls. They are tunicates (organic sea
life) and occasionally wash up along the shore.
We have been seeing them along the beaches in
Sarasota County for several months.
Some people have also reported a fuel smell and are incorrectly associating that with this organic sea life when in fact it is probably from a passing boat or jet-ski.
We continue to encourage residents and beachgoers to report items found on the beaches to 1-866-448-5816.
Sarasota County asks BP for more than
$241,000 in oil spill costs
SARASOTA COUNTY (July 13, 2010)
Sarasota County has filed a claim with BP asking
for $241,959 to compensate for costs of the oil
spill. The claim is the first of what is
expected to be a series of requests for BP
reimbursement.
Sarasota County included $109,000 in the claim
to buy specialized equipment for cleaning oil
from beaches and $100,000 for extra tourism
advertising. The claim also includes more than
$8,100 in taxes that would have been paid by
visitors who canceled reservations through June
30.
Local hotels have said they have lost $108,000
in revenues from the cancellation of 651 room
nights. Individual hotels must file their claims
individually with BP.
The 130-page Sarasota County claim details time spent by county employees on disaster planning and more than 20 public appearances about the oil spill. County staff will be meeting with a BP representative from a Clearwater office to review the claim and the process for submitting future claims.
Statement from National Incident Commander
Admiral Thad Allen on well integrity test
(July 12, 2010) "Significant
progress has been made on the capping stack
installation. As a result of that progress, BP
will perform a "Well Integrity Test" tomorrow
morning. This test involves closing one or more
of the valves on the new cap for a period of
time to allow BP to measure pressures in the
well.
(MORE)
“Capping Stack” procedure continues, skimming
operations double at well site
WASHINGTON
(July 12, 2010) At
the Administration’s direction, BP continues its
“capping stack” procedure—designed to capture
even greater quantities of oil than the current
“top hat” system. In anticipation of increased
oil flow following the removal of the top hat
containment device, skimmers were surged to the
well site—allowing crews to take advantage of
good weather conditions and skim an estimated
25,500 barrels of oily water, double the amount
collected the previous day.
(MORE)
Sector mobile change of Command, Poulin to
remain Incident
Commander for Unified Command
MOBILE
(July 8, 2010)
Capt. Steven D. Poulin
will be relieved by Capt. Donald J. Rose as
commander of Coast Guard Sector Mobile during a
military change of command ceremony scheduled
for Friday, July 9 at 10 a.m. at the Mobile
Convention Center. (MORE)
Using sound science,
Fish and Wildlife Service addresses urgent
habitat needs for birds and other wildlife along
the gulf coast
WASHINGTON
(July 7, 2010)
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is
coordinating efforts along the Gulf Coast to
safeguard wildlife such as shorebirds,
waterfowl, marsh birds, sea birds and sea
turtles from the effects of oil. Working closely
with state, federal and non-government partners,
the Service is identifying the most pressing
habitat needs of these at-risk species,
recommending strategic habitat conservation
activities to address those needs, and helping
to implement projects along the coast from
Florida to Texas.
(MORE)
Administration launches
new, centralized, Streamlined oil spill response
website
DHIJIC (July 7, 2010)
National
Incident Commander Admiral Thad Allen today
announced the launch of a new federal web
portal—RestoreTheGulf.gov—dedicated
to providing the American people with clear and
accessible information and resources related to
the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill response and
recovery.
(MORE)
Watch: Siesta Key Community Forum on oil spill response efforts.
NOAA models long-term oil threat
to gulf and east coast shoreline
DHIJIC (July 2, 2010)
NOAA has used
modeling of historical wind and
ocean currents to project the
likelihood that surface oil from
the Deepwater Horizon/BP oil
spill will impact additional
U.S. coastline.
(MORE)
Florida announces
improved oiled bird recovery plan
TALLAHASSEE -
(July 1, 2010)
The Florida Fish and
Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) together with
federal partners today announced the creation of an
oiled bird recovery plan for rapid response to
distressed birds.
(MORE)
NOAA Sends Two Ships to Study
Loop Current and Coastal
WAHSINGTON -
(June 30, 2010) NOAA
research ship and a university-owned vessel left
Miami this week to begin two complementary studies
gathering data on the Loop Current and area
ecosystems in response to the Deepwater Horizon / BP
oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
(MORE)
NOAA Opens More
Than 8,000 Square Miles of Fishing Closed Area in
Gulf of Mexico
WAHSINGTON - (June
23, 2010) NOAA has opened more
than 8,000 square miles of previously closed fishing
area in the Gulf of Mexico, because the agency has
not observed oil in the area. The most significant
opening is an area due south of Mississippi which
was closed Monday, June 21. (MORE)
U.S. Coast Guard
conducts SCAT team training operations in St.
Petersburg
St.
Petersburg -
(June 21, 2010) Petty Officer
3rd Class Kendra Hassler, a marine science
technician reservist stationed at Coast Guard Sector
New York, discusses oil identification procedures
...
(MORE)
Governor Crist
launches Florida Gulf Recovery Jobs website
TALLAHASSEE - (June17, 2010) Governor
Charlie Crist today unveiled
Florida Gulf Recovery Jobs,
a website that allows job seekers to
locate and apply for positions created in response
to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
(MORE)
Federal
Agencies Introduce Online Mapping Tool to Track Gulf
Response
DHIJIC -
(June 14, 2010)
Monday NOAA launched
a new federal website
meant to answer those questions with clarity and
transparency– a one-stop shop for detailed
near-real-time information about the response to the
Deepwater Horizon BP oil spill. The website
incorporates data from the various agencies that are
working together to tackle the spill.
(MORE)
County officials
fight misinformation on oil sightings
SARASOTA
COUNTY -
(June 10, 2010) Hearsay about tar balls
washing up on Suncoast beaches are attracting bad
press, and Sarasota County Emergency Management
officials say know the facts before you spread
rumors.
(MORE)
What
will the hurricane do to the oil slick in the Gulf?
NOAA -
(June 10, 2010) If the slick remains
small in comparison to a typical hurricane’s general
environment and size, the anticipated impact on the
hurricane would be minimal. The high winds and seas will mix and
“weather” the oil which can help accelerate the
biodegradation process.
(READ MORE)
Letter from
Federal On-Scene Coordinator Real Admiral James
Watson to BP COO Doug Suttles
DHIJIC -
(June 9, 2010) Yesterday,
Federal On-Scene Coordinator Rear Admiral James
Watson sent a letter to BP COO Doug Suttles.
(MORE)
Florida DOH offers important health information
regarding DHOS
TALLAHASSEE - (June 8, 2010) As
part of Florida’s ongoing efforts to help ensure the
health and safety of individuals regarding the
Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the Florida Department
of Health (DOH) is reminding Florida’s residents and
visitors to avoid contact with oil products such as
tar balls and tar mats.
(MORE)
NOAA deploys additional aircraft to Gulf to help
monitor air quality
WASHINGTON - (June 8, 2010)
A second National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration WP-3D Orion aircraft was deployed to
the Gulf today to build on current air quality
monitoring efforts near the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil
Spill. (MORE)
MIAMI - (June 6, 2010) A Sentry plan has been initiated to provide real-time ocean monitoring off the Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas. Vessels will be used to conduct maritime patrols to provide early identification of any weathered oil products such as light sheen ... (MORE)
New Effort to
Collect; Review Oil Spill Response Solutions
Announced
WASHINGTON
-
(June 4, 2010) The Interagency
Alternative Technology Assessment Program workgroup,
newly established by the National Incident Commander
for the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill ...
(MORE)
National
Incident Commander Admiral Thad Allen comments on
placement of containment cap
DHIJIC -
(June 3, 2010) "The placement
of the containment cap is another positive
development in BP's most recent attempt to contain
the leak ... (MORE)
Federal aid to
help Florida's fishing industry requested
TALLAHASSEE - (June 2, 2010) Governor
Charlie Crist has asked for federal assistance to
help Florida's fishing industries and communities
weather adverse impacts of the BP Deepwater Horizon
oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
(MORE)
Unified Area
Command Warn of Employment Scam
ROBERT, La. -
Individuals falsely representing themselves as BP
employees are offering applicants training and
promising job placement for a fee.
(MORE)
NOAA Expands
Fishing Closed Area in Gulf of Mexico
WASHINGTON -
(June 1, 2010)
NOAA has extended the northern and southern
boundaries of the closed fishing area in the Gulf of
Mexico to capture portions of the slick moving into
waters off eastern Alabama and the western tip of
the Florida panhandle, as well as some large patches
of sheen moving onto the west Florida shelf and
southward to Cuban waters.
(MORE)
