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Upwards of 79,000 gallons (299,047 liters) of “oily water
mixture” have been recovered near Garden Island Bay in
Plaquemines Parish at the edge of the Mississippi River Delta
Basin, the U.S. Coast Guard said Monday. The region is still
recovering from the effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill
15 years ago.
“Gaining control of the discharge is a vital milestone, but it
marks only the beginning of our work," U.S. Coast Guard Capt.
Greg Callaghan, who is coordinating the federal response, said
in an emailed statement.
"The Unified Command is fully committed to an exhaustive cleanup
effort and will remain on site for as long as necessary to
ensure the removal of oil and the safety of both the community
and the ecosystem,” Callaghan added.
Authorities say they have deployed more than 20,000 feet (6
kilometers) of containment booms. The cause of the leak remains
under investigation, officials said.
The U.S. Coast Guard said it has “successfully secured” the well
that's responsible for the leakage, owned by the firm Spectrum
OpCo, LLC. But the total amount of discharged oil remained
“unknown."
“Spectrum OpCo sincerely regrets the incident and its potential
impact on our neighbors and remains fully engaged and resolutely
committed to assisting with the cleanup,” the company said in an
emailed statement.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA,
stated it is “providing on-scene scientific support” such as
tracking the spread of the spill and identifying natural
resources at risk.
So far, only one bird covered in oil has been reported by
federal authorities.
Plaquemines Parish has 20 pending lawsuits against oil and gas
companies for failing to clean up infrastructure and surrounding
coastal wetlands. Last month, a jury ordered Chevron to pay more
than $740 million in damages to the parish.
Louisiana U.S. Rep. Troy Carter said that the spill called
attention to the “clear and present danger” posed by cutting
federal employees at agencies like NOAA who have experience
handling oil spills.
“We owe it to our communities, our environment, and our future
generations to safeguard Louisiana’s coast — before it’s too
late,” Carter said.
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Brook covers Louisiana government, infrastructure and
environmental issues from New Orleans. He is a Report for
America corps member.
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