Florida Outlines BP Gulf Oil Spill Response For July 20, 2010
On Day 92 of the Gulf oil spill currently Deepwater Horizon is not discharging any oil into the Gulf of Mexico.
BP continues the well integrity test, which is being closely monitored.
Isolated impacts of crude oil tar balls and tar patties are expected to continue in Northwest Florida over the next 72 hours.
State reconnaissance teams operating by air, land and sea continue to identify potential impacts and are actively coordinating with cleanup teams. View the Florida Gator Interactive Oil Spill Map.
Approximately 622 miles of Gulf Coast shoreline is currently oiled: 87 miles in Florida, 355 miles in Louisiana, 111 miles in Mississippi, and 69 miles in Alabama.
About 1.84 million gallons of total dispersant have been applied: 1.07 million on the surface and 771,000 subsea. More than 34.5 million gallons of an oil-water mix have been recovered.
As of July 20, minimal tarballs were reported on Escambia County beaches, including Pensacola Beach and Perdido Key. More than 1,000 workers are staged on the beaches and cleanup crews worked overnight and will continue working.
All gulf beaches in Escambia County remain under an Oil Impact Notice that will stay in effect until beaches are no longer impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The notice is not in effect for inland beaches along Pensacola and Escambia bays or for bayous. Gulf beaches are open and swimming is not prohibited but swimmers are advised to avoid coming into contact with oil, whether in the water or on land.
Under the leadership of Governor Charlie Crist, the State Emergency Response Team and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) are actively coordinating and responding to the Deepwater Horizon incident.
The following is a summary of state and BP response actions to date, as well as tips for residents and visitors to take precautions both pre and post-landfall.
Map of BP Oil Spill as of July 20, 2010. Click on images for larger picture.
This forecast is based on the NWS spot forecast from Monday, July 19 PM. Currents were obtained from several models (NOAA Gulf of Mexico, West Florida Shelf/USF, TGLO/TAMU, NAVO/NRL) and HFR measurements. The model was initialized from Sunday-Monday satellite imagery analysis (NOAA/NESDIS) and Monday overflight observations. The leading edge may contain tarballs that are not readily observable from the imagery (hence not included in the model initialization). Oil near bay inlets could be brought into that bay by local tidal currents.
Persistent ESE and E winds are forecast to continue through Thursday with speeds of 10-20 kts. Satellite analysis and overflights indicate surface oil has moved west toward the Delta but has not yet crossed the convergence line associated with the Mississippi River outflow. Scattered streamers and tar patties were also observed to the west of the Delta. With moderately strong easterly winds in the forecast, the Delta and shorelines west to Terrebonne Bay are threatened by shoreline contacts within this forecast period. Trajectories also indicate some oil may move northward threatening the Chandeleur Islands.
Message of the Day:
Currently there are no plans to use dispersants in Florida.
If dispersants are ever considered in state waters, the determination to use the chemical would be evaluated by DEP with input from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Florida Wildlife Research Institute and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Dispersants are a chemical used to break up oil into small droplets so that they are more easily degraded. This chemical is most effective against fresh oil, unlike the weathered oil impacts Florida has seen in its waters.
The EPA and the U.S. Coast Guard have authorized BP to use dispersants underwater, in federal waters, at the source of the Deepwater Horizon leak.
The use of dispersants has declined significantly since the well was capped on July 15. Subsea dispersant application has been in use since May 15, 2010. While BP pursues the use of subsurface dispersants, the federal government reviews its effectiveness and impact on the environment daily.
EPA specifically monitors the water and air for dispersant and its potential impacts through a rigorous monitoring program. The federal government reserves the right to discontinue the use of this dispersant method if negative impacts on the environment outweigh the benefits, and the Coast Guard’s Federal On-Scene Coordinator has the authority to make daily decisions regarding any request by BP to adjust the use of dispersant. Learn more.
On Site Actions:
During the well integrity test, operations on the first relief well have been temporarily stopped, as a precaution, while the well was at 17,840 feet. Operations on the second relief well have been temporarily suspended at 15,874 feet to ensure there is no interference with the first relief well. Learn more
Current Situation:
The State Emergency Operations Center is activated at Level 1 or full activation.
The State Emergency Response Team continues to focus on mitigating impacts to Florida’s shoreline.
Four Florida branch offices are fully operational in Northwest Florida. These branch offices bring together federal, state and local agencies to streamline response efforts.
Currently Deepwater Horizon is not discharging any oil into the Gulf of Mexico. BP continues the well integrity test, which is being closely monitored. Learn more.
Isolated impacts are expected to continue in Northwest Florida over the next 72 hours.
Oil Impact Notices are posted for all Escambia County and Walton County Gulf beaches, as well as designated beaches in Okaloosa County. Signs may remain in place until local authorities determine that beaches are no longer impacted by the oil spill. Learn more.
The current federal fisheries closure in the Gulf of Mexico measures 83,927 square miles. This leaves approximately 65 percent of Gulf federal waters available for fishing. This federal closure does not apply to any state waters. Learn more.
A portion of coastal state waters offshore of Escambia County is closed to the harvest of saltwater fish, crabs and shrimp. Learn more.
Landfall Reports and Predictions:
Tar balls, tar mats and light sheen continue to be reported in Northwest Florida.
Continued impacts will be possible in Northwest Florida over the next 72 hours.
Five state-leased skimmers continue to operate in Northwest Florida to protect sensitive inland water bodies. These skimmers are operating at the passes in Escambia, Okaloosa, Bay, Gulf and Franklin Counties.
Nearly 90 percent of Florida’s more than 1,260 miles of coastline remains unimpacted.
If oil is sighted on Florida’s coastline report it to the State Warning Point at 1-877-2-SAVE-FL (1-877-272-8335) or by dialing #DEP from most cell phones.
Pensacola Pass as well as Perdido Pass will continue to be closed with the tide to reduce the amount of oil entering inland waters. These waterways are manned to allow access to necessary vessel traffic and are open for vessel traffic during low tide. See NOAA tide predictions.
Observations by NOAA continue to indicate no significant amounts of oil moving toward the Loop Current. The Loop Current Ring, a circular current which was formerly part of the Loop Current provides no clear path for oil to enter the Florida Straits.
There have been no reports of Deepwater Horizon oil spill-related products reaching the shore beyond the Northwest Florida region. There is no indication that the rest of the state will have impacts from weathered oil products within the next 72 hours.
A tropical wave in the Southwest Atlantic near Puerto Rico has a 40 percent chance of becoming a tropical depression within the next 48 hours.
Boom Placement:
Approximately 475,600 feet of hard boom and 8,580 feet of sorbent boom have been placed in Northwest Florida along the most sensitive areas. Additionally, counties in the region are moving forward with supplemental booming plans. As of July 15, 316,261 feet of supplemental boom has been deployed or staged by Florida contractors.
Health Effects:
Oil Impact Notices are posted for all Escambia County and Walton County Gulf beaches, as well as designated beaches in Okaloosa County. Signs may remain in place until local authorities determine that beaches are no longer impacted by the oil spill. Learn more.
If residents or visitors see tar or oiled debris on the beach, DO NOT PICK IT UP. For most people, an occasional brief contact with a small amount of oil will not cause any harm, however it is not recommended. Learn more.
Fisheries & Seafood:
The current federal fisheries closure in the Gulf of Mexico measures 83,927 square miles. This leaves approximately 65 percent of Gulf federal waters available for fishing. This federal closure does not apply to any state waters. Learn more.
A portion of coastal state waters offshore of Escambia County is closed to the harvest of saltwater fish, crabs and shrimp. Learn more.
To report oiled wildlife, please call 1-866-557-1401. For the safety of the public as well as the safety of animals, rescues should only be conducted by trained responders. Learn more.
Visit http://bpdecon.com for a list of vessel decontamination locations for oiled boats within the U.S. Coast Guard Mobile Sector.
Tips for Homeowners:
While the state appreciates the concern expressed by Floridians and the ingenuity of those seeking alternative measures to help protect the state’s shoreline, the following tips are offered to ensure that these measures are helpful and not harmful to Florida’s coasts, wildlife and water resources: Tips for homeowners.
Tips for Businesses and Consumers:
The Attorney General’s fraud hotline is open to receive any reports of fraud or price gouging. The hotline is 1-866-966-7226.
The Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner gas price-gouging hotline is also operational. The toll-free hotline number is 1-800-HELP-FLA (1-800-435-7352).
Coastal businesses should make loss of earnings claims for damages incurred as a result of the oil spill. Learn more at http://www.myfloridacfo.com/ or by calling 1-850-413-3089 or toll-free at 1-877-MY-FL-CFO (1-877-693-5236).
To discuss spill related damage with BP representatives, please call the BP Claims Reporting Line at 1-800-440-0858.
Volunteer Opportunities:
Individuals interested in volunteering can register at www.volunteerfloridadisaster.org.
Volunteers will not be in direct contact with oil or oil-contaminated materials.
The Governor’s Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service – Volunteer Florida is encouraging Floridians and visitors to stay current on the latest information on scheduled beach cleanups and other local volunteer opportunities.
Learn More About Florida’s Response:
Visit www.deepwaterhorizonflorida.com to learn more about Florida’s response to the Deepwater Horizon incident, sign up for daily updates, view tips for businesses and consumers, and much more.
For a list of Unified Command, BP and Florida phone numbers, visit http://www.dep.state.fl.us/deepwaterhorizon/default.htm#numbers.
The Oil Spill Information Line is available at 1-888-337-3569 from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. seven days a week. Additional phone numbers have also been established for persons with disabilities: (800) 955-8771 (TDD) or (800) 955-8770 (voice).
Topics: 2010, beaches, BP, British Petroleum, business, coastline, Deepwater Horizon, Economy, emergency response, environment, environmental impact, Fishery Failure Determination, fishing, Florida, Florida seafood products, GOHSEP, Governance, government, Governor Charlie Crist, Gulf of Mexico, gulf oil map, July 20, landfall predictions, loans, Mexico Beach, moniter, monitor, news, noaa oil spill, Obama Administration, oil loop current, Oil Rig, oil spill, oil spill forecast, oil spill map, Panama City Beach, Panhandle, Pensacola Beach, Pensacola Pass, pollution, President Obama, tourism, Transocean, U.S., United States, VISIT FLORIDA marketing campaign, White House, www.visitflorida.com
Print This Article in Plain Text
|
|
Latest Headlines
- Osama Bin Laden Dead?
- Florida To Share $1 Billion For Gulf Coast Restoration Efforts
- Texas Prays For Rain During Extreme Drought Conditions
- Governor Christie Takes Action To Reduce Diesel Emissions, Improve Air Quality
- Governor McDonnell Outlines Draft Transportation Improvement Program
- Alaska Energy Bill Passes Legislature
- Illinois State Building Receives ENERGY STAR Award
- Homeland Security Begins Using National Terrorism Advisory System
- U.S. Outlines New Health Insurance Options For Graduating College Students
- Electrolux Expands In North Carolina, To Create 200 Jobs In Charlotte
- Virginia Storm Victims To Receive Tax Extension
- U.S. Expands Broadband Investment For Rural Areas To Accelerate Job Creation
- U.S. To Invest $130 Million For Advanced Energy Research
- Michigan Passes “I’m Sorry” Bill
- Kentucky Sells Two State Aircraft To Save Taxpayer Dollars
