Florida Outlines BP Gulf Oil Spill Response For July 23, 2010
On Day 95 of the Gulf oil spill Tropical Storm Bonnie was located approximately 80 miles south-southeast of Miami with maximum sustained winds of 40mph as of 8:00 a.m. EDT.
Tropical Storm Warnings and Watches are in effect for South Florida today as strong, gusty winds and heavy rainfall of 2-3 inches with some areas receiving up to 5 inches.
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for the Western Panhandle for Saturday and Sunday.
The relief well activities at the MC252 well site will be temporarily suspended because of potentially adverse weather associated with Tropical Storm Bonnie, which is projected to track into the Gulf of Mexico. The MC252 well remains shut-in at this time and active monitoring continues as long as weather permits. Pressure continues to slowly increase and is approximately 6876 psi. Yesterday it was 6863 psi.
Approximately 630 miles of Gulf Coast shoreline is currently oiled: 89 miles in Florida, 364 miles in Louisiana, 107 miles in Mississippi and 70 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 34.7 million gallons of an oil-water mix have been recovered. (no change since yesterday)
Isolated impacts of tar balls, tar mats and light sheen are expected to continue in Northwest Florida over the next 72 hours. Nearly 90 percent of Florida’s more than 1,260 miles of coastline remains unimpacted. View the Florida Gator Interactive Oil Spill Map.
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 23, 2010. Click on images for larger picture.
This forecast is based on the NWS spot forecast from Thursday, July 22 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 Thursday aerial imagery analysis (SLAR courtesy of Icelandic Coast Guard) and 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.
Winds are forecast to be ENE on Friday at 10-15 kts, and then begin increasing as a tropical depression moves into the north central Gulf. On Saturday, winds are forecast to be E/SE at 20-30 kts then decrease on Sunday to 10-15 kts. Today’s overflights and aerial imagery indicate the surface oil is continuing to break up into numerous patches. Trajectories indicate the leading edge to the north will continue to move northwestward into Breton Sound and towards the Chandeleur Islands. Oil moving westward around the Mississippi Delta is collecting in the convergence line associated with the fresh water outflow – this oil will continue moving westward threatening the Delta and shorelines west to Caillou Bay.
Message of the day: Sea Turtle Protection
To ensure that sea turtle hatchlings on Florida beaches do not encounter oil from the Deepwater Horizon incident, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service will be relocating nests today in Franklin, Okaloosa, Gulf and Bay counties. Nest excavations have been occurring on Northwest Florida and Alabama Gulf coasts this past month and will continue throughout the summer.
The plan involves carefully transporting sea turtle eggs that are within a week to 10 days of hatching from the beaches in Northwest Florida to a facility on the central-east coast of Florida. When the eggs hatch at this facility, the hatchlings are released on a nearby beach. This type of action is a last resort in Florida, where every effort is made to leave sea turtle nests in place so that hatchlings emerge naturally and depart from the beach where their mother nested.
For more information on the plan to relocate Northwest Florida sea turtle eggs, visit http://www.fws.gov/northflorida.
To report sightings of oiled wildlife, call 1-866-557-1401. For more information on sea turtle conservation, visit www.MyFWC.com/SeaTurtle.
Current Situation
The State Emergency Operations Center is activated at Level 1 or full activation.
The State continues to focus on mitigating impacts to Florida’s shoreline.
On July 22, Governor Crist sent a letter to NOAA Administrator Dr. Jane Lubchenco, requesting expedited action regarding the extension of Florida’s red snapper fishing season. Learn more.
On July 22, NOAA reopened 26,388 square miles of area it had previously closed in the Gulf of Mexico This leaves approximately 76 percent of Gulf federal waters available for fishing. This federal closure does not apply to any state waters. Learn more.
On July 22, National Incident Commander Admiral Thad Allen announced that some response activities at the well head site will be suspended temporarily due to the impending tropical activity in the Gulf of Mexico. Learn more.
On July 21, Governor Crist issued Executive Order 10-169, authorizing property appraisers to provide interim assessments of properties affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster. Property appraisers in the 26 counties under the current state of emergency declaration are granted authorization to provide an interim assessment of any property that may have declined in value due to the oil spill.
Currently Deepwater Horizon is not discharging any oil into the Gulf of Mexico.
All supplemental Tier 3 boom is being removed in the Northwest Florida counties, due to the impending tropical activity in the Gulf of Mexico.
State reconnaissance teams operating by air, land and sea continue to identify potential impacts and are actively coordinating with cleanup teams.
Four Florida branch offices are fully operational in Northwest Florida. These branch offices bring together federal, state and local agencies to streamline response efforts.
Isolated impacts are expected to continue in Northwest Florida over the next 72 hours. Nearly 90 percent of Florida’s more than 1,260 miles of coastline remains unimpacted.
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.
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 23, 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
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