Update on the Oil Spill Recovery in Grand Isle and Lafitte
May 24, 2010
Due to the oil pouring into the passes of Grand Isle and the Town of Lafitte, Jefferson Parish exercised their right under the Declaration of a State of Emergency filed on April 29, 2010 to commandeer property and/or resources to protect lives and properties.
BP committed to fold into the Jefferson Parish Emergency Management Command Center in Grand Isle. BP officials have representatives located inside the Jefferson Parish Command Post and are working with Parish officials to direct response vessels to the location of the oil slicks in Barataria Bay. Two task forces, consisting of approximately 25 boats each are now working to collect the oil slicks that entered Barataria Bay yesterday.
These task forces are also locating boats at the entrance of each pass from the Gulf of Mexico into Barataria Bay to collect oil before it gets into the bay. A total of 30 skimmers, 4 of which are large vessels are collecting oil and over thousands of feet of boom have been deployed.
Due to the large quantities of oil entering Barataria Bay in the Town of Jean Lafitte, on May 21 and 22 Jefferson Parish implemented its interior booming plans to protect the marshes and wetlands north of the bay. Over the next few days, 60,000 feet of boom will be placed from Wilkerson Canal on the east to Snail Bay on the west. All marine traffic must use the Barataria Waterway to enter and exit this area. Boaters must use extreme caution in order to avoid running over boom lines in place.
