FLORIDA DEEPWATER HORIZON RESPONSE JUNE 26, 2010
TALLAHASSEE - 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.
Landfall Reports and Predictions:
* Tar balls, tar patties and mousse continue to be found in Northwest Florida, with the heaviest impacts reported between Escambia and Walton Counties.
* 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.
* Perdido Pass and Pensacola Pass are closed with the tide to reduce the amount of oil from entering inland waters. Boom is deployed across each Pass at flood tide (water coming in) and removed at ebb tide (water going out).
* Boaters in areas where skimming is being conducted, or where boom has been set, have been requested to maintain no-wake speeds.
* These waterways are manned to allow access to necessary vessel traffic and are open for vessel traffic during low tide. See NOAA tide predictions.A slight change in winds and currents has minimized the potential for oil impacts to continue moving east. Impacts in the already affected areas in Northwest Florida will continue within the next 72 hours.
* The majority of impacts to Florida`s shoreline will likely be highly weathered, in the form of tar balls, oil sheen, tar mats or mousse - a pudding-like oil/water mixture that could be brown, rust or orange in color.
* 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 oil 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.
* Tropical Depression #1, which formed at 6pm Friday, has been upgraded to Tropical Storm Alex. The system is approximately 566 miles south of Key West, or approximately 848 miles south-southeast of the Deepwater Horizon well head site. Maximum sustained winds are near 45mph. A general northwest track across the Yucatan Peninsula and then toward the Texas/Mexico border is forecast. Hurricane hunter aircraft is investigating the system again this afternoon.
On Site Actions:
* Current projections estimate Deepwater Horizon`s discharge at 35,000 to 60,000 barrels per day. Learn more.
* BP is continuing its efforts to contain the leak and capture a substantial amount of leaking oil from the use of the Lower Marine Riser Package (LMRP) Cap Containment System.
* On June 25, approximately 16,340 barrels of oil were collected, 8,210 barrels of oil were flared and 54.5 million cubic feet of natural gas were flared. BP is continuing efforts to drill two relief wells.
State Actions:
* The State Emergency Operations Center is activated at Level 1.
* 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.
* DEP issued a Second Amended Emergency Final Order to accelerate preparedness and restoration in the counties under the Governor`s state-of-emergency Executive Orders. View approved emergency permits here.
* Individuals, businesses and/or condominiums are not exempt from permitting requirements under the provisions of the Emergency Final Order. For more information on permits, visit the Coastal Construction Control Line Permitting site at: http://www.dep.state.fl.us/beaches/programs/ccclprog.htm.
* DEP conducted water and sediment sampling to use as a baseline and is monitoring air quality data. Statewide air quality monitoring is conducted in coordination with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Learn more at http://www.airnow.gov or http://www.epa.gov/bpspill. In addition, real-time sampling data can be viewed at http://www.dep.state.fl.us/deepwaterhorizon/air.htm.
* Air quality reports for June 25 revealed that air quality was considered good for ozone and fine particulate concentrations in Northwest Florida. "Good" means the air quality is satisfactory and air pollution poses little or no risk.
Boom Placement:
* Approximately 371,600 feet of boom has been placed in Northwest Florida along the most sensitive areas and 234,900 feet is staged. Additionally, counties in the region are moving forward with supplemental booming plans. As of June 25, 316,061feet of supplemental boom has been deployed or staged by Florida contractors.
* Placement of boom is based on where the oil is threatening, as well as each region`s area contingency plan.
Health Effects:
* On June 25, Escambia County Health Department, in coordination with Escambia County Emergency Management and local officials rescinded the health advisory issued on June 23 for the following beach waters in Escambia County that were affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill: Public Walkover 23 at Pensacola Beach west to the entrance of Ft. Pickens. The health advisory for the beaches of Ft. Pickens and Johnson Beach is still in effect. Learn more.
* On June 25, Okaloosa County Health Department, in coordination with Okaloosa County Emergency Management and local officials rescinded the health notice for the area extending from the Okaloosa/Walton County Line to Pelican Beach Resort in Destin. Learn more.
* On June 25, Walton County Health Department, in coordination with Walton County Emergency Management and local officials rescinded the health advisory for the area extending from the Miramar Beach access point eastward to the east end of Top Sail State Park. 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:
* 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.
* Approximately 67 percent of Gulf federal waters are available for fishing. Closed fishing in the remaining areas is a precautionary measure to ensure that seafood from the Gulf will remain safe for consumers. This federal closure does not apply to 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.
* Visit http://bpdecon.com for a list of vessel decontamination locations for oiled boats within the U.S. Coast Guard Mobile Sector.
* Fishermen who wish to contact BP about a claim should call 1-800-440-0858.
Tourism:
* Through www.VISITFLORIDA.com/floridalive, vacationers are able to view web cams, real-time photos, live Twitter feeds and beach condition updates.
* The Florida State Parks website, http://www.floridastateparks.org, is updated daily and will list any impacts. Learn more by calling 1-850-245-2157.
* Beach visitors are reminded that some state law enforcement officers and clean-up workers are using All-Terrain Vehicles (ATV) to quickly gather information and respond to reported coastal impacts from the Deepwater Horizon event. Beach visitors are encouraged to use caution when officials on ATVs approach the area and allow these vehicles the right of way.
Tips for Property Owners:
* 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.
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.
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). |
