PERTH AMBOY, N.J., Feb. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- A Unified Incident Command (UIC) comprised of Chevron Products Co., the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, as well as state and city environmental agencies continues to respond to a crude oil spill in the Arthur Kill. Updated information includes:
* The Arthur Kill has been reopened to marine traffic.
* The total volume of crude oil spilled is unchanged from the prior
estimate of approximately 31,000 gallons.
* Approximately 29,400 gallons of oil-water mixture have been recovered.
* Two reconnaissance flights took place today to reassess the area
impacted by the spill.
* The Unified Incident Command's priorities today are focused primarily
on:
1. Protecting human health and the environment, and continuing a safe,
incident-free response.
2. Continuing oil recovery along both shores of the Arthur Kill.
3. Conducting detailed assessments of impacted areas and implementing
response efforts.
* More than 300 personnel from the Unified Incident Command, including
contractors, are on site working to manage response efforts and contain
and clean up the spill.
* Approximately 8,300 feet of containment boom has been deployed.
* On-water oil recovery is being conducted by five oil skimming vessels.
Another 33 vessels are being used for a variety of purposes, such as
deploying or maintaining containment and absorbent booms.
* Responders have also deployed four vacuum trucks and other equipment for
the response effort.
* In addition to state and city efforts to monitor and address oil
impacts, Tri-State Bird Rescue is on scene and patrolling the spill area
via patrol boat. No oiled wildlife have been recovered, however, there
have been sightings of oiled birds. Individuals who observe injured or
oiled wildlife should not attempt to rescue them. Doing so can be
dangerous, and may cause injury to both the would-be rescuer and the
wildlife. Instead, observers should carefully note the type of
wildlife, accurate location, and time of their observation and promptly
report it by calling the following number: 732-738-2155. Trained
wildlife experts will then be dispatched to recover and care for the
injured wildlife.
* Work crews began removing oil residue from vessels on the Arthur Kill on
Tuesday and continued efforts over night. Thus far, four vessels have
been cleaned and nine vessels are to be cleaned.
* Responders are working to cleanup wetland areas on the Staten Island
side of the Arthur Kill. There are 110 workers currently working on the
Staten Island shore from Mill Creek to Port Mobile to clean up affects
from the spill. Environmental contractors are removing debris from the
shoreline and setting up booms along the shoreline from Mill Creek to
approximately 1/8 mile north of the Outer Bridge Crossing Bridge to
contain and collect oil.
* The cause of the spill is under investigation. Chevron is cooperating
with regulatory agencies to determine the cause.
