MISSISSIPPI RIVER OIL SPILL RESPONSE UPDATE - August 2, 2008
NEW ORLEANS - The following is the latest information on efforts to salvage the barge DM 932 and clean up as much as 420,000 gallons of oil spilled in the Mississippi River.
- Salvage operations on the barge DM 932 continue Saturday.
- Vessel traffic continues to move with safety restrictions.
- The entire length of the river's ship channel remains open to deep-draft vessels.
- Dredging operations at the Head of Passes resume Saturday.
- More than 500 vessels have been cleared, inspected and/or decontaminated and released since operations began.
- More than 139,000 gallons of an oil/water mix has been recovered to date.
- More than 2,000 responders are currently deployed throughout the region affected by the spill
- Field responders are using three tugs, 159 work boats, four barges, 20 skimmers and 13 vacuum trucks on scene to clean up the spill.
- Approximately 155,000 feet of containment boom and sorbent boom is deployed.
- An incident Web site has been established at www.neworleansoilspill.com
- Oiled wildlife can be reported by calling 504-393-0353.
- Sixty barges used the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet as an alternate route when there were restrictions on the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal lock, commonly known as Industrial Canal Lock.
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