Response continues to oil discharge offshore of Port Aransas, Texas

The Coast Guard, Texas General Land Office, and Bouchard Transportation representatives continue to respond to an oil discharge from a barge three miles off the jetties of Port Aransas, Texas Oct. 13, 2017. The Coast Guard continues to closely monitor any environmental impacts from the event along with the unified command.

The Coast Guard, Texas General Land Office, and Bouchard Transportation representatives continue to respond to an oil discharge from a barge three miles off the jetties of Port Aransas, Texas Oct. 13, 2017.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Coast Guard, Texas General Land Office, and Bouchard Transportation representatives continue to respond to an oil discharge from a barge three miles off the jetties of Port Aransas, Texas.

Beach cleanup operations have removed approximately 48 cubic yards of oily solids from the impacted shoreline on Mustang Island and North Padre Island. Six cleanup teams, totaling over 120 people, are actively engaged in beach cleanup.

Two wildlife response teams and one wildlife response vessel continue to assess any impacted wildlife between the Padre Island National Seashore and Port Aransas. Any recovered wildlife will be taken to the Amos Rehabilitation Keep at University of Texas at Austin Marine Science Institute in Port Aransas, Texas.

There has been no further discharge of oil from the barge and air overflights observed no oil remaining on the water.

Response personnel are applying high expansion foam to the cargo tanks of the barge as a preventive measure to suppress vapors in the tanks. There is no fire or firefighting activity ongoing. The barge remains safely in place with two response vessels on standby.

“The TGLO’s oil spill response team and unified command partners have deployed along the affected beaches to quickly clean any shoreline impacts so that beach-goers can return to enjoying the natural beauty of the Texas coast,” said George P. Bush, Texas General Land Office Commissioner.

To report sightings of impacted wildlife, please call 361-500-9968.

For claims related to this incident, please call 888-850-8486.


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